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Leading Succession

By Alan S. Becker
June 02, 2015

The majority of law firms faced with generational change do not survive into the next generation after the founders retire. This risk of decline or dissolution can be greatly mitigated if your firm plans ahead of time for succession.

In 1972, my law partner and I started our law firm with two lawyers and no clients, but a pretty clear vision and a lot of ambition. Today, the firm has nearly 200 lawyers and lobbyists in offices throughout four states and Washington, DC. Three years ago, I handed off the role of managing shareholder to the next generation, and they continue to do well.

Yet despite this successful generational handoff, in hindsight, we made a pretty big mistake in our earlier years. You can take some lessons from other firms' mistakes and successes, so when the time comes for such a transition, your firm will have a good chance to thrive through a change of leadership to the next generation of partners.

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