The role of chief strategy officer (CSO) — increasingly common in corporate America — has been adopted by relatively few law firms. Consultants say perceptions of what the position entails and whether it's necessary vary widely throughout the legal industry.
Absent the willingness or inability of first tier partners to create an environment in which blossoming attorneys can achieve their personal, professional and economic objectives, the likelihood is that these very attractive partners may leave to join other law firms.
Not too many years ago, good decisions made by smart lawyers were sufficient. Law firms were raising their fees substantially every year and attorney incomes were soaring. Now, corporate buyers are largely calling the shots, and excellent decision-making by law firm leaders is required as firms work to maintain their profitability.
Whether a firm has poor leaders, leaders with no vision, leaders who micro-manage or leaders who are downright dysfunctional, somewhere in the firm there is an opportunity to help a leader or a group of leaders to become more effective.
Marketing and business development in law firms is no longer the exclusive domain of marketing and business development executives. Many more executives are pursuing revenue in one form or another, and those dedicated to the function should welcome this development rather than feel threatened by it.
Part One of a Two-Part Article
The two major challenges now facing lawyer management in many mid-size firms are: 1) how to motivate the non-entrepreneurial attorneys to achieve and to perform; and 2) how to retain the "over-achiever" attorneys so they will remain with the firm.
The Future State of the E-Discovery Job Market Will Be Cloud and Contract Staffing
Part Three of a Three-Part Article
If the history of e-discovery is the future of cybersecurity, then what should one expect for the future of e-discovery? How long will the current period of consolidation continue? What will be the next chapter in e-discovery's never-ending reinvention? How closely will the next 10 years of cybersecurity job trends mirror e-discovery's past?
If you are currently working with marketing vendors or are in the process of retaining one in the areas of branding/advertising, public relations, business development, social media, blogs, website/graphic design, SEO, events or any number of other functions, it is critical you understand how to maximize this invaluable resource.
While many legal professionals have joined LinkedIn, few use it to its maximum benefit. In this article, the authors provides some tips that will help lawyers transform LinkedIn into the powerful business networking tool it was built to be.
Here is how to effectively network with the reporters who will be serving as moderators at an industry group conference, as well as the panelists and leaders of the industry membership organization sponsoring the programs.
