The critical interplay between people management, productivity and profitability

Poor profitability can plague law firms unless they address complementary factors relating to salaries, effective use of human resources and clarity around staff KPIs, writes Rob Knowsley. Let us get the profit imperative out of the way right up front. Profit is very important for all businesses, including law firms. There is not enough scope […]

Latest news – Herbert Smith Freehills tops rankings; Freelance lawyers loving the freedom; Tech skills need ramping up

Survey identifies leading ‘attraction’ firms According to a new survey, the top three “attraction” firms in the Australian legal market are Herbert Smith Freehills, King & Wood Mallesons, and Allens. The research, conducted by Momentum Intelligence, lists the firms that are considered to be the most attractive to Australian lawyers. The Top 25 Attraction Firms […]

10 reasons why culture eats strategy for breakfast

Despite talk about the importance of embracing disruptive business models, success for law firms is more likely to come from cultural differentiation rather than market differentiation, writes Joel Barolsky. During the past three years, I have worked with three professional service firms that have outperformed their peers. Despite operating in hyper-competitive markets, they have consistently […]

You love your firm’s technology tools … but are they what your clients want?

Much of the discourse about new technologies centres on how they can be used within firms, but there is a danger in not being sufficiently client centric in our approaches to such technology, writes Mark Andrews. If technology helps us to be more efficient in the practise of law, it seems reasonably intuitive that this […]

Latest news – Sign up for World Masters seminar; Businesses ‘not ready’ for crises; Milestone for women barristers

World Masters puts spotlight on differentiation Respected American author and marketing professional Tim Williams will help leaders embrace strategies to differentiate their firms from others when he addresses the World Masters of Law Firm Management workshop in Sydney in September. To be held on September 18 at the offices of Allens at Level 28, Deutsche […]

Bad habits in meetings – which ones are you guilty of?

In the first of a two-part series in this excerpt from his book, Smart Teams: How to Work Better Together, author and productivity thought leader Dermot Crowley explains why a poor approach to meetings is a sign of other cultural shortfalls within a firm.   Meetings are a common way in which we cooperate together […]

A word of warning on lawyers’ poor communication

The general deterioration of writing standards in society is also an issue in the legal sector, and this deficiency has the potential to cost firms money and clients, writes Trish Carroll. Lawyers trade in words. Yet despite that, clients consistently complain about their poor communication. The 2016/17 Annual Report of The Office of the Legal […]

Latest news – Snub for legal professionals; Poor sleep, poor productivity; Top mark for Melbourne Uni

Survey reveals lack of inclusiveness for legal professionals A new survey from the Australasian Legal Practice Management Association suggests legal business professionals who are not lawyers are having an increasingly significant impact on the delivery of legal services, but most law firms are not providing an inclusive workplace where these professionals can thrive. More than […]

Q&A: Peter Jolly – “What we have is an incredible legacy and the partners view themselves as the custodians of that legacy.”

In this Q&A, Thynne + Macartney Chairman of Partners Peter Jolly reflects on the firm’s recent 125th birthday; the challenge of ensuring that a traditional firm stays relevant in the era of NewLaw; and why he likes to bring a sense of humour to the table when dealing with employees and clients. Congratulations on the […]

Latest news – Legal salary rises set to be modest; Meeting breaches upset bosses; Lawyers expose clients to cybersecurity threats

In-house counsel lose pay-hike fight Lawyers in traditional firms are likely to score bigger pay rises in the next 12 months than their in-house counterparts, according to the 2018 Hays Salary Guide. Nevertheless, the report indicates that salary hikes across the legal sector will be modest overall. Hays says 11 per cent of law firms […]