Leading for future growth

Gary Luftspring, a partner with Ricketts, Harris LLP in Toronto, says that while young associates do talk more about lifestyle than senior staff, they’re also willing to put their heads down and work extremely hard.

“Associates who are happy see the whole picture of why they do something and how it contributes,” Luftspring says. “Even tedious jobs can be endured if “frustration time” is limited, and associates understand that they are helping the firm.

HR professional Jim Fries says leaders concerned about retention do want to understand what motivates young lawyers.

“I’m not sure the old model holds . . . where the hours the new lawyer had to work were excessive. I think fewer people are buying into that.” “[Young lawyers are] either choosing to go with a private, independent practice or work for a corporation or an oil and gas company. It’s not about achieving a partnership.”

To successfully recruit and retain young lawyers, Fries suggests leaders:

Be clear on where you are taking the practice and where the individual might fit in.

Review expectations and agree upfront what’s acceptable before a new hire comes to the firm. For example, is flex time okay? Can the lawyer come in at 10 a.m. and work until 8 p.m.?

Discuss if and how the firm supports employees for their community work.

Address work-life balance. Young people want to contribute and are looking for flexibility, he says. They want to know that they can meet family commitments like attending kids’ school concerts.

Get to know them personally and professionally after they are hired.

Leading change in the workplace
How effective leaders manage HR challenges

Law firm leaders are looking for ways to create more equitable working environments, says Jim Fries, partner at Cenera, an integrated human resources and business consulting firm based in Calgary.

Firms are looking for help in building clear HR management policies and beginning conversations about possible changes in their compensation philosophies.

“I think (employees) take exception to exceptions,” Fries says. “That’s been a concern of firms that have brought us in. They want all their people to be treated fairly.”

Change is often difficult, perhaps more so in the legal profession. Fries suggests two factors can increase chances of success.

First, strong leaders are essential. Successful personalities are those who tend to be self-aware and who understand important traits, including their own strengths, biases, effectiveness, conflict resolution skills and ability to deal with challenging personalities.

Second, leaders must know their employees. Don’t make assumptions — make the effort to understand what’s important to your people.

“Yes, time is money,” Fries acknowledges. “But most people need to eat lunch, right? Take the time. It’s about what conversations you have with your people that makes a difference.”

Jordan Furlong, a partner with Edge International, once wrote that making substantial structural change within a law firm of any size is like trying to change the tires on an 18-wheeler as it thunders down the highway.

Furlong’s advice to help leadership create change, is to begin in the slow lane:

Start with a pilot project that’s viewed as low risk and that can be discontinued if it doesn’t work. It’s a palatable approach in a risk-averse culture.
Begin with a particular practice group or among a small number of influential partners who are respected for their skills and the revenue they bring in.
Talk to clients and listen well, because they can give lawyers an accurate, blunt, and practical assessment of what reality is and what the law firm is up against. Clients are often valuable focus groups just waiting to be tapped.
Respect the views of non-lawyer professional staff. Too often, these well-trained, sharp professionals make recommendations that don’t carry as much weight because they don’t have a law degree.

—Michael Dempster