Planning

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PLANNING = PROFITS

The data presents a compelling case: 90% of law firms with a written strategic plan report enhanced cohesiveness and increased profitability directly attributable to its implementation. However, despite these clear benefits, 60% of law firms currently operate without a formal strategic plan. The reasons for this discrepancy often stem from the inherent challenges of forging consensus and making difficult decisions among a group of independent-minded legal professionals.

Effective strategic planning, therefore, demands not only courage but also decisive and persuasive leadership. To address this critical need, this section provides a curated collection of insightful articles, comprehensive white papers, and other valuable resources on this essential topic.

Thomas C. Grella, Esq.
McGuire Wood & Bissette, P.A.
– Asheville, NC

I highly recommend the MPF Leadership Conference. I’ve participated many times, as have several of my partners. We leave with new ideas and fresh perspectives every time.

Jason P. Waguespack, Esq.
Galloway
– New Orleans, LA

I look forward to this Conference every year. It really helps me to be a more effective firm leader.

Wilbur E. Johnson, Esq.
Clement Rivers, LLP – Charleston, SC

The MPIEs are interesting, informative and useful!

Kenneth J. Albano, Esq.
Bacon Wilson, P.C.
– Springfield, MA

The Conference was terrific, as it exposed me to many issues facing my firm.

Marc D. Fine, Esq.
Jackson Kelly PLLC
– Evansville, IN

The attendees were excellent, and they were very open to candid discussion.

G. Wayne Hillis, Esq.
Parker Hudson Rainer & Dobbs – Atlanta, GA

A very organized and well-run conference. Great food. Great hospitality.

Frank X. Neuner, Jr., Esq.
NeunerPate – Lafayette, LA

A very informative conference with lots of fresh ideas and perspectives.

Russell D. Garrett, Esq.
Jordan Ramis PC – Lake Oswego, OR

The benchmarking data presented during the opening session is fantastic. Our MPIE facilitator was great!

Thomas N. Ryan, Esq.
Laddey Clark & Ryan LLP – Sparta, NJ

As always, The MPF Conference is a very enjoyable and worthwhile experience.

Gerry Riskin
Edge International – Anguilla, BWI

Thank you for allowing me to participate. Your team is masterful at making all feel valued at your event and I dare say helping attendees see the value in attending.

Marc D. Chapman, Esq.
Dean Mead – Orlando, FL

Thank you for the invite to speak on the Managing Partner panel. Even though I have now attended 7 MPFs, I always bring back substantive and helpful information for my partners.

Donald L. Mrozek, Esq.
Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP – Chicago, IL

From my perspective, the conference went extremely well. Thank you for inviting me to participate; I was proud to be part of a very talented faculty. Congratulations to all!

Dr. Larry Richard
LawyerBrain LLC – Wayne, PA

Many thanks. Always a pleasure and an honor.

Katy Goshtasbi, JD
ABA Law Practice Division – San Diego, CA

Thanks for partnering with us from the ABA Law Practice Division. Very well organized. Your team knows precisely what they are doing and we appreciate you.

Darin Klemchuk, Esq.
Klemchuk, LLP – Dallas, TX

Was looking over some old MPF materials and recalled how great this event is. Wanted to thank you all again. I really enjoyed it.

Robert A. Young, Esq.
English Lucas Priest Owsley – Bowling Green, KY

Hands down the best leadership conference for managing partners I’ve ever attended.

Ida Abbott
Ida Abbott Consulting – Oakland, CA

It was indeed a very well run and informative conference. I especially enjoyed meeting the participants and other faculty and learning from them. Thank you, John, for giving me the opportunity to participate.

Ann H. Zucker, Esq.
Carmody Torrance Sandak & Hennessey LLP – Stamford, CT

MPF is a great conference, with excellent interaction among peers.

Arthur G. Connolly, III, Esq.
Connolly Gallagher LLP – Wilmington, DE

I very much enjoyed The Managing Partner Forum and thank you for putting on such a great program. I’m planning to attend again next year.

Adam K. Peck, Esq.
Lightfoot Franklin White LLC – Birmingham, AL

Our new managing partner, Wynn Shuford, attended your conference last month and has raved about it ever since. Thanks for your continued great work in the area of law firm leadership.

Joseph A. Bubba, Esq.
Fitzpatrick Lentz & Bubba – Center Valley, PA

The conference was tremendous and I've already made tentative plans to attend next year's event. I've also reached out to other firm leaders I know to let them know the advantages of the Managing Partner Forum. Thank you.

John J. Michalik
Former Exec Director, Association of Legal Administrators – Chicago, IL

Many thanks for inviting me to be a part of this great program! I thought it was outstanding and was honored to be part of it.

Traci S. Lagasse, Esq.
Andrews Lagasse Branch Bell – San Diego, CA

Thank you so much for such a wonderful conference. It was invaluable, and I am already looking forward to next year.

Barry M. Miller, Esq.
Fowler Bell PLLC – Lexington, KY

I've attended two events through John's Managing Partner Forum. They are always of high quality, and provide invaluable information that is useful to our firm.

Mark E. Goodman, Esq.
Capes Sokol Goodman Sarachan – St. Louis, MO

It's a great format overall, and the MPIEs provide a fabulous exchange for ideas and perspectives.

Michael J. Maher, Esq.
Hecht Solberg – San Diego, CA

The MPF provides a very consistent and solid program.

Jarrell B. Hammond, Esq.
Lewis Wagner, LLP – Indianapolis, IN

This is a fantastic conference with great topics and great people. The sharing of ideas and information among managing partners is invaluable.

Kurtis J. Winstead, Esq.
Rudy Winstead Turner – Nashville, TN

An excellent program and overall very valuable experience. Bright participants, terrific discussions and outstanding statistics. I’ll be back.

Jason M. Casini, Esq.
Whitfield & Eddy Law – Des Moines, IA

MPF provides tremendous value and excellent resources. Great information. Great speakers. Great networking opportunities.

Dana D. McDaniel, Esq.
Spotts Fain, PC – Richmond, VA

A great program! It was very helpful to hear both the faculty and participants comment on key issues.

Richard N. Sherrill, Esq.
Clark Partington – Pensacola, FL

I thoroughly enjoyed participating in this year's Conference. Thank you for your enthusiasm and leadership.

Charles B. Jimerson, Esq.
Jimerson & Cobb, PA – Jacksonville, FL

Thank you for what you do for our industry. I go to a lot of conferences, and your event is the one I look forward to and gain the most from each year.

Kenneth W. Dodge, Esq.
Lewis Longman & Walker, PA – West Palm Beach, FL

In particular, I valued the breakout sessions, which allowed for informal conversations on jointly shared issues.

Michelle M. Symank, Esq.
Evans & Dixon, LLC – St. Louis, MO

As a first time attendee, I really enjoyed it!

Thomas C. Logan, Esq.
Carr Allison – Birmingham, AL

What do I like best? The MPIE sessions and meeting so many managing partners in one place.

Kenneth R. Wooten, Esq.
Ward and Smith, P.A. – New Bern, NC

A very well planned and executed conference. I’ll be back.

Edward C. Winslow, III, Esq.
Brooks Pierce – Greensboro, NC

The Managing Partner Idea Exchanges (MPIEs) are excellent.

Stephen M. Schatz, Esq.
Swift Currie – Atlanta, GA

A great event. Thank you for the invitation. I’ll be back next year.

Ronald J. Hein, Jr., Esq.
Franczek Radelet – Chicago, IL

I found this conference to be extremely valuable. We all face very similar challenges, and it’s comforting to know that others share the same questions and concerns.

John K. Krajewski, Esq.
Stark & Knoll – Akron, OH

The faculty and breakout sessions were great. I also enjoyed the first-class location. Please keep me on your invitation list.

John R. Mineaux, Esq.
Roemer Wallens Gold & Mineaux LLP – Albany, NY

I continue to tell people that the MPF is the single, most valuable conference I've ever attended.

John K. Krajewsky, Esq.
Stark & Knoll – Akron, OH

This was a great seminar. I especially enjoyed the open sharing of ideas among firm leaders.

William H. Hollander, Esq.
Wyatt, Tarrant & Combs, LLP – Louisville, KY

The MPIE sessions are always very helpful. We implemented several successful programs after the last Forum and I expect we'll do so again after what I learned today.

Jeffrey D. Featherstun, Esq.
Plews Shadley Racher & Braun LLP – Indianapolis, IN

I’m really impressed with everything about The Managing Partner Forum. Very useful.

David J. Klippert, Esq.
Warner Norcross & Judd – Midland, MI

The roundtable discussions with other managing partners in the MPIE sessions was exceptionally valuable.

Peter S. Marlette, Esq.
Damon & Morey LLP – Buffalo, NY

A terrific program. The interactive sharing of information in a non-competitive atmosphere among peers was most valuable to me.

Robert U. Sattin, Esq.
TAGLaw – St. Petersburg, FL

A very well-run program, with good issues and great exchange among participants. Thanks for the invitation.

Michael C. Cohan, Esq.
Cavitch, Familo, Durkin & Frutkin – Cleveland, OH

I very much enjoy these programs, especially the open exchange of information among fellow managing partners.

Elisabeth M. Snyder, Esq.
Cooley Manion Jones LLP – Boston, MA

The information exchange was great, especially since I don't have a lot of colleagues in this area. This was a really nice event.

Clark R. Hammond, Esq.
Wallace Jordan Ratliff & Brandt – Birmingham, AL

The group dynamics in the MPIE sessions are a great value. I liked Susan Hackett (General Counsel of the Association for Corporate Counsel) on Skype, too.

David E. Surprenant, Esq.
Mirick O'Connell DeMallie – Worcester, MA

The instant statistical feedback during the Opening Session and the opportunity to share experiences with other firm leaders were great.

Jeffrey L. Embleton, Esq.
Mansour, Gavin, Gerlack & Manos – Cleveland, OH

The opportunity to spend an entire day sharing ideas with other managing partners was very therapeutic. I feel better knowing that I am not alone.

Benjamin A. Irwin, Esq.
The Cochran Firm – Dothan, AL

What great participation from other managing partners! There’s no other conference like it.

Michael E. Keeney, Esq.
Lewis Thomason – Memphis, TN

I gained much value from the candid sharing of ideas and interaction with other managing partners.

Daniel G. McKay, Esq.
Eaton Peabody – Bangor, ME

The interactive sessions were great and the facilitators did a fantastic job.

José I. Astigarraga, Esq.
Astigarraga Davis – Miami, FL

The MPF brings together the leaders of Florida's top firms, together with experienced consultants, for a great exchange of ideas and information. It's an excellent resource.

Elisabeth M. Snyder, Esq.
Cooley Manion Jones LLP – Boston, MA

I thoroughly enjoyed it! The MPIEs were especially worthwhile and very well presented.

Preston W. Halperin, Esq.
Shechtman Halperin Savage, LLP – Pawtucket, RI

The opportunity to spend the day exchanging ideas and solutions with other managing partners is what I liked best.

Joseph H. Serota, Esq.
Weiss Serota Helfman Cole & Bierman – Miami, FL

This is a dynamic industry and the Managing Partner Forum is a great place to learn about how other firms are adjusting to it.

Mark J. Neuberger, Esq.
Foley & Lardner, LLP – Miami, FL

The true value comes from the opportunity to share solutions with your professional peers. I highly recommend this program to any managing partner.

Howard J. Berlin, Esq.
Berger Singerman – Miami, FL

Since the majority of our firm’s business is referred by other law firms, The Forum is a great place to catch up with our clients while also learning from my peers. It’s a terrific program.

Gail A. McQuilkin, Esq.
Kozyak Tropin Throckmorton – Miami, FL

The Managing Partner Forum is a rare opportunity to network with my peers from throughout Florida. I highly recommend it.

Ira J. Coleman, Esq.
McDermott Will & Emery – Miami, FL

I attended The Managing Partner Forum and thought it was outstanding. The program provided an excellent opportunity to benchmark my firm’s performance with our peer group.

J. Thomas Cardwell, Esq.
Akerman Senterfitt – Orlando, FL

The Florida focus is what distinguishes this program from others and gives it particular relevant value.

Vincent L. Valenza, Esq.
McNamee Lochner Titus & Williams PC – Albany, NY

The MPIE sessions were rich in content, and are what make this leadership conference better than all the rest.

Christine A. Gimber, Esq.
Weld Riley – Eau Claire, WI

Thank you for putting on another outstanding MPF Conference. I came away, once again, feeling reassured and encouraged.

Kimberly A. Davison, Esq.
Griffith Nixon Davison, PC – Dallas, TX

The MPF provides much-needed interaction for those of us in the 'isolated' role of managing partner of a mid-sized firm. I liked the professionalism of the attendees.

Joseph H. Bourgon, Esq.
Sommers Schwartz, PC – Southfield, MI

The format was terrific. It gives participants the ability to interact and compare notes with other firm leaders.

John H. Cooper, Esq.
Sirote & Permutt PC – Birmingham, AL

The MPF is unique among law firm conferences because it features relaxed, informal discussions among managing partners from other large firms.

Thomas M. Sullivan, Esq.
Lando and Anastasi – Cambridge, MA

I got an unbelievable number of great ideas in the Managing Partner Idea Exchange sessions.

T. Douglas Wilson, Jr., Esq.
McGuire Wood & Bissette, PA – Asheville, NC

The MPF presents a rare opportunity to exchange ideas and learn how other firm leaders are handling difficult and challenging situations.

Alexander J. Walker, Jr., Esq.
Devine Millimet – Manchester, NH

The format was excellent and the program was well organized. I will definitely return. The organizers do a fantastic job.

James L. Costello, Esq.
Curtis Thaxter – Portland, ME

The exchange of ideas was well worth my time and money. I'll be back.

Amy M. Soisson, Esq.
The McCormack Firm, LLC – Boston, MA

I truly appreciated the opportunity to interact with other managing partners throughout the region. Well done!

The successful managing partner develops a clear sense of strategic direction, so that on most days most partners are marching in the same direction. How one does this is what the Forum is all about.

Stephen D. Susman, Esq.
Susman Godfrey LLP – Houston, TX

The MPF provides a rare opportunity for managing partners to gather and share insights and perspectives on ways to be more effective law firm leaders.

There is a difference between leadership and management. Law firms need both. The managing partner must be the keeper of the vision and its continuous champion.

The Managing Partner Forum provides a unique venue to network with other managing partners so I can learn new ways to be more successful in today’s climate.

Michael M. Boone, Esq.
Haynes & Boone LLP – Dallas, TX

The Managing Partner Forum offers an invaluable opportunity to learn about the latest trends in the legal industry and to compare notes with other law firm leaders.

David W. Proctor, Esq.
Hall Booth Smith – Birmingham, AL

The exchange of practical ideas and hearing success stories from other managing partners is what I liked best. This program could have easily lasted two days.

Howard Levine, Esq.
Miller & Martin LLP – Chattanooga, TN

The exchange of ideas and valuable information was impressively solid throughout the day. I appreciate the opportunity to be included.

Daniel P. Berexa, Esq.
Cornelius & Collins LLP – Nashville, TN

The discussions were surprisingly open and productive. I came away with much information on where we are doing well, ideas for improvement and strategies for capitalizing on opportunities.

James L. Ward, Jr., Esq.
Richardson Patrick Westbrook & Brickman – Charleston, SC

I was impressed by the openness with which the participants shared their experiences, procedures and policies.

Gerald M. Finkel, Esq.
Finkel & Altman – Columbia, SC

I especially liked the information sharing and the chance to network with other managing partners.

William C. Knight, Jr., Esq.
Burr & Forman LLP – Birmingham, AL

I’ve attended many law firm leadership conferences over the years and this is one of the best. A great program with outstanding participants.

Steve A. Matthews, Esq.
Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd, PA – Columbia, SC

Great job! The Managing Partner Forum exceeded my expectations – very valuable. Thanks for including me.

Charles M. Dalziel, Jr. Esq.
Gregory Doyle Calhoun & Rogers – Marietta, GA

The sessions on strategic planning and the interactive afternoon sessions were extremely valuable.

Thomas C. Logan, Esq.
Carr Allison – Birmingham, AL

All in all, a very well-run program. The ability to interact with other managing partners was especially valuable.

James M. Anderson, Esq.
Anderson Crawley & Burke, PLLC – Ridgeland, MS

The opportunity to meet and interact with other managing partners in such a high level setting was well worth the price of admission.

R. Bradley Carr, Esq.
Andersen Tate Mahaffey & McGarity – Lawrenceville, GA

The Managing Partner Idea Exchanges were the best part of the day. I very much appreciate the opportunity to participate and will be here again in the future.

Ronald G. Daves, Esq.
Wimberly Lawson – Knoxville, TN

The Keynote Presentation was concise, to the point and had great written materials and presentation slides. It certainly measured up to its advertising and then some!

David M. Armitage, Esq.
Bryan Cave LLP – Atlanta, GA

A terrific conference. I was impressed by the wide variety of viewpoints and candidness of the participants.

Kelly Overstreet Johnson, Esq. – President
The Florida Bar – Tallahassee, FL

The MPF is a first-class event. It’s a rare opportunity to interact and learn with other managing partners, and there is nothing else quite like it.

The MPF is unique because it is an exclusive and productive gathering of many peers at one time. The perspectives and insights are invaluable.

Articles
White Papers
Books
Other Resources

13 Things Your Firm Must Do Today to Attract and Retain Tomorrow’s Lawyers

This short article (about 1,200 words) sets out what I’ve learned over the years about what law firms must do to attract and retain younger lawyers. Like it or not, today’s younger lawyers tend to...

15 Recession-Response Tips

Recession or not, this article from Law Practice magazine includes fifteen really good ideas for lawyers of law firms, regardless of firm size or practice mix. Many of Linda’s suggestions focus on client service and...

A Broken Business Model

Henning asks "Will it take a revolution to change the way law firms operate?" Will today’s current economic crisis force law firms to rethink the old model of annual hourly rate increases? Radical ideas may...

A Glass Half Full or Half Empty? The Challenging Market for Mid-Size Law Firm Services

Although the overall demand for legal services in the US has been flat (at best) since 2008, there are two ways that mid-size firms have outperformed BigLaw according to this report published in late March....

Administrators: The "Secret Sauce" of Law Firm Success

We are strong advocates for strong, competent, business-minded administrators in law firms. Management. Marketing. Finance. Human Resources. Technology. They make the trains run on time, and they make the firm more money. This article talks about...

Anxieties of Leadership:Critical Questions and Answers for New Managing Partners

For new managing partners, the responsibilities are multi-faceted and the stakeholders are diverse, both within and outside the firm. This article looks at the most common mistakes, the biggest challenges, some unanticipated surprises, and how...

Competing in a Changing Marketplace

Bob thinks a lot about law firm leadership. He’s former Chair of the ABA’s Law Practice Division and the ABA’s Diversity Committee. He also served as Managing Partner of his law firm, English Lucas Priest...

Creating a Strategic Business Plan

Along with Robert Young of Lucas English in Bowling Green, Kentucky, I was featured in this article that appeared in a recent issue of LawyersUSA. In it, I talk about research we’ve conducted at MPF affirming that law firms...

Dealing with the Downturn: How Law Firms Can Meet the Challenges and Exploit the Opportunities

This two-part Lex Mundi article focuses on what law firm leaders can do to deal with the downturn through both aggressive law firm economics and strengthening client relationships. The suggested practices can help firms survive...

Driving Execution: Seven Ways To Get Your Team’s Brilliant Ideas Executed

After 25 years in the legal industry, I often find myself working with firms that are long on planning, yet woefully short when it comes to implementation. My advice? Pick just three meaningful initiatives, dedicate the...

Featured Video

Here's a short but hard-hitting video that hammers home the dramatic changes in the legal industry over the past decade. We suggest that you play it at your next partnership meeting and ask your partners what...

Five Questions to Ask about Your Firm’s Succession Readiness

“A leader’s lasting value is measured by succession,” says leadership author and guru John Maxwell. Tom Grella, a long-term member of the MPF Advisory Board, puts his spin on the topic from the perspective of...

Five TrendsClients Want You to Jump On

In this short article, Michael shares five emerging trends he’s been seeing in the marketplace for legal services. These early seeds of change present new opportunities for those law firms that act now and seize...

Implementation: The Gutsy Challenge of Strategic Planning

A great article for firm leaders about the implementation side of the strategic planning process. Giuliani says fuzzy goals, a lack of genuine commitment and an unwillingness to deal with tough issues often hamper successful implementation.

Is There a Sea Change toward AFAs? In-House Counsel Give It a Solid "Maybe"

Over half of in-house counsel – 56%, to be precise – say there has been a "sea change" in how fees are paid to outside counsel. Prompted by the pressure to reduce the overall cost...

Isn’t It Time That Your Firm Develops a Strategic Plan?

Do you and your partners have a written, cohesive firm strategy? Or are you merely sharing office space with other sole practitioners? Strategic planning is the key differentiator, but it’s not for the faint of...

Keep an Eye on Your Firm’s Billing Practices

According to research conducted by Samford University’s Cumberland School of Law, 55% of lawyers in private practice admit to overbilling on occasion. The temptation only becomes more severe as there is less work to be...

Law Firm Leaders are Optimistic going into 2016

Managing partners of the nation’s largest law firms are bullish about 2016 according to this annual survey of leaders of AmLaw 200 law firms. One-hundred four 104 firm leaders participated and were asked about overall...

Law Firm MDPs (Multi-Disciplinary Practices) and New Delivery Models

In the US (except for the District of Columbia), non-law firms are prohibited from providing legal services and non-lawyers are prohibited from law firm ownership. In the meantime, law firms in Canada, Europe and elsewhere...

Law Firm Strategic Planning and Deployment:A Report on the State of the Art

Although we’re seeing a gradual uptick in law firm strategic planning, fewer than half of mid-size law firms have them. Of those with a plan, firm leaders report improved firm performance despite so-so implementation efforts....

Law Firm Succession Planning

Our friends at LexisNexis have published a series of papers on best practices in the “business of law.” This one looks at best practices in the accounting profession that can be helpful to law firms, especially...

Law Firm Succession Planning: The Future is Now so Make a Plan

In December, we published MPF Insight (see below), a report that summarizes results of our Leadership & Governance Survey and presents recommendations to law firm leaders. Since then, The National Law Review has written a...

Leadership Transitions: Seven Steps to Ensure Success

There is no definitive answer to the question of exactly how long an outgoing leader should stay in office after announcing his or her departure. Many management experts advocate a swift transition to avoid lame-duck...

Legacy vs. Mercenary: Which Type of Firm Is Yours?

This article discusses the difference between legacy law firms – those where the firm comes first and where there’s sharing, teamwork and investment in the future – and mercenary firms – those that operate more...

Legal Industry Faces Major Changes: Large Law Firms Facing Intense Pressure to Adapt

Much ado has been made over the new partnership between Best Lawyers in America and US News & World Report to present their version of law firm rankings. We’ll be writing more on that topic...

Legal Strategy 101: It’s Time for Law Firms to Re-Think Their Business Model

This fascinating article from the Wharton Business School asserts that the global recession is forcing law firms to change the way they do business.

Make Mid-Sized The Right Size

Peter Marlette, Managing Partner of Damon Morey in Buffalo, New York, has recently joined the MPF Advisory Board. This outstanding article, which originally appeared in the New York Law Journal, is must reading for leaders...

New Report Shows Signs of Life in Law Firm Merger Market

The law firm merger market is starting to reawaken according to separate reports published by Hildebrandt International and Altman Weil. Although both reports show that firms aren’t ready to resume the highly aggressive growth strategies contemplated...

Nine Rules for Law Firm Leaders

From strategic planning to effective committee structure, this two-pager gets right to the point. Although simple in concept, these rules are not always easy to apply and follow. But the most successful organizations do….including law firms.

Orderly Succession of Law Firm Management

Most firms don’t utter the "s" word — succession — until disaster strikes. This article leads off with a great example of that. Don’t let your firm fall into the malaise and wait until fate...

Planning for the Future: When it Comes to Succession Planning, Law Firms Have Plenty of Room for Improvement

If you’ve been following us over the years, you know that we regularly survey firm leaders about topics relating to law firm leadership and management. And we consistently find that succession planning – in areas...

Reaching New Heights Midsize Firms Climb into BigLaw's Territory

Two MPF Advisory members – Mitchell Roth of Much Shelist and Ray Werner of Arnstein Lehr – are featured in this article appearing in the March 2014 issue of Chicago Lawyer. The article discusses a...

SQUARE PEGS, ROUND HOLES Does the Traditional Law Firm Business Model Fit the Needs of Clients, or Even Most Lawyers, Anymore?

Adhering to the concept that bigger is not always better, Roger leads a team of former “BigLaw” partners who’ve built an exceptional 30-lawyer firm in New York, one of the most competitive legal markets in...

Strategic Planning: It's Not Just For "BigLaw" Anymore

You may recall that, back in March, our MPF Leadership Matters online survey asked about strategic planning and the keys to successful implementation. The results of that survey serve as the basis for our article...

Study: Location, Firm Size Key to Billing Rates

Here’s an interesting study that puts law firm billing practices under the microscope. It examines invoices received by 36 large corporate clients finds that location and firm size – not lawyer expertise – are the biggest...

Succession for Sustainability

Of the dozen or so characteristics of today’s most successful law firms, succession planning is perhaps the most often neglected. Yet, succession should be an important element in many firm-wide strategic plans. Succession can be...

Succession Planning: How to Hand Your Law Firm to the Next Generation

When it comes to succession planning within a law firm, we often hear from managing partners: “I’m concerned that our young partners don’t have what it takes to run this firm in the future. They...

Ten Practice Management Challenges for Mid-Size Law Firms

Ed has served as Managing Partner of Brooks Pierce, a 90-lawyer firm with three North Carolina office locations, since 2000. He focuses on law practice management and strategic leadership, and is especially interested in the...

Ten Questions To Ask Your IT Director About Your Law Firm’s Cyber Security

We’ve recently seen several high-profile cases where the US Government, along with companies like CitiBank, Target, and American Express, have fallen victim to cyber criminals. There have also been a few instances involving prominent law...

Ten Ways Small and Mid-Sized Firms Can Compete

Can smaller and mid-sized law firms compete successfully with BigLaw in today’s turbulent legal market? History says yes, and we believe they can. This short article by the late Bruce Marcus sets forth ten ways...

The "New" Leverage and Other Selections from the Trends Medley

In this recently published article, MPF Faculty member Bob Denney says more and more law firms are focusing attention on leverage, associate development, alternative fee agreements and firm management. In our travels about the country, we see the...

The Managing Partner’s Guide to IT Audits

Your law firm runs on computers and, over time, your firm’s IT systems become outdated and security risks develop. Therefore, it’s critical that your firm undertakes a periodic evaluation and examination, so make sure all...

The Path to Partnership in Small to Mid-Sized Firms

BigLaw, with their highly paid recruiting and professional development staffs, is doing a pretty fair job articulating and enforcing the criteria to become an equity partner. Unfortunately, this is not the case for many smaller...

We Need to Talk: Facilitating Retirement by Helping Senior Partners Prepare

In many smaller and mid-size law firms, more than half of the owners are in their 60s and 70s. They typically generate most of the firm’s business. They handle leadership and management responsibilities. And they...

What BigLaw Can Learn from Law & Order

The major accounting firms sell their brands. Not so at the big law firms, where the individuals are the brand. Consider how attractive law firm leaders would find a firm whose brand – its name,...

What's Hot What's Not – Annual Practice Trends 2016

We received some nice press in Wisconsin Lawyer magazine commenting on Bob Denney’s most recent edition of “What’s Hot and What’s Not in the Legal Industry.”

What's Our Deal?

David Maister writes some really good stuff and you'll find lots of his books and articles featured on our Website. This particular article discusses things like mission, vision, values and culture in the context of...

What’s Hot, What’s Not: National Practice Trends 2019

In this thought-provoking article, Wisconsin Lawyer magazine carries on the annual “What’s Hot, What’s Not “ report published by Bob Denney for more than 20 years. In fact, we featured it in The MPF Weekly...

What’s Really Going On In Today’s Legal Departments

Good news for smaller and mid-sized firms, according to this article which appears in the current issue of Inside Counsel magazine. According to a recent survey of over 550 in-house counsel, 65% say they have...

Where Leaders Stumble

In working with hundreds of law firm leaders over the past twenty years, McKenna has observed several warning signs that often lead to weak or ineffective firm leadership.

Why Do Law Firms Die?

There are three common reasons why law firms fail, says this article that appears in the June edition of ABA’s Law Practice magazine. Lack of leadership. Lack of strategic focus. Lack of financial discipline. Don’t...

Why Lawyers Are Still Waiting for the Future

As Larry Richard’s extensive research reveals, lawyers hate change. They’re not too wild about risk either. And the characteristics that make them really good lawyers tend to make them not-so-good business people. But, as we...

Will Fate Plan Your Future or Will You?

If your firm has never gone through the strategic planning process, this is the article for you! It starts off explaining the basic "whys" and "hows" of planning, but goes deeper into the importance of...

Yes, This Recession Is Severe – But We’ve Been Through Much of It Before. The Question Is: “Will We Learn from Experience?”

Does this recession remind you of anything? Perhaps it’s the same phenomenon we experienced 15 years ago when the dot com industry went bust? Learn what’s changed in the legal marketplace since the last recession...

Your Firm’s Future Depends on its Succession Plan

This short article provides some practical guidance on how to transition the role of managing partner through thoughtful policies procedures to encourage a smooth, efficient, multi-year transition of leadership.

2012 PCPS Succession Survey: Gearing Up to Wind Down

In recent years, we’ve been helping quite a few firms with succession planning issues on the consulting side of our business. Consequently, we’ve done extensive research on the topic and this is by far the...

2014 Legal Market Reports – Chicago, New York, Cleveland and Atlanta

Over the course of the year, Smock Law Firm Consultants has published and distributed a series of reports on four major US legal markets. The markets they cover are Chicago, New York, Cleveland and Atlanta....

2016 Report on the State of the Legal Market

Every law firm leader should carefully read this report, digest it, and consider its implications for his/her law firm. Beyond that, firm leaders should distribute the report to partners and discuss what it means to...

2017 Chief Legal Officer Survey An Altman Weil Flash Survey

Since 2000, our friends at Altman Weil have conducted an annual survey of general counsel about the state of in-house legal departments. This year, the survey drilled down on what they’re doing to improve efficiency...

2017 Client Advisory

We’ve been including the annual Client Advisory by Hildebrandt/CitiBank as an MPF Featured White Paper for many years. Why? Because it’s a darn good report! Although focused primarily on BigLaw, the information presented in this...

2017 Law Firms in Transition An Altman Weil Flash Survey

Now in its ninth year, Altman Weil’s annual survey continues to document the forces reshaping the landscape for legal services, and how the nation’s largest law firms are responding. 386 firms with 50 or more...

2017 Report on the State of the Legal Market

The past decade has seen unprecedented change and disruption in the legal market. Sparked by the Great Recession of 2008, the pressure on today’s law firms is more intense than ever. As the market evolves...

2017 State of the Industry Survey

If you have not yet heard about CLOC, it’s time for you to check it out. Among other things, its mission is to bring leadership, knowledge and experience necessary for corporate legal operations officers to...

2017 What’s Hot and What’s Notin the Legal Profession

For nearly three decades, Bob Denney has been sharing in insights in an annual report he calls “What’s Hot and What’s Not in the Legal Profession.” As always, we’re happy to share it with our...

2018 Report on the State of the Legal Market

This annual report does a great job highlighting significant trends that are reshaping the market for legal services, including observations that future success is unlikely to be achieved by traditional strategies and approaches. Here are...

2018 Survey of the Legal Marketplace

Here’s another annual report – this one published by Smock Law Firm Consultants – that we call to your attention. It’s based primarily on interviews with CEOs and COOs of 41 large and midsize law...

2019 Client Advisory

The Client Advisory is the first of several “state of the legal profession” reports we look forward to every year. It says that times are pretty darn good for the AmLaw 200 law firms, especially...

2019 Report on the State of the Legal Market

This is one of a handful of “state of the legal profession” reports we look forward to every year. Like the 2019 Client Advisory featured last week, it says that 2018 was a good year...

Generally Excellent 2016 Performance, Virtually Non-Existent Growth, and Some Clouds on the Horizon

As always, John Smock and his colleagues, have produced an accurate and insightful report on the legal services marketplace, mostly from the perspective of the mid-size law firm. This year, they conducted 35 interviews with...

Guide to Develop Individual Attorney Marketing Plan

There are two kinds of lawyers in private practice: Lawyers with clients and lawyers who work for lawyers with clients. That said, we believe that every lawyer in private practice should want to take the...

Happy Days Are Here Again

This report summarizes the findings of Smock’s annual Survey of the Legal Marketplace in which John and Peter interview managing partners and leaders of thirty large US law firms. They report that 2018 was a...

International Review – Fall 2011

Twice a year, MPF faculty member Patrick McKenna publishes and distibutes his magazine called International Review to leaders of firms with 50 or more lawyers in the US and Canada. He is kind enough to...

International Review – Fall 2012

Twice a year, Patrick publishes and distributes International Review, a magazine featuring insightful articles on law firm leadership. This issue examines compensation systems, retirement plans for senior lawyers and several other thought-provoking ideas and concepts....

International Review – Fall 2013

Twice a year, Patrick publishes a great set of articles in a magazine he calls International Review, and he distributes a hard copy to selected leaders of the very largest law firms. He also provides...

International Review – Fall 2014

For several years now, Patrick has been kind enough to share his bi-annual collection of articles with our readers. It invariably includes some of the best, most thoughtful articles on law firm leadership and the...

International Review – Spring 2011

Twice a year, McKenna Associates publishes a magazine called International Review. Each issue strives to contain a “balanced blend of contributions covering the subjects of law firm strategy, economics and leadership,” and this issue includes articles...

International Review – Spring 2012

Twice a year, Patrick publishes a collection of articles written by him and others on law firm leadership. He calls it International Review. One of the articles we especially like in the current issue is entitled “Confronting the Underperforming...

International Review – Spring 2013

Twice a year, Patrick McKenna distributes International Review, a magazine for law firm leaders. Although most of his work focuses on Am Law 100 firms, much of what he writes is also timely and relevant...

International Review – Spring 2014

Twice a year, Patrick publishes his International Review, a collection of articles on law firm leadership and management. It’s geared mostly toward those who lead larger firms, but its teachings apply to managing partners of law...

International Review – Spring 2015

This issue of Internatinal Review, published by Patrick McKenna, runs 24 pages and features five great articles every firm leader should read. They include numerous practical ideas, tips and techniques that will make you a...

Law Firms in Transition 2016 An Altman Weil Special Report

Now in its eight year, Altman Weil’s annual survey continues to document the forces reshaping the landscape for legal services and how law firms are responding. 356 firms with 50 or more lawyers participated, including...

Law Firms in Transition 2018 An Altman Weil Flash Survey

Now in its tenth year, Altman Weil’s annual survey documents the forces reshaping the landscape for legal services and provides insight on how the nation’s largest law firms are responding. 398 firms with 50 or...

MPF INSIGHT Re-Envisioning the Law Firm: How to Lead Change and Thrive in the Future

This hard-hitting and ground-breaking report, which includes an abundance of benchmarking data drawn from two MPF surveys conducted earlier this year, serves as a wake-up call for leaders and owners of smaller and mid-size US...

Report on the Future of Legal Services in the United States

Earlier this year, the ABA’s Commission on the Future of Legal Services issued its long-awaited report on the future of the legal profession. Its findings and recommendations should be of little surprise to those who...

Strategic Planning: It’s Not Just for “BigLaw” Anymore

We surveyed law firm leaders earlier this year about strategic planning and implementation. 120 managing partners, mostly from mid-sized law firms, participated. As this White Paper reveals, more and more small and mid-sized law firms...

STRATEGIC PLANNING: KEY TO SMART GROWTH 2015 Survey of Smaller & Mid-Size US Law Firms

Earlier this year, we partnered with Thomson Reuters to conduct the largest and most comprehensive survey on the state of smaller and mid-size US law firms. One hundred and forty five managing partners and firm leaders participated,...

The Diamond Law Firm: A New Model or the Pyramid Unraveling?

Back in the go-go days of the 80s and 90s, law firms built pyramids and it was all about leverage to ramp up firm profitability. Back then, it was a seller’s market. There was plenty...

The MPF 2010 Annual Conference A Summary of Discussion Points and Findings

Over 90 managing partners, firm leaders and top consultants to the legal industry participated in The MPF 2010 Annual Conference on April 29th in Atlanta, Georgia. This comprehensive White Paper summarizes the key findings revealed through...

The Race Belongs to the Swift and the Contest to the Strong: Legal Market Place Outlook for 2016 and Beyond

Each year, John Smock and his colleagues conduct an online survey, as well as series of interviews, with leaders of large and midsize law firms. Among other things, they ask about financial performance, hot practice...

We've Gotta Run This Place Like A Business: A Primer on What Many Law Firm Managers Say They Must Do, But Often Do Not

Collectively, MPF Faculty member John Smock and his colleagues have more than 150 years’ experience working with professional services firms. They draw on this experience to regularly publish thoughtful articles on law firm leadership and planning....

What's Hot and What's Not in the Legal Profession

Every December, Bob Denney presents his annual report entitled "What's Hot and What's Not in the Legal Profession." This is the 22nd year he has compiled his observations and shared them with clients and friends....

Growth is Dead. Now What? Law Firms on the Brink

According to the authors, recognition that the old model is broken, and a willingness to accept change and take risks are what’s required for law firms to be successful in the future. This easy and entertaining...

Serving at the Pleasure of My Partners: Advice for the New Firm Leader

If we've heard it once, we've heard it 1,000 times. Leading a law firm is by no means an easy task…and they certainly didn't teach you much about it in law school. Thank goodness for...

The Lawyer Bubble: A Profession in Crisis

Harper’s sobering assessment of the industry will surely make you stop and think. He writes quite a bit about how both law firms and law schools can deflate the bubble. Published by Basic Books/Perseus, this...

The Lawyer's Guide to Strategic Planning

This 240 pager ($79.95, ABA Publishing) emphasizes practical applications, rather than theoretical approaches, to strategic planning in a law firm environment. It includes a CD-ROM that contains numerous policies, statements and sample documents. The book is co-authored by Tom Grella, a member...

The Successful Lawyer Powerful Strategies for Transforming Your Practice

I've known of Gerry Riskin for many years and finally had the opportunity to hear him speak at the ABA Annual Conference in 2009. I bought his book – The Successful Lawyer ($74.95, American Bar Association)...

Tomorrow's Lawyers

Susskind has written much about the changing legal profession, including The End of Lawyers? and The Future of Law. In his most recent effort, he writes about the pressures for law firms to deliver more for...

Best Practices for Creating and Implementing Strategic Plans

In October, we led a panel presentation at LMA’s Annual Meeting in Nashville during which we discussed practical tips to create an actionable, measurable and effective strategic plan. We also shared our experiences and case...

Harvard Business Review

It’s a good idea for firm leaders to look outside the legal industry from time to time to gain leadership and management perspectives and ideas. This is the best place to find them. The Harvard Business Review ($79/year...

ABA Web Seminar: Strategic Planning for Law Firms: 10 Critical Steps to Success

Even today, 60% of mid-size commercial law firms do not have a written strategic plan. Among those that do, 90% report that it has led to improved firm profitability and performance. Why, then, do most...

ALA PODCAST:Strategic Planning in Law Firms:From Consensus to Nuts & Bolts Implementation

We believe that every law firm, regardless of size and practice mix, should have a firm-wide strategic plan. The plan should set forth where the firm will be in five years and the initiatives it...

AUDIENCE POLLING RESULTSBringing Sustained Excellence into the Business of Law

We presented a 90-minute session at the ALA (Association of Legal Administrators) Annual Conference in Toronto on May 20th with about 200 law firm administrators in attendance. As part of the session, we used audience...

AUDIENCE POLLING RESULTSSit on the Sidelines or Get in the Game: Strategic Planning

We’re pleased to share a second set of audience polling results we collected at the ALA (Association of Legal Administrators) Annual Conference in Toronto on May 21, 2014. This session drilled down on strategic planning, including making...

Corporate Legal Operations Consortium (CLOC)

Want to know who’s really driving change in the legal industry? Check out the Corporate Legal Operations Consortium, a relatively new organization that’s already driving impactful and lasting change. These are the MPAs and CPAs...

HANDOUT MATERIALSCharacteristics of Today’s Most Successful Law Firms

Not long ago, two of the country’s leading law firm consultancies conducted ground-breaking research to identify what highly profitable and fast-growing mid-size firms do that make them so successful. They identified forty mid-size US firms...

How to Be a More Effective Firm Leader – PDF of Handout Materials

On August 29th, we presented a Managing Partner Breakfast Roundtable in San Diego. The meeting attracted 20 firm leaders from the region and was sponsored by UPS. The topic was “How to Be a More Effective...

Looking Forward to the Year AheadCurrent Issues, Trends and Challenges Facing Today’s Law Firms

A 60-minute Webinar for TAGLaw presented on Sept. 27, 2017 On September 27, 2017, we presented a 60-minute Webinar for TAGLaw, a global law firm network with 290 member firms in 100 countries. It’s a hard-hitting session covering...

Midsize Market 2015 Legal Industry Update

This 18-minute podcast analyzes the marketplace for legal services for mid-size law firms in 2015 and the news is pretty darn good. It explores key performance measures and their impact on demand, growth and profitability...

Partner Compensation: Keys to Compensating Succession and Client Transition

Earlier this month, I had the pleasure of presenting a 90-minute web seminar for the Center for Competitive Management with Andy Jillson, co-founder of Hayse LLP in Dallas. We’re pleased to feature our handout materials...

Passing the Torch: Preparing Your Firm for the Future through Proactive Succession Planning

The Association of Legal Administrators (ALA) has been kind enough to allow us to share the recording of a 60-minute Web seminar we presented for its Cyber Chapter on January 19, 2016. It’s a sad...

Senior Partner Transition Plan

Succession planning is a hot issue for many smaller and mid-size law firms – both working with senior lawyers to transition their practices as they move toward retirement and grooming the firm’s future leaders for...

Sterling Strategies’ Question of the Month Managing Under Productive Partners

Each month, John Sterling offers insightful analysis of his “Law Firm Strategy Question of the Month” and presents a new question for the coming month. Recent topics include: • Partner Compensation System Satisfaction, • Profit...

Succession Planning: Practical Guidance to Make It Reality in Your Firm

According to our research, succession planning has emerged as one of the top areas of concern for managing partners of smaller and -mid-size law firms. Generally, we break succession into three main areas — ownership, leadership...

The Benefits and Challenges of Implementing a Firm-wide Strategic Plan

A 30-minute podcast with John Remsen, Jr. for Legal Talk Network How do attorneys create a strategic business plan for their firm and what are the best ways to implement that plan? In this 30-minute...

The MPF 2018 Leadership Conference Keynote Presentation – “The State of the Industry”

On occasion, we kick off the MPF Leadership Conference with a keynote presentation to set the stage for the Conference. In 2018, we invited Patrick Fuller to present an overview of the legal industry based...

Twelve Steps to Set UpIndustry Practice Groups at Your Law Firm

Stop trying to market your firm’s areas of law! Rather, we recommend that you market your firm’s services through industry practice groups. The reasons are many. They clearly identify target audiences; they promote teamwork and...

US Legal Industry Facts and Figures

This nifty document includes key facts and figures about the country’s legal industry. You probably know many of them already, while others will add to your knowlegde base. Why not rattle off a few of this stats at your next partner's meeting? They’ll...

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