Effective Practice Group Leadership (EPUB) von Susan Saltonstall Duncan

As firms compete increasingly at practice group level, leaders are being asked to run their groups like business units; to develop and implement a strategic plan that supports the goals and competitiveness of the firm; and to coordinate and lead their partners to enhance the efficiency, performance, and profitability of their groups.

Executive summary viiAbout the authors xiChapter 1: Role and responsibilities of practice group leaders 1By Susan Saltonstall Duncan, president, RainMaking OasisIntroduction 1Attributes that make effective practice group leaders 2Practice group leader as strategist 3Practice group leader as financial steward 7Practice group leader as talent manager and coach 9Ways to accelerate practice group leader effectiveness 11Chapter 2: The practice group leader as change agent 13By Susan Raridon Lambreth, principal, LawVision Group, and Dr Larry Richard, founder and principal consultant, LawyerBrain LLCWhat does it mean to be a change agent in your role as a PGL? 15What else does a PGL need to be a change agent? 15Benefits of being a change agent 22Chapter 3: Rethinking what your practice group is and might become 25By Michael Roster, former general counsel of Stanford University and former managing partner of Morrison & Foerster’s Los Angeles officeSome law firm examples 25A non-law firm example 27Platforms 28Conflicts 30Privilege 30Possible transition 31Chapter 4: Innovation in practice management 33By Jonathan Fortnam, dean, Aston University Law SchoolIntroduction 33Practice management – a law firm perspective 33Practice management – another perspective 34Pricing – a client perspective 36Alignment – a new perspective 36Innovation – a different perspective 37Time for lunch 39Redesign to align 40A final perspective 42Chapter 5: The increasing presence of non-lawyers in practice groups 45By Neil Lloyd, managing director, FBC Manby BowdlerDriving digital transformation 46Developing a people-first culture 47The new business advantage 49Bringing something new to the boardroom table 50Chapter 6: Leading the practice group to sustainable profitability 53By Norman K. Clark, managing principal, Walker ClarkPractice group financial management – the law firm’s transmission 53Four essential elements of effective financial leadership of a practice group 54What makes your practice group profitable? 55Understanding the client base 62Realistic and comprehensive business planning 64Relentless and continuing attention to quality 68Where the action is 69Chapter 7: Developing a practice group pricing strategy 75By Colin Jasper, principal, Positive PricingIntroduction 75Targeting clients and services 76Setting prices 77Justifying why we should be chosen, even if we are more expensive than competitors 79Managing matters 80Conclusion 81Chapter 8: Focusing your practice team on industry clients 83By Patrick J. McKenna, internationally recognized author, lecturer, strategist, and seasoned advisor to the leaders of premier professional service firmsIt is not what you call the industry, it is what the client calls itself that is most important 84As all industries eventually mature, they naturally fracture into multiple sub-industries 85There are some areas of opportunity that initially defy simple industry categorization 89Industry sector expertise is a key differentiator 89What makes industry sector expertise a meaningful differentiator? 90Chapter 9: Implementing the balanced scorecard at the practice group level 93By John Sterling, founding partner, Sterling Strategies, LLCThe balanced scorecard – an overview of Kaplan and Norton’s system 93The balanced scorecard in its most basic form 94The balanced scorecard as a management tool 95Implementing the balanced scorecard at the practice group level – a “how to” primer 99Chapter 10: Coaching for practice group leaders 107By Hannah Beko, lawyer, author, and founder of Authentically Speaking, a coaching and training consultancy to the legal professionMindset matters 108Why do practice group leaders with a growth mindset stand out amongst their peers? 109Coaching questions encouraging self-reflection 111What attributes create a great practice group leader? 112About Globe Law and Business 119