Page 56 - The Handbook - Law Firm Networks 2018
P. 56
The Handbook: Law Firm Networks
Groups are also the source of future leadership in the region or on the board of directors. Fostering the
groups increases the internal activities. On the reverse side, group leaders may decide after volunteering that
they no longer want to be active but are embarrassed to resign. The group leadership function needs to be
managed. This can mean an annual orientation and retreat for group leaders so they better understand the
objectives of the network and know their fellow group leaders.
Meetings in Networks – Annual, regional and practice area
Virtually every network has an annual meeting, the purpose of which is to bring professionals together on a
personal level to learn about each other. Relationships may start on the Internet, but human beings need to be
able to meet in person. Personal relationships are the cement that holds the network together. They are an
investment in the future of the network.262
Meetings have three principal purposes. The first purpose is to develop inter-personal relationships. If the
network is going to be successful, the members must have a high level of trust. Trust can only be developed
if the members meet in person, so meetings are indeed an investment.
The second purpose is moving the network forward in its development. By meeting for a specific purpose
such as organizing a project, the members are able to work with one another. This increases trust. More
importantly, the project has group ownership. The project could be something tangible like a publication or
something more intangible like a regional meeting. Each member is assigned tasks and asked to collaborate
with other members.
The third purpose is to complete the vision of the network. Each meeting generates additional building
blocks on which the network can expand. When all the meetings and interaction are combined, the network
begins to take shape. The investment is justified by the contacts that are made at the meetings.
While the purpose of the meetings is the same, the dynamics have changed over the last 15 years as a result
of the Internet. Webinars, podcasts, and video streaming have all become possible.263 The impediment is not
the cost but the time it takes to arrange these seminars. The issues also involve efficiency. Not all of this
technology is utilized by all groups.
Even though networks have three purposes, how these purposes are implemented will depend upon the
network’s level of development. It cannot be expected that a Level 1 network will develop relationships in
the same way a Level 3 network does.
Meetings are free in Level 1 networks. Each participant pays his/her own way. Given that Level 1 networks
tend to be small, the conferences are held at the offices of one of the members. Meetings represent one of the
largest costs to both the network and the members. The relationships are already personal because the Level
1 network is a club.
262 DuPont Legal Model, DUPONT, www.dupontlegalmodel.com/building-the-virtual-law-firm-through-collaborative-work-
teams/ (last visited Febr. 4, 2016): “DuPont Legal has expended great effort since the formation of the Network to bring together lawyers and
other service providers working on DuPont matters. Frequent face-to-face meetings of alliance members are essential to developing relationships of
trust. Annual and mid-year meetings of the Network have successfully woven the fabric of these relationships, as have additional opportunities for a
wider group of interested lawyers to get to know one another through practice group or special interest group meetings. The result is that members
of the Network now know one another well. They have developed good professional relationships and, in many instances, strong personal
friendships as a result of this association.”
263 See infra Chapter 6, Marketing the Network – Creating the Brand.
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Groups are also the source of future leadership in the region or on the board of directors. Fostering the
groups increases the internal activities. On the reverse side, group leaders may decide after volunteering that
they no longer want to be active but are embarrassed to resign. The group leadership function needs to be
managed. This can mean an annual orientation and retreat for group leaders so they better understand the
objectives of the network and know their fellow group leaders.
Meetings in Networks – Annual, regional and practice area
Virtually every network has an annual meeting, the purpose of which is to bring professionals together on a
personal level to learn about each other. Relationships may start on the Internet, but human beings need to be
able to meet in person. Personal relationships are the cement that holds the network together. They are an
investment in the future of the network.262
Meetings have three principal purposes. The first purpose is to develop inter-personal relationships. If the
network is going to be successful, the members must have a high level of trust. Trust can only be developed
if the members meet in person, so meetings are indeed an investment.
The second purpose is moving the network forward in its development. By meeting for a specific purpose
such as organizing a project, the members are able to work with one another. This increases trust. More
importantly, the project has group ownership. The project could be something tangible like a publication or
something more intangible like a regional meeting. Each member is assigned tasks and asked to collaborate
with other members.
The third purpose is to complete the vision of the network. Each meeting generates additional building
blocks on which the network can expand. When all the meetings and interaction are combined, the network
begins to take shape. The investment is justified by the contacts that are made at the meetings.
While the purpose of the meetings is the same, the dynamics have changed over the last 15 years as a result
of the Internet. Webinars, podcasts, and video streaming have all become possible.263 The impediment is not
the cost but the time it takes to arrange these seminars. The issues also involve efficiency. Not all of this
technology is utilized by all groups.
Even though networks have three purposes, how these purposes are implemented will depend upon the
network’s level of development. It cannot be expected that a Level 1 network will develop relationships in
the same way a Level 3 network does.
Meetings are free in Level 1 networks. Each participant pays his/her own way. Given that Level 1 networks
tend to be small, the conferences are held at the offices of one of the members. Meetings represent one of the
largest costs to both the network and the members. The relationships are already personal because the Level
1 network is a club.
262 DuPont Legal Model, DUPONT, www.dupontlegalmodel.com/building-the-virtual-law-firm-through-collaborative-work-
teams/ (last visited Febr. 4, 2016): “DuPont Legal has expended great effort since the formation of the Network to bring together lawyers and
other service providers working on DuPont matters. Frequent face-to-face meetings of alliance members are essential to developing relationships of
trust. Annual and mid-year meetings of the Network have successfully woven the fabric of these relationships, as have additional opportunities for a
wider group of interested lawyers to get to know one another through practice group or special interest group meetings. The result is that members
of the Network now know one another well. They have developed good professional relationships and, in many instances, strong personal
friendships as a result of this association.”
263 See infra Chapter 6, Marketing the Network – Creating the Brand.
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