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Leaders in Legal Business
Future: Consulting and Advisory Services Gerry Riskin1
Edge International
Principal
“Oh, so you’re a consultant.”
“We phoned you because we need help,” they’ll say. Those on the other end of this call are typically
intelligent, caring lawyers involved in the leadership of their firm. They call with the optimism that maybe you
can help. The caution they feel obliged to frequently offer is that the firm had a consultant before, and everyone
hated her/him, so it is not clear that it would be safe to bring back another one. Often, I will get a pass because I
am a former practicing lawyer and managing partner of an international firm. Maybe I will be safe, after all… It’s
far from certain, but possibly worth exploring.
Planning
Many law firms don't have a plan. Some think they have
a plan, but if you ask them what it is, they don't know. Jargon puts
most firms off. If you mention “strategic planning,” many will tell
you they tried that six years ago, and it was a complete failure. If
we can get the jargon out of the discussion, we find that a firm
typically has things it hopes to accomplish. If they believe that
you can help them, they are willing to explore possibilities.
Planning is a process. Once the leadership has signed off
on the process with the optimism that it will attain its objectives,
people tend to cooperate to a significant degree because it seems
useful enough, and we avoided calling it "strategic planning.”
Executing the Plan
Everything about a law firm rests upon it being able to achieve its objectives. Individual lawyers are
focused on serving their clients; even quality non-billable initiatives take second or third place. Executing the plan
is like going to the gym. “I bought the membership… Isn't that good enough? … What do you mean, I have to go
there? Well, I was going to go, but a client called.”
The good news is that if you have clarity as to the plan and leave the lights on (an expression I like to use
with my clients, meaning that they remain aware of where they stand relative to what they want to achieve), you
will find that they are very capable of executing the plan, much to the delight of everyone involved.
Accomplishments must be tracked. If you ask even the leadership team what they have achieved over the
last year, there is an uncomfortable restlessness as they try to recall specifics. Teams that keep a running inventory
1 Gerry Riskin is a Canadian lawyer and business school graduate with a global reputation as an author, management consultant, and pioneer in the field of
professional firm economics and marketing. After winning two Queen Elizabeth Scholarships, he began practicing law in 1973. In 1979 he became a partner
with Emery Jamieson and then in 1984 becoming the managing partner of Snyder & Company.
In 1983, Gerry co-founded The Edge Group, which in January 2001 evolved into Edge International. Over the company’s history it has topped the list
in a survey depicting the most popular marketing consultants by major U.S. firms and have been named one of the top three legal consultancies by U.S.
Managing Partners.
Gerry has served on the Conference Board of Canada, is a Visiting Fellow of The College of Law in London and a Visiting Professor at the University
of Pretoria in South Africa, and is a Fellow of the College of Law Practice Management.
142
Future: Consulting and Advisory Services Gerry Riskin1
Edge International
Principal
“Oh, so you’re a consultant.”
“We phoned you because we need help,” they’ll say. Those on the other end of this call are typically
intelligent, caring lawyers involved in the leadership of their firm. They call with the optimism that maybe you
can help. The caution they feel obliged to frequently offer is that the firm had a consultant before, and everyone
hated her/him, so it is not clear that it would be safe to bring back another one. Often, I will get a pass because I
am a former practicing lawyer and managing partner of an international firm. Maybe I will be safe, after all… It’s
far from certain, but possibly worth exploring.
Planning
Many law firms don't have a plan. Some think they have
a plan, but if you ask them what it is, they don't know. Jargon puts
most firms off. If you mention “strategic planning,” many will tell
you they tried that six years ago, and it was a complete failure. If
we can get the jargon out of the discussion, we find that a firm
typically has things it hopes to accomplish. If they believe that
you can help them, they are willing to explore possibilities.
Planning is a process. Once the leadership has signed off
on the process with the optimism that it will attain its objectives,
people tend to cooperate to a significant degree because it seems
useful enough, and we avoided calling it "strategic planning.”
Executing the Plan
Everything about a law firm rests upon it being able to achieve its objectives. Individual lawyers are
focused on serving their clients; even quality non-billable initiatives take second or third place. Executing the plan
is like going to the gym. “I bought the membership… Isn't that good enough? … What do you mean, I have to go
there? Well, I was going to go, but a client called.”
The good news is that if you have clarity as to the plan and leave the lights on (an expression I like to use
with my clients, meaning that they remain aware of where they stand relative to what they want to achieve), you
will find that they are very capable of executing the plan, much to the delight of everyone involved.
Accomplishments must be tracked. If you ask even the leadership team what they have achieved over the
last year, there is an uncomfortable restlessness as they try to recall specifics. Teams that keep a running inventory
1 Gerry Riskin is a Canadian lawyer and business school graduate with a global reputation as an author, management consultant, and pioneer in the field of
professional firm economics and marketing. After winning two Queen Elizabeth Scholarships, he began practicing law in 1973. In 1979 he became a partner
with Emery Jamieson and then in 1984 becoming the managing partner of Snyder & Company.
In 1983, Gerry co-founded The Edge Group, which in January 2001 evolved into Edge International. Over the company’s history it has topped the list
in a survey depicting the most popular marketing consultants by major U.S. firms and have been named one of the top three legal consultancies by U.S.
Managing Partners.
Gerry has served on the Conference Board of Canada, is a Visiting Fellow of The College of Law in London and a Visiting Professor at the University
of Pretoria in South Africa, and is a Fellow of the College of Law Practice Management.
142
