Page 52 - 2019 - Leaders in Legal Business (n)
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practices (sitting alongside the practice group chair who is, as often as not, deemed worthy of the
role based on the ability to generate business rather than any observable capabilities in running a
complex business) and the sophistication of those in longtime C-level roles, e.g., the CFO, CMO,
or CIO, continues to increase as the duties of these functional siloes intersect at an increasing pace.
One of the fastest growing roles in large law firms in recent years is the pricing director, which is
often combined with supervision over project management and process improvement. However,
law firm leaders are slowly but steadily recognizing that these are distinct business functions
requiring unique skill sets.
Both law firm chairs and chief legal officers of law departments are increasingly turning
to consultants to help them navigate the organizational and market changes. Just as some leaders
who became rock stars and thrived in the earlier era are now embattled or have stepped off the
stage, there are some notable consultants whose expertise was also attuned to a bygone era. Many,
however, have long been encouraging firm management to adapt to the new economy, and can
provide expertise gained from experience in industry or in other professional services fields and
this expertise is in great demand. The role of a consultant may vary. In one organization, the
management has a clear growth vision but need help selling it internally, and an objective and
respected outside voice is additive. In another, the executive committee may have good intentions,
but has a limited understanding of how to conduct a rigorous strategic review or initiate enterprise-
wide multiyear business process improvement efforts, so they seek specific subject matter
expertise. Still others may seek a consigliere, as trading ideas with a respected and independent
peer can offer more benefits with fewer downsides than revealing confidences and asking for help
from one’s law firm partners or law department senior staff.
Change Management
A principal role of a consultant is to help the organization embrace change. There are plenty
of good ideas, but many organizations falter upon execution because of a poorly designed process
to engage stakeholders, or they fail to factor in the how when devising the why and the what.
The chief legal officer for a brand name multinational corporation recently solicited
proposals for a consultant to assist her in reengineering the global legal function. During the open
Q&A session with prospective consultants, she shared that while her deputies were aware of the
initiative and had offered their unconditional support, none would be involved in the process
beyond providing access to financial information and easing access to interview internal
stakeholders. Furthermore, her internal clients in business management had no idea that this effort
was under consideration, and their participation was deemed unnecessary to produce a quality
recommendation.
We advised that the project was unlikely to achieve glorious success because key
stakeholders, namely the deputies whose organizations would be most impacted by any
reorganization recommendation, were not part of the process and would most likely, if not
intentionally, obfuscate any investigation that didn’t confirm the sensibility of keeping their
empires intact. Furthermore, the internal business clients, whose service posture would be
disrupted if a new law department organizational chart were to be sprung upon them, very likely
have critical insights that could inform the analysis. She was incredulous, believing that the point
of hiring outside consultants was to avoid distracting internal stakeholders.
An independent consultant can ask questions, interview stakeholders, conduct objective
and unbiased research, and make recommendations without undue political influence. The best
37
role based on the ability to generate business rather than any observable capabilities in running a
complex business) and the sophistication of those in longtime C-level roles, e.g., the CFO, CMO,
or CIO, continues to increase as the duties of these functional siloes intersect at an increasing pace.
One of the fastest growing roles in large law firms in recent years is the pricing director, which is
often combined with supervision over project management and process improvement. However,
law firm leaders are slowly but steadily recognizing that these are distinct business functions
requiring unique skill sets.
Both law firm chairs and chief legal officers of law departments are increasingly turning
to consultants to help them navigate the organizational and market changes. Just as some leaders
who became rock stars and thrived in the earlier era are now embattled or have stepped off the
stage, there are some notable consultants whose expertise was also attuned to a bygone era. Many,
however, have long been encouraging firm management to adapt to the new economy, and can
provide expertise gained from experience in industry or in other professional services fields and
this expertise is in great demand. The role of a consultant may vary. In one organization, the
management has a clear growth vision but need help selling it internally, and an objective and
respected outside voice is additive. In another, the executive committee may have good intentions,
but has a limited understanding of how to conduct a rigorous strategic review or initiate enterprise-
wide multiyear business process improvement efforts, so they seek specific subject matter
expertise. Still others may seek a consigliere, as trading ideas with a respected and independent
peer can offer more benefits with fewer downsides than revealing confidences and asking for help
from one’s law firm partners or law department senior staff.
Change Management
A principal role of a consultant is to help the organization embrace change. There are plenty
of good ideas, but many organizations falter upon execution because of a poorly designed process
to engage stakeholders, or they fail to factor in the how when devising the why and the what.
The chief legal officer for a brand name multinational corporation recently solicited
proposals for a consultant to assist her in reengineering the global legal function. During the open
Q&A session with prospective consultants, she shared that while her deputies were aware of the
initiative and had offered their unconditional support, none would be involved in the process
beyond providing access to financial information and easing access to interview internal
stakeholders. Furthermore, her internal clients in business management had no idea that this effort
was under consideration, and their participation was deemed unnecessary to produce a quality
recommendation.
We advised that the project was unlikely to achieve glorious success because key
stakeholders, namely the deputies whose organizations would be most impacted by any
reorganization recommendation, were not part of the process and would most likely, if not
intentionally, obfuscate any investigation that didn’t confirm the sensibility of keeping their
empires intact. Furthermore, the internal business clients, whose service posture would be
disrupted if a new law department organizational chart were to be sprung upon them, very likely
have critical insights that could inform the analysis. She was incredulous, believing that the point
of hiring outside consultants was to avoid distracting internal stakeholders.
An independent consultant can ask questions, interview stakeholders, conduct objective
and unbiased research, and make recommendations without undue political influence. The best
37
