Page 45 - 2019 - Leaders in Legal Business (q)
P. 45
the consulting firm to ensure that change to the system of how partners are paid is being
implemented as intended (and has been “sold” to the partners!).
Third, we have seen a number of firms with a single trusted external advisor who manages
the relationships with all other advisory firms to guarantee a consistency of approach and to ensure
that all consulting firms advising the law firm provide value for money.
Common also are a small number of design-and-implementation projects that are executed
by small teams alongside the retained advisory.
Ad Hoc Advisory
Sometimes there is the need for a looser, more ad hoc relationship. A new managing partner
may wish to have some advice on how he should shape his agenda or how she might seek to
convince the board on a particular approach to an issue. There is plenty of this level of advice
being given, which tends to be paid for by the hour or the day. Sometimes this advice may be given
more formality and delivered as part of a retained advisory, even as a coaching plan, with some
specific objectives agreed upon.
Sometimes a managing partner merely needs the comfort of hearing about the experiences
of someone who has done it all before as a managing partner. There are a number of eminent ex-
managing partners who have offered a lot of help, comfort, and reassurance by selling the stories
of the very real scars on their backs.
Using Consulting-Related Fields for Effective Implementation
Implementation work means helping to get things done. For example, when a new
invoicing and collections process has been designed and decided upon, implementation is about
ensuring the process works, the IT works, the partners comply, and that the new process works in
the most effective and efficient way possible. The consultants who designed the solution often do
this implementation work. It is usually most effective for this work to be done in conjunction with
disciplines that are closely related to consulting. Often the line of what is “consulting” according
to its textbook definition and what is a related service can be fluid. In our experience, it makes
little sense to be purist about this; what matters is what helps the client overcome the challenge or
reach the goal, not what label we as professionals put on the type of work being done.
Some of these related services are covered elsewhere in this e-book; we only touch on a
few examples here:
Training: This involves the transfer of skills. In our experience, law firms and lawyers
absorb knowledge easily; acquiring skills is more difficult, especially if this involves changing
how lawyers work in their day-today client matters. For example, implementing a consulting
project about how partners should price their services to achieve higher matter profitability nearly
always involves an element of training in assessing price sensitivity and using an IT tool for
discount/premium analysis for the implementation of the consulting project to be effective.
Coaching: In the consulting context, coaching involves a one-on-one or team-level
resolution of barriers that hold back that individual or team from achieving certain goals. In the
pricing example above, one-on-one sessions with practice leaders can help them work with and
manage those partners who are reticent to engage with a discount/premium analysis for their
matters.
30
implemented as intended (and has been “sold” to the partners!).
Third, we have seen a number of firms with a single trusted external advisor who manages
the relationships with all other advisory firms to guarantee a consistency of approach and to ensure
that all consulting firms advising the law firm provide value for money.
Common also are a small number of design-and-implementation projects that are executed
by small teams alongside the retained advisory.
Ad Hoc Advisory
Sometimes there is the need for a looser, more ad hoc relationship. A new managing partner
may wish to have some advice on how he should shape his agenda or how she might seek to
convince the board on a particular approach to an issue. There is plenty of this level of advice
being given, which tends to be paid for by the hour or the day. Sometimes this advice may be given
more formality and delivered as part of a retained advisory, even as a coaching plan, with some
specific objectives agreed upon.
Sometimes a managing partner merely needs the comfort of hearing about the experiences
of someone who has done it all before as a managing partner. There are a number of eminent ex-
managing partners who have offered a lot of help, comfort, and reassurance by selling the stories
of the very real scars on their backs.
Using Consulting-Related Fields for Effective Implementation
Implementation work means helping to get things done. For example, when a new
invoicing and collections process has been designed and decided upon, implementation is about
ensuring the process works, the IT works, the partners comply, and that the new process works in
the most effective and efficient way possible. The consultants who designed the solution often do
this implementation work. It is usually most effective for this work to be done in conjunction with
disciplines that are closely related to consulting. Often the line of what is “consulting” according
to its textbook definition and what is a related service can be fluid. In our experience, it makes
little sense to be purist about this; what matters is what helps the client overcome the challenge or
reach the goal, not what label we as professionals put on the type of work being done.
Some of these related services are covered elsewhere in this e-book; we only touch on a
few examples here:
Training: This involves the transfer of skills. In our experience, law firms and lawyers
absorb knowledge easily; acquiring skills is more difficult, especially if this involves changing
how lawyers work in their day-today client matters. For example, implementing a consulting
project about how partners should price their services to achieve higher matter profitability nearly
always involves an element of training in assessing price sensitivity and using an IT tool for
discount/premium analysis for the implementation of the consulting project to be effective.
Coaching: In the consulting context, coaching involves a one-on-one or team-level
resolution of barriers that hold back that individual or team from achieving certain goals. In the
pricing example above, one-on-one sessions with practice leaders can help them work with and
manage those partners who are reticent to engage with a discount/premium analysis for their
matters.
30
