In contrast , “ bad ” associates ( or those who are unmotivated or mismanaged ) create an unhealthy law firm culture : days are filled with dissatisfied clients , unnecessary headaches , and expensive time-wasting bottlenecks that directly and negatively impact your cash flow , your firm ’ s reputation , and your ability to grow .
Fortunately , there are clear steps that you can take to ensure that your associates are working with you rather than against you .
Core Value / Culture Alignment : First , ensure that you hire associates who aren ’ t just smart and talented , but also share your firm ’ s core values . Honestly , I don ’ t care how smart they are — if they don ’ t understand and embrace your firm ’ s values and culture , you will have problems . Period . When you are interviewing potential associates , take the time to make sure they understand your firm ’ s history , culture , and core values . Determine their values to determine whether they align with your firm ’ s culture . If your firm is big on teamwork and exceptional client service and communication , hire associates who understand and embrace these values — associates who will call clients back promptly rather than avoid speaking with clients or looking down their noses at them or paralegals . Moreover , if your firm expects lawyers to work nights or weekends whenever necessary , make sure that is made clear from the outset .
Goal Alignment : Just as importantly , ensure you understand a potential associate ’ s personal goals and expectations from the outset , before any offer is extended , to make sure they will mesh with the firm ’ s goals and expectations . Be honest and candid — and encourage them to do the same . For example , suppose your firm has only non-equity partners , but the associate candidate deeply wants to be a stockholding partner one day .
In that case , the gulf between their expectations and your firm ’ s reality will create big problems down the road . To avoid this kind of fatal conflict , make time for honest initial dialogue so that the young lawyer ’ s expectations and assumptions are clarified , each of you is in a better position to determine if the associate will thrive in your law firm — before you have invested time and money into this associate ’ s training .
Clearly Defined Expectations : If you want your associate attorneys to succeed in your law firm , it is important that all your associates clearly understand your firm ’ s expectations . To help you train and manage your associates and set them up for success in your firm , create an associate ’ s manual * in addition to your firm ’ s employee manual . In this manual , lay out the characteristics and traits your firm is looking for from its associates , so they understand what they need to be doing ( or not ) if they want to advance within the firm . Identify the matters that are nonnegotiables versus negotiables . Identify the review process your law firm implements for cases and associates . Hence , your lawyers know what you expect and are better informed and positioned to meet or exceed those expectations . Include a copy of the associate evaluation form you will use for their ongoing annual reviews . Set your expectations regarding everything from your firm ’ s KPI Benchmarks for each stage of their cases to how you want them to interact with staff and clients , the frequency in which they should be speaking to their clients , and so forth . The more detailed you can be regarding your expectations , the better .
Mentorship : Assign each new associate a more seasoned associate or partner within the firm to mentor them . There should be trust and confidentiality in this mentor / mentee relationship so that young associates have the support they need in their early years with the firm .
Systematic Reviews : Conduct systematic associate reviews so your lawyers are getting the regular feedback they need . Evaluate their performance , the quality of their work , and the quantity of work , and make use of the evaluation form that you include in their associate manual so that you cover all the important areas of concern . There is no substitute for regular , honest feedback , affirmation and accountability .
Systematics Training : Conduct monthly group training sessions for your associate lawyers . While many firms have “ Lunch and Learn ” sessions for staff , few take the time to train their associates systematically . Senior lawyers can take one subject at a time to cover in these monthly “ How To ” training sessions , with topics such as deposing a doctor , negotiating a settlement , preparing for mediation , preparing for trial , writing effective demands , etc . Record these training sessions so new associates can watch them as soon as they join the firm .
Group Financial Meetings with All Associates : Hold monthly firm associate meetings to discuss fee projections and amounts deposited by each associate in the past month . Each associate should share their fee projections for the current month with the group . A spreadsheet with all the deposits from the last month , broken down per associate should also be reviewed and discussed . This monthly meeting format is designed to create healthy competition amongst the associates , which motivates them to produce more income for the firm . This is also a great time to discuss any changes or developments that may impact their ability to try / settle cases , such as new legislation , insurance company tactics , etc .
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