Kiran Scarr

In the five years since the first edition of this book published, there has been an accelerated rise in the number and influence of COO roles in the legal sphere. No longer the preserve of the largest national and international firms, mid-tier firms and even New Law and alternative legal service providers are considering a COO as a potential – perhaps even essential – component of law firm management, to achieve increased efficiency, productivity, and meet the demands of a highly competitive market. With contributions from a number of current law firm COOs, alongside some of the most respected and sought-after consultants working in this space, this second edition of Rise of the Legal COO examines the scope and variety of the legal COO role, and how the challenges and demands of the position have altered as law firms have evolved. It contains updated chapters from the first edition, and several brand new chapters covering topics such as: How the COO can enable innovation and digital transformation in their firm; The COO’s role in managing profitability and client engagement; The use of data in law firm management; and The New Law COO. There are also all-new, exclusive interviews with legal COOs from a variety of national and international firms, covering topics ranging from the importance of relationships and adapting to the new hybrid, post-COVID world, to encouraging innovation in firms and strategies to recruit and retain talent. There is no doubt that a good COO is an invaluable part of a firm’s management team, and the opportunities for talented individuals with broad operational management skills will continue to grow. Heavily backed up by the first-hand experience of the contributors, this title provides essential guidance to the current and future legal COO on the skills and strategies they need to succeed, and to law firms on how to recruit, integrate, and develop a COO who will be a good match for their culture and help them achieve their ambitions.

Don’t just produce results, unleash potential. Radical disruption in the legal sector has meant increased pressure on lawyers to be strategic business enablers and innovators. Today, leaders of law firms and legal functions must steer change more effectively to create client-centric solutions for the businesses they serve. But this requires a new set of leadership skills focused on delivering success through vision and values, purpose over profits and positive impact on people. The Conscious Lawyer is a simple, powerful roadmap for professionals seeking a more meaningful way of leading high-performing teams through change. Discover a fresh perspective on how you can reshape your leadership to advance the future of law. As an international lawyer, general counsel and law firm COO, Kiran Chawla Scarr has spent a global career leading transformational change in the legal sector. Widely recognized and awarded for transformative leadership, process innovation and contribution to the legal community, she is a prominent voice on the future of law.