Norman K Clark

Law firm practice group leadership is not for the faint hearted. As firms compete increasingly at practice group level, leaders are being asked to run their groups like business units; to develop and implement a strategic plan that supports the goals and competitiveness of the firm; and to coordinate and lead their partners to enhance the efficiency, performance, and profitability of their groups. Many firm leaders complain that some of their group heads are not producing the results they want to see. But how many practice group leaders receive the tools and support they need to succeed in this critical role? How many are selected for demonstrable leadership skills? And how often are they held accountable for how well – or otherwise – they perform in the role? With contributions from a wide range of experts, this second edition of Effective Practice Group Leadership explores these key questions and more, building on the first edition with new insights and thought leadership. The book examines the position of the practice group leader (PGL) in law firms today, the challenges of the role, and the changes to it, innovations and how modern practice groups are changing, and demonstrates the enormous contribution PGLs can make to the profitability and performance of their law firms, when armed with the tools and the authority.

Change has long been a defining element of the legal services market, and over the past decade, the pace of change has accelerated more rapidly than perhaps ever before. The greatest business challenge, however, remains the same: to continue to be competitive and profitable. This Special Report presents practical strategies to help law firms protect and sustain their profitability as shifting client expectations, advanced technology and global influences challenge many of the old paradigms in law firm management. Authors Norman Clark and Lisa Walker Johnson demonstrate that, although traditional factors influencing profitability remain valid, they must be managed in new ways to meet new financial realities. Insights include: lessons learned from the global recession of 2009–2010 and the COVID-19 pandemic; innovations in pricing, productivity and cost management; and rightsizing the law firm for sustainable performance and profitability. This report highlights what sustainable profitability really means for the 2020s and beyond, and how any law firm can achieve it.

Good governance has become a critical condition for law firms of all sizes to meet the new, fast-moving opportunities of fast-changing markets for legal services — much more than just having a good partnership agreement. Our multidisciplinary team of contributors demonstrate how governance has become a unifying and integrating system for a wide range of critical strategic and business issues. The inquiry starts with an overview of modern governance structures in law firms, and how the concept of governance has expanded to include features such as professional managers and partner remuneration systems. To be effective, a law firm's governance system must facilitate, not complicate, the solution of important internal challenges, such as change management, managing partner performance and succession planning. How can good governance help law firm owners to make better decisions? How can governance incorporate management information and concepts of risk management into the decision-making process? With new insights and substantially updated guidance derived from the recent developments and disruptions of the past ten years, this Second Edition, published in association with the International Bar Association, concludes with an examination of emerging trends that will shape law firm governance in the future. It provides visionary, but entirely realistic, insights into how law firm governance will need to continue to adapt to new regulatory regimes for the legal profession, stress testing concepts and new alternative business structures.

The legal services industry is changing and, for most law firms, the greatest challenge is to remain competitive and profitable. This Special Report presents practical strategies to help law firms protect and sustain their profitability as shifting client expectations, advanced technology and global influences alter the status quo. Authors Norman Clark and Lisa Walker Johnson demonstrate that although the traditional factors influencing profitability remain valid, new strategies must be adapted in order to meet new financial realities. Key topics include: •Changes in the legal services industry •Pricing, productivity and cost management •Staff compensation This report highlights what sustainable profitability really means and how it can be achieved in any law firm.