Full Description
It is a strategic imperative for firms to remain competitive, adaptive, and capable of delivering high-quality legal services in today's complex business environment. Partner performance is a critical issue and will become more so in the coming years as AI threatens to replace or reposition underperforming employees. The dynamic and evolving nature of the legal profession, coupled with external factors such as technology, globalisation, and economic changes, underscores the importance of performance management for law firms.
Managing partner performance: Strategies for transforming underperforming partners takes a comprehensive look at how to improve underperforming partners within the legal profession. It provides insight and practical solutions for law firm leaders committed to revitalising their teams and optimising organisational success. Structured into four parts, the book systematically diagnoses underperformance, its cause and effect, how to deal with underperforming partners, and how to proactively performance manage over the long-term.
From crafting individualised improvement plans to implementing mentoring and coaching programs to unlock untapped potential, the book addresses skill development and continuous professional growth through training, while also emphasising the crucial role of effective communication in improving internal dynamics and client relationships.
Strategic role redefinition is discussed to align partners' strengths with organisational goals, while motivation and engagement strategies offer tools to boost overall job satisfaction. The book tackles interpersonal conflicts through conflict resolution and team dynamics, ensuring a collaborative environment.
Throughout, the importance of accountability and consequences is emphasised, establishing clear expectations and measures for underperformance. The book, enriched with real-world examples and case studies, will appeal to law firm leaders, managing partners and HR professionals. It will equip readers with actionable strategies to transform underperformance into excellence. Managing partner performance: Strategies for transforming underperforming partners fosters a high-performance culture, promoting individual growth and ensuring the enduring success of underperforming partners and the entire legal organisation.
Contents
PART I: THE CAUSES OF UNDERPERFORMANCE
Chapter 1: What constitutes underperformance?
By Nick Jarrett-Kerr
Chapter 2: Common causes of underperformance
By Patrick McKenna, author, lecturer, strategist, and advisor to the leaders of premier law firms
Chapter 3: Culture mismatch and lateral hires
By Steve Nelson, executive consultant, The McCormick Group
Chapter 4: Performance - a changing landscape
By Joel Barolsky, managing director, Barolsky Advisors
PART II: EFFECTS OF UNDERPERFORMANCE
Chapter 5: The core drivers of burnout and strategies to overcome them
By Paula Davis, founder and CEO of the Stress & Resilience Institute
Chapter 6: Costs to the profession
By Graham Browning, global head of employee relations and people performance, Freshfields
PART III: DEALING WITH PARTNER PERFORMANCE ISSUES
Chapter 7: Performance reviews
By Ray d'Cruz, CEO and co-founder, Performance Leader
Chapter 8: Mentoring and coaching
By Krystal Champlin-Garage, consultant, RJH Consulting and Maverick Coaching Solutions
Chapter 9: The role of wellbeing in promoting performance
By Bree Buchanan, JD, co-founder, Institute for Well-Being in Law and Sr. Advisor, Krill Strategies, LLC
Chapter 10: Remuneration models
By Michael Roch, managing director, MHPR Advisors and head of partnership consulting, Performance Leader
Chapter 11: Global approaches to underperformance
By Jonathan Middleburgh
Chapter 12: When to cut your losses
By Jonathan Middleburgh
Chapter 13: Conflict and claims of unlawful discrimination
PART IV: PROACTIVE PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT
Chapter 14: The importance of clear purpose and strategy
By Nick Jarrett-Kerr
Chapter 15: Cultivating a resilient mindset
By Chetna Bhatt, founder and CEO, Being Lawyers
Chapter 16: Conflict resolution and team dynamics
By Jonathan Middleburgh
Chapter 17: Training and development
By Jonathan Middleburgh
Chapter 18: Accountability and consequences
By Jonathan Watmough
Chapter 19: Technology
Chapter 20: Views from the profession
By Nick Jarrett-Kerr and Jonathan Middleburgh
