September 1, 2006
Partner Departure
Law firms are notoriously bad at handling internal communications and this is never better demonstrated than when a big name partner or practice group defects to a competing firm. When partners leave law firms, the firms’ responses typically involve saying nothing. This leaves Practice Group Leaders, office administrators and staff supervisors in the position of providing people with inconsistent and conflicting answers that create fear and distrust.
The answer according to consultants we interviewed is immediate and complete honesty. As soon as the partner announces they are leaving, the managing partner should send out an e-mail announcing the departure, indicating that they are sorry to see the person(s) leave and wishing them well. The following is a sample announcement used by a Chicago firm:
As you may already be aware, John Smith and Joe Jones will be leaving the firm effective immediately to become partners at XYZ. We have enjoyed practicing with John and Joe and wish them well even though they will now be competitors. Law firms are made up of people and whenever the mix of people changes there will be an impact. It will take some time to understand the ramifications of their leaving but we do not believe it will have a significant impact on ability to serve clients or our associate or support staff requirements.
We want there to be a smooth transition of clients and files, however, there are ethical obligations involved which may require special forms of client approvals. Therefore, any requests for information, client files, copies of documents or forwarding of messages should be politely referred to the Executive Director.
Business separations are always difficult. We are dedicated to the continued success of our firm and we appreciate your continued support and assistance. If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t be afraid to speak with me, the Executive Director or any partner.
Pandemic Preparation
The risk of a variety of pandemics has caused law firm’s to find themselves between a rock and a hard place. As one administrator described it, “we’re tied between being accused of over-reacting if nothing happens and failing to effectively plan if something does happen.” There is some help available, however. Harris, Rothenberg International, LLC, an HR consulting firm, has created a kit to help employers develop a response strategy. The kit contains tips, checklists and resources to help HR departments make decisions about how to respond. It is available free of charge at www.harrisrothenberg.com. Management/Employee Opinion Differences
One of the largest and most credible surveys of the attitudes of professional workers shows some interesting results. The 2006 Employee Review by Randstand found that:
- While 86% of surveyed employees say that feeling valued in important for job satisfaction, only 37% said they do feel valued.
- 55% of employers said their firm’s morale was “excellent/good,” while 38% of employees agreed with this. The larger the firm, the lower the morale rating.
- 41% of employers said the firm is loyal to employees but only 25% of employees said this is so. 72% of employers said employees are loyal to the firm while 56% of employees said this is so, down from 59% last year.
- 39% of employees think they are underpaid (compared to 28% last year). 50% of employers think that salaries are on par with the marketplace (up from 42% last year).
Legal Resource Group LLC specializes in serving the executive and administrative recruiting needs of law firms. We maintain the largest data base of law firm executive and Administrative staff in the world. This allows us to immediately identify the very best candidates. We find the best people, complete searches faster and have extremely reasonable fees. For further information, visit our website at www.LRGLLC.com , contact us by e-mail at inquiries@LRGLLC.com or by phone at 1-800-688-4147.
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