We presented a 90-minute session at the ALA (Association of Legal Administrators) Annual Conference in Toronto on May 20th with about 200 law firm administrators in attendance. As part of the session, we used audience polling technology to survey participants on a myriad of issues relating to the business side of running their law firms. Firms ranged in size from 10-1,000 lawyers, with most in the 25- to 150-lawyer range. Among the highlights:
- Firm administrators, generally, said their firms provide great client service, yet 61% never bother to ask for client feedback. In fact, fewer than 20% said they solicit client feedback on a regular basis.
- Forty-one percent said their firms had a firm-wide strategic plan, with another 27% working on one. Of those with a plan, most gave their firms poor marks on successful implementation. Planning without implementation is a colossal waste of time, effort and energy.
- When it comes to dealing with difficult issues, not one firm administrator gave his/her firm a “10.” Most gave their firms poor grades in this very important area.
- Sixty-three percent said their firms had two-tiered partnership structures, with another 10% putting one in place.
There’s some great bench-marking data here that you and your partners need to know. We suggest that you use it to inform (and perhaps persuade) the skeptics and nay-sayers at your firm about the importance of running the place more like a business…with goals, a plan, team-work and accountability.