Professional Edge services
Some of the services I offer
Strategic Planning Matters
Leadership
Matters
Profitability
Matters
Human Resources
Matters
Client Base
Matters
Training
Matters
Of course Professional Edge recognises that sometimes you may need help with a specific issue. Please contact us to discuss.
Partners can be cynical about the value of strategic planning. But the days are gone when legal firms could be assured of success simply by doing a good legal job. The number of firms that have a Strategic Plan to drive future development has grown dramatically over the past decade or two. Why? It is not just a fad. Competition is becoming unpredictable as innovative new firms appear in the market. The pace of change in technological advancements, the expectations of a new generation of clients, and the thorny issue of succession have propelled many firms into re-thinking their reactive approach to decision-making.
The majority of legal firm partners are so busy being ‘Producers’ that they may be falling short in their leadership responsibilities. There are not many successful businesses where the owner spends most of his or her time on the shop floor. Yet this is the most common scenario in a law firm. If Partners don’t take on the mantle of leadership in their firms then who drives the journey into the future? Who makes proactive decisions about investing now to achieve gains later? Who addresses succession issues? Who defines and nurtures a culture in which the best people want to work? It is only Partners (the owners) who can do these things.
Professional Edge can work alongside you to strengthen the Leadership role and decision-making skills in your firm. I know that sensitive and difficult issues can arise in partnerships and we are not afraid to tackle these as part of developing your leadership skill-set. Irene can also join your monthly meetings via video link to drive momentum and assist when the going gets tough.
Surveys have indicated that firms which record the most billable hours are not always the most profitable. Strong profitability and economic success are the outputs arising from a winning permutation of factors and not from simply working harder. Putting the right strategies in place over time means you could be creating more profit for less effort.
Irene has worked with firms to assemble the balance of ingredients that creates healthy profit growth. For a number of years she has presented Profitability and Leverage workshops for the New Zealand Law Society CPD programme. These courses received very positive feedback from law firm leader participants. Your firm could benefit from a review of the practices that influence profit creation.
Irene has experience creating performance expectations and criteria for Lawyers, Legal Executives, and PA’s at various stages of their career development. She can also guide your firm (and individuals) with explicit criteria for advancement, including advancement to Partnership.
Professional Edge can work with you to identify potential options for your practice and develop achievable client base goals.
