Certainly over recent years there has been a strong focus in all types of organizations, law firms included, in developing and then harnessing the power of a shared purpose.
The following Insight captures the thinking of Fairfax consultants Lisa Smith and Kristin Stark during a panel discussion about partner compensation in the context of merger discussions.
The number of non-equity partners in law firms has expanded dramatically. In the US it has more than tripled in the largest firms over the past decade and increases of a similar nature are apparent in other jurisdictions.
In our June Insight, we laid out the business case for innovation. We cited increasing client pressure to rethink operating models, a rise in substitutes for more traditional delivery of legal services, and a strategic opportunity to differentiate.
Succession planning appears to be one area where both law firms and corporations are underperforming.