Post on 14-Jul-2015
Learning From YOUR Law Firm Leaders
Kim Koopersmith, Chairperson, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP
Susan Manch, Firmwide Director of Learning & Development, Bingham
Michelle Nash, Senior Vice President, The NALP Foundation for Law Career Research and Education
NALP / ALI CLE 2013 Professional Development Institute • December 12 – 13, 2013
Agenda
• Background on the book and context• Defining leadership competencies• Discussion – Identifying competencies• Developing leaders
Institutions of higher learning must move, as the historian Walter Russell Mead puts it, from a model of “time served” to a model of “stuff learned.” Because increasingly the world does not care what you know. Everything is on Google. The world only cares, and will only pay for, what you can do with what you know.
. . . We’re moving to a more competency-based world where there will be less interest in how you acquired the competency — . . . and more demand to prove that you mastered the competency.
Thomas Friedman, NYT ColumnistMarch 5, 2013
NALP / ALI CLE 2013 Professional Development Institute • December 12 – 13, 2013
The Leaders
• 31 leaders interviewed• 13 firm Chair, 9 Managing Partners, five
Committee Chair, three Practice Leaders, and one Office Managing Partner
• Large, medium, and smaller firms and one solo
• Emerging, current, and senior leaders
NALP / ALI CLE 2013 Professional Development Institute • December 12 – 13, 2013
NALP / ALI CLE 2013 Professional Development Institute • December 12 – 13, 2013
NALP / ALI CLE 2013 Professional Development Institute • December 12 – 13, 2013
Discussion Point
Which leadership competencies does today’s market demand?
NALP / ALI CLE 2013 Professional Development Institute • December 12 – 13, 2013
Developing Firm Leaders
• Define leadership roles and competencies for each role
• Create formal programs– Current leaders – next gen – women – minorities
• Identify candidates and communicate “why this person” to all
• Develop tailored training approaches
NALP / ALI CLE 2013 Professional Development Institute • December 12 – 13, 2013
Kim’s Path to Leadership
NALP / ALI CLE 2013 Professional Development Institute • December 12 – 13, 2013
What Akin is Doing
NALP / ALI CLE 2013 Professional Development Institute • December 12 – 13, 2013
What Bingham is Doing
• Senior Leadership Conference• PLDP• Practice Group Retreats• One on One Program
NALP / ALI CLE 2013 Professional Development Institute • December 12 – 13, 2013
Influencing Factors
• Globalization• Diversity• Technology
NALP / ALI CLE 2013 Professional Development Institute • December 12 – 13, 2013
Development Best Practices
NALP / ALI CLE 2013 Professional Development Institute • December 12 – 13, 2013
Development Best Practices
• Not a one-shot program – think months/years• Must have current leaders’ buy-in and active
participation• Give next gen leaders real problems to tackle• Build relationships within the group– In-person meetings– Team tasks
NALP / ALI CLE 2013 Professional Development Institute • December 12 – 13, 2013
Considerations
• Evaluate results– Design appropriate metrics
• Recognize that some people will fail to emerge as leaders for specific roles and have a plan– People can add value without “leading”
NALP / ALI CLE 2013 Professional Development Institute • December 12 – 13, 2013
Conclusion
• Next generation of leadership• Strategic plan for managing change• Where do we go from here?– Goals and action plan for you/your firm?
NALP / ALI CLE 2013 Professional Development Institute • December 12 – 13, 2013
Contact Information
Kim KoopersmithChairpersonAkin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feldkkoopersmith@akingump.com
Michelle NashVice PresidentNALP Foundationmnash@nalpfoundation.org
Sue ManchFirmwide Director of Learning &
DevelopmentBinghamsusan.manch@bingham.com