Powering leadership through change – Briefing
As the legal sector undergoes profound change, five law firm leaders explore the essential skills current and future firm leaders must have to weather the storm
Claire McNamara, director of knowledge and learning, Penningtons Manches Cooper
Agility is a key skill for law firm leaders. The pace of change across client expectations, regulation and technology requires continuous learning — something we’re embedding through leadership development opportunities, including our future leaders academy programme focused on peer learning, coaching and exposure to innovation. We’re also strengthening firm-wide knowledge sharing to enhance the flow of information. For this, we’re working on implementing a new knowledge management system, and weekly firm-wide meetings sharing BD opportunities, market practice and knowledge across all of our offices. We aim to create a culture where learning is actioned, valued and ongoing, so that our future leaders can shape change, not just respond to it.
Blake Gaffney, chief financial officer, Payne Hicks Beach
A leader’s ability to challenge the status quo and guide their fellow partners through change will be vital as the legal sector shifts. With private equity entering the market, we’ll likely see greater consolidation — compounding this is AI’s impact, meaning firms must be dynamic in both the technology they are using, and the pricing models clients can expect.
We must focus on what is happening right now, or we risk being left behind. We’re actively aware of what our competitors are doing, while ensuring that we maintain our own unique identity in the market. We are also offering executive coaching to our leaders to develop their ability to challenge and think strategically.
Explore additional insights from three other law firm leaders here.
