Some Observations on Law Firm Leaders

Published in Leadership Development in the Legal Profession   Over the past 20 years, I have observed a range of leaders and leadership styles in professional service firms. Over this same period, there has been an exponential increase of interest in the subject of leadership, and the crucial role that it plays in the success […]
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Mind Over Matter

Published in Managing Partner magazine   Ignore the importance of cultural fit at your peril when merging firms. Culture clash is one of the most common reasons mergers fail. Within professional services, where the importance of common values and behaviours in creating cohesive firms is indisputable, getting the cultural aspects of a merger wrong can […]
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Talking with one voice

Published in Managing Partner magazine   Integrated marketing communications is the name; clarity and consistency is the game. Students of marketing communications are inculcated with the need to create compelling, consistent and clear messages that can be directed at an array of targeted delivery channels. In considering communications (whether internal or external) it is crucial […]
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The Law Firm of the Future

Published in Law Firm of the Future supplement report by Managing Partner and Legal Marketing magazines   Views on the shape and focus of the law firm of the future are widely divergent, but invariably pessimism is expressed by many as to how the profession as a whole will fare over the next decade. The common […]
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Leading the Edge

Published in KMLegal magazine   A key component of building the bridge between theory and realisation in the utilisation of knowledge assets lies in improvements in a broad range of leadership capabilities within the KM function itself, according to Andrew Hedley. If law firms are to be effective in building a competitive advantage through knowledge […]
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For What It’s Worth…

Published in KM Legal   One of the hot topics of the moment (and, in all likelihood, the foreseeable future) is the impact of external investment into the profession as a result of the Legal Services Act. The knowledge strategist will recognise that any assessment of their firm for investment appraisal purposes will involve thorough […]
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Points of Inflexion

Students of differential calculus would define a point of inflexion as the place at which the tangent crosses the curve itself. Those of us in the commercial world (and less mathematically gifted!) might say that it is a turning point at which a major shift occurs in the business environment. This can have either positive […]
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Crunch Time!

Published in Professional Marketing   A downturn sorts out the wheat from the chaff! It’s not a nice thought, either for those affected or even the bystanders, but it’s largely true. A coherent argument can be made that a period of recession is a necessary part of the creation of a healthy market. Those that […]
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Decisions, Decisions…

Published in Managing Partner magazine   “Why else does a managing partner exist if not to make decisions?” This was a comment recently made at a conference I was chairing. Three things immediately struck me. Just how much autonomy do managing partners have in their decision-making? What issues affect decision-making in professional firms? And how […]
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Driving Growth – As the gravy train grinds to a halt…

Masterclass article published in Managing Partner Magazine   Following a number of years in which revenue growth has been achievable without too much effort, there will be many management teams with the misplaced belief that they have a strong business model. In truth, during the bull years, the volumes of work available means that all […]
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You Don’t Know What You Don’t Know: How to use superior knowledge to drive business development

Strategy series opinion piece published in Managing Partner Magazine   For many firms the term knowledge management has become synonymous with the technical know-how embedded in their core professional skill. It is owned by the professional-support and information-management communities and runs the risk of becoming yet another silo in the multi-compartmentalised structure that afflicts many organisations. […]
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The White-Knuckle Ride of Reputation Management

Strategy series opinion piece published in Managing Partner Magazine   As Benjamin Franklin so wisely said, “It takes many good deeds to build a good reputation, and only one bad one to lose it”. His words should be a wake-up call for managing partners that have placed their trust in the fingers-crossed method of reputation management, […]
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Time to Think Differently

As fears grow of a continued slowdown in activity, there is a perceptible shift in emphasis from firms across the spectrum. Two trends are emerging among the leading players – a renewed focus on key client management together with longer-term strategic clarity and rigour to ensure that a compelling position can be crafted in the […]
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I’ll tell you what I want, what I really, really want…

Article published in Legal Marketing Magazine   The return of the Spice Girls and their Wannabe anthem offers a timely reminder to professional services marketers of the requirement to understand and deliver the needs of their clients. This is best achieved by listening instead of telling and by acting on the basis of a deep […]
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Avoiding a cultural cacophony

Strategy series opinion piece published in Managing Partner Magazine   Everyone accepts that we live in a multicultural society and operate in a world where barriers to business across national frontiers are dismantling at an ever increasing rate. There is positive potential for firms in their response to these cultural challenges and opportunities. Culture is […]
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Is anybody listening?

Strategy Series opinion piece published in Managing Partner Magazine   Technology has enabled mass communication at a level never before experienced. With over 12,000 specialist publications in the UK, enabled by improved technology and ever-reducing production costs, the ability to talk in a highly focused way is at a new threshold. This promise of highly […]
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Time to wake up and smell the coffee

Feature published in Legal Marketing Magazine   Keeping your options open is a philosophy to which many management teams subscribe, either overtly or by their actions. This isn’t to say that unwavering dogma is a good thing, but rather that a clear sense of direction, being prepared to say ‘no’ to ideas that don’t fit, […]
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Sometimes you must burn your boats

Strategy Series opinion piece published in Managing Partner Magazine   Keeping your options open is a philosophy to which many management teams subscribe, either overtly or by their actions. This isn’t to say that unwavering dogma is a good thing, but rather that a clear sense of direction, being prepared to say ‘no’ to ideas […]
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Moving from technical excellence to business nous

Case Study published in Professional Development Strategies for Law Firms   Ambitious firms recognise that being excellent at their core legal skill is simply not enough – creating an enhanced commercial understanding of their clients’ needs and building the business development skills of their people are two ways in which the firm can create a […]
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Do you judge a book by its cover?

Strategy Series opinion piece published in Managing Partner Magazine   For professional firms too much emphasis on the cover and not enough on the content has heralded the demise of many a branding initiative. Moreover, firms’ inability to walk the talk of their brand promises has sadly done more than waste oodles of money. It […]
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Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes (turn and face the strain)

Series opinion piece published in Managing Partner Magazine   The trepidation with which David Bowie’s lyrics approach the topic of change is mirrored by the behaviours of management teams in professional firms everywhere. Never before have they been faced with such a dynamic business environment, with increased competition emanating from both within and outside their […]
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Horses choosing courses – How refreshing!

Published in Legal Marketing Cover Feature   Every horse can win a race, but selecting the right race to run in is key. Law firms should choose the arenas best matched to their capabilities for differentiation and competitive advantage. We frequently hear that sophisticated purchasers of legal services are, more and more, choosing ‘horses for […]
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Opportunity Knocks?

Published in KM Legal Magazine   The support departments in major law firms have proved as effective as their practice group counterparts at building edifices and creating silos. In many firms, overt yet inflexible organisational structures together with covert Machiavellian behaviour have conspired to ensure that the walls between support functions are high with cross-communication […]
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Balancing the business

Opinion Piece published in Managing Parner Magazine   The ‘balanced scorecard’ has taken its place in the glossary of management terminology to such an extent that it is easy to assume all managing partners are fully conversant with the theory and are applying it to their firms on a daily basis. Neither of these assumptions […]
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More Than Embossing The Wallpaper

Published in Professional Marketing Magazine   The twelfth annual PM Forum Global Conference in September will address one of the biggest challenges facing professional service firms today; how does a firm create an environment in which innovative thinking can flourish, that allows clients and firms to create deep bonds and where the best ideas are […]
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