Research
Law Firm Culture Analysis
The culture of a law firm is largely based on the values of its individual lawyers, including how they communicate, how decisions are made, how work is accomplished, and how rewards are determined. To better understand firm’s culture by practice group and office, we must first understand what they value personally in a work setting.
A dozen law firms are in the midst of learning about their cultures through an online assessment that was developed through decades of organizational culture studies to:
- Better select and hire lawyers who share the values of their current lawyers;
- Understand gaps in values – which often lead to communication issues and difficult working relationships – between a firm’s management and its lawyers, partners and associates, and among its various offices and practice groups; and
- Communicate a true culture and values identity (instead of a mission statement that the marketing group developed).
Lawyer Success Factors
Not all lawyers are alike. Some are better suited for private practice, while others are a fit for the government. Similarly, lawyers in the same field or area of practice are not alike. And, of course, high performing lawyers’ skills, personalities, attitudes, and behaviors differ drastically from low performers.
The Lab is working with select law schools and legal employers to determine the skills, behaviors, and attitudes that lead to success in various career paths and areas of the law. As part of this study, the Lab is also conducting Bright Spot Interviews with hundreds of successful women and men lawyers in AmLaw 200 firms to uncover any potential gender differences in high performing lawyers.