Fostering Innovation and Collegiality: A Shared Responsibility for Both Lawyers and the C-Suite

One law firm with which I worked had a particularly impressive chief marketing officer (CMO). She would walk the hallways regularly, seeming to know everyone's name. "Hey, how is your mom doing?" she would call out to Bob, the mail clerk, as she passed him by. While knowing people's names at the firm was significant, it was just a small indicator of the culture the CMO was trying to create and maintain. She regularly met with the lawyers on a one-on-one basis and introduced various partners from different practice areas to one another, simply so they could get to know each other. She pushed for firm-wide events involving lawyers and staff, and she always gave kudos to those in the firm, lawyers and other professionals, who were making a difference to the firm by fostering innovative ideas.

While she was an impactful leader who led by example, creating a culture of innovation and collegiality within a law firm requires more than just a top-down directive.

Lawyers and Administrative Leaders Shape Firm Culture

While lawyer leaders certainly set the cultural tone by fostering an environment that encourages creative thinking and collaboration, and champion the budget often called for in the process, it is crucial to recognize that building such a culture is a shared responsibility across all levels of the organization. The CMO and the rest of the administration C-suite play a big role in helping to set and promote the firm’s culture.

The C-suite—the CIOs, CFOs and CMOs who implement firm strategy—is essential to the execution of firm culture. Law firm leaders need to recognize these professionals’ roles not simply to promote the culture but to lead by example. By demonstrating openness to new ideas, spreading the word about the firm's mission and actively engaging with employees, these talented professionals can make a difference in solidifying a firm's culture.

It's essential that the firm’s communications and marketing leadership have a strong understanding and passion to drive culture. Allan Schoenberg, one of the country’s leading communications professionals, and chief communications officer at Vinson & Elkins, says, “Culture is the heartbeat of any firm. It is ever-present yet constantly evolving, and it should be the driving force behind everything from attracting top talent to retaining clients.”

Even more than understanding how to build culture, Schoenberg also explains the “why” behind caring about culture. “A strong, dynamic culture not only shapes the identity of a law firm, but also propels its growth and success in an ever-changing business landscape."

For a strong culture, firm leaders must provide the necessary resources and recognize and reward innovative and collaborative efforts. However, every employee must contribute for a genuinely innovative and strong culture to thrive. Senior and middle managers are pivotal in translating the vision into day-to-day practices. At the same time, individual team members need to feel empowered to share ideas and collaborate freely. This collective effort ensures that innovation and collegiality become ingrained in the firm's DNA, driving sustained success and growth.

A top law firm known for having a great culture, one where lawyers and staff collaborate, and great work is accomplished, won't hold on to that title for long if their C-suite is not in sync. All it takes is for one C-suite member to create an environment where their managers and staff feel undermined, and the practice of a strong culture fades away.

Why Culture Matters

A strong culture of collaboration within a law firm is crucial for several reasons.

Firstly, a positive culture fosters employee engagement and satisfaction, both important productivity and retention drivers. When lawyers and staff feel valued and supported, they are more likely to be motivated, produce higher-quality work and stay with the firm long term. The by-products of reduced turnover are the mitigated associated costs, such as recruiting, training and hoping new people fit within the firm's fabric.

A strong culture enhances collaboration and teamwork, which is essential in a profession that often requires interdisciplinary cooperation and knowledge sharing. Innovation usually involves two or more people working together and sharing ideas. This won't happen if a strong signal for collaboration is not heard throughout the firm.

A well-defined culture can attract top talent, as prospective employees seek workplaces that align with their values and offer a supportive environment. According to a recent BTI Consulting Group survey, from May 2024, “Progressive firm leaders—at 34%—are realizing success in the market and talent requires rewriting the unwritten rules to foster an intentional, high-performance culture.”

Firms with a strong, positive culture attract more high-quality candidates.

Moreover, culture impacts client satisfaction: a cohesive and client-focused firm culture ensures consistent, high-quality service, strengthens client relationships and builds the firm's reputation.

Lastly, a culture that promotes innovation and adaptability is crucial in the ever-evolving legal landscape. It allows the firm to stay competitive and responsive to new challenges and opportunities. In essence, culture shapes every aspect of a law firm's operations and success, making it a vital component of overall strategy. A culture that encourages creativity can lead to innovation and a competitive edge in the market.

Deciding on a Mission

Deciding on a mission within an organization and defining a culture involves a thoughtful and reflective process that ensures the mission aligns with the organization's core values, goals, and stakeholder needs.

When a consultant comes into a firm to work with them on building a better culture, they typically follow an eight-step process.

1. Engage stakeholders. Involve a diverse group of stakeholders, including the C-suite, partners, associates, other employees, clients and possibly even community members. This ensures that multiple perspectives are considered, and the mission resonates across the organization. While there may be naysayers at the firm whom you know will be unhappy with the result of any program (we've all known them), be smart by involving them and asking for their feedback early on.
2. Reflect on core values. Maybe you are not leading a firm that cares about innovation, or maybe you are at a firm that respects stability and consistency more than it does change. It is essential to involve your C-suite and other stakeholders in the process. Identify and articulate the organization's core values. These values should reflect what the organization stands for and guide its behavior and decision-making processes.
3. Assess firm strengths and weaknesses. Conduct a thorough analysis of the organization's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT analysis). While SWOT may seem like an old-fashioned way of doing this analysis, there is a reason it has been around for such a long time. Using a SWOT approach can significantly help illuminate what the organization excels at and where it needs improvement, grounding an aspirational mission in reality. It also provides an understandable tool to help explain why a culture exercise is taking place in the firm.
4. Define long-term goals. Consider the organization's long-term vision. Where does it see itself in the next five, 10 or 20 years? The mission should provide a clear direction toward achieving this vision. While the firm may not have all the answers today, a culture exercise and related discussions can set goals.
5. Gather input and feedback. Once you have articulated the firm's mission, collect input from various administrative departments and levels within the organization. Encourage open discussions and feedback to refine the mission statement. This can be done through workshops, surveys and focus groups.
6. Draft and review. Based on the gathered insights, develop a draft mission statement. Ensure it is clear, concise and compelling. Review and revise it as needed, guaranteeing that it accurately reflects the organization's purpose and aspirations. Know that it will not be a static document but rather one that will need revisiting regularly.
7. Validate and finalize. Present the draft mission statement to key stakeholders for validation. Based on their feedback, make any final adjustments to ensure broad agreement, support and alignment.
8. Communicate and embed. Once finalized, communicate the mission statement across the firm. Ensure it is prominently displayed and integrated into all aspects of the firm's operations, from strategic planning to daily activities. Regularly reference and reinforce the mission to keep it at the forefront of everyone's mind. Decide how you will reward those who reflect the firm's mission.

Following these steps, a firm can develop a mission statement that encapsulates its purpose and goals and inspires and guides its members toward a common objective.

Hiring the Right People

The interesting thing about law firms is that the service they provide directly results from the engagement of their people. To achieve a culture consistent with the firm's mission, the mission should be integrated into how the firm recruits new hires, whether partners, associates or other professional staff.

The first step is to ensure that the mission and culture are clearly defined and communicated to anyone recruiting for these positions. By prioritizing this need up front, you can save a lot of time later in weeding out candidates who don't reflect your values. Ensure you also communicate these values on the firm's website and in recruiting materials.

During the interview process, ensure that your interviewers think beyond the necessary skill set and consider the cultural fit front and center. Not only should they have this mindset, but they should also ask more behavioral questions during the interview process. For example, consider asking, "What type of work environment is best for you?" instead of "Why did you major in that particular topic as an undergrad?" Behavioral questions are more likely to unearth a candidate's beliefs and help interviewers assess if the candidate is a good match for the firm's culture.

Assessment tools, multiple interviews with different people and training the interviewers can ensure that you are bringing in talent that will be comfortable within and able to further your firm's culture.

Leaders Can Create the Culture They Want

Effective leadership is essential in cultivating a solid corporate culture. Leaders must empower the C-suite to actively participate in shaping and maintaining the culture by discussing it with their teams, demonstrating its principles in their actions and supporting initiatives that reinforce the culture. They should also provide training and resources to help employees understand and embrace the culture.

One law firm leader whom I’ve gotten to know has a clear approach to working with a firm's lawyers and clients. It involves being very service centered. While I can't repeat his catchphrase here, I can applaud him for using it repeatedly at every meeting with staff, associates or partners. While he may suspect that people grow weary of it, repeating it constantly reminds his audience of its importance.