The second most important role in a family law firm is the managing attorney.
There is no real debate on this point.
In the vast majority of family law firms, the founder/owner sits in two seats: (1) the president and (2) the managing attorney.
The president sets the strategy, casts the vision, models the culture and many other “presidential” type things.
The managing attorney leads the lawyers and legal support staff. These teammates coach lawyers, engage clients, and fulfill the firm’s promises.
The majority of law firm founders l-o-v-e the managing attorney job and can comfortably do it very well. So, that’s where they stay. These leaders thrive in both seats.
Family law firms led by leaders who are the president/managing attorney typically stop growing at five to six attorneys.
Conversely, a small minority of founders desire to move out of the managing attorney role so they can focus on being the president and thus build a larger firm.
This is where it gets tricky.
This article is about how founders can move out of the managing attorney role, thus opening up the firm for growth beyond six(ish) attorneys.
Who is a Managing Attorney?
A managing attorney is both an (1) exceptionally skilled family law attorney and an (2) effective leader.
Candidly, finding both of these qualities in one attorney is almost as hard as finding a Unicorn.
It’s imperative that they are an excellent family lawyer who is skilled in the courtroom and has mastery of family law. They cannot lead without the respect of the attorneys that they are managing.
Even if you find an excellent family lawyer, most don’t want to lead other attorneys. Leadership is a hard job with complex layers of stress and responsibility.
Once you’ve checked the box on finding an excellent family lawyer, they must also be an effective leader.
Usually, their technical lawyer skills will be way ahead of their leadership skills. That’s to be expected.
They can learn to lead. Leadership is simply influence. It can be taught and acquired like any other skill.
What a Managing Attorney Does
A managing attorney is analogous to a football quarterback or a symphony conductor. They have to know what everyone on the legal team is supposed to do and how to do it.
This is some of what they do:
- Lead the Legal Team. They hire lawyers and support staff. They coach and train newer attorneys. They mentor experienced attorneys. They manage the support staff. They hold the legal team accountable for results. They terminate teammates when needed.
- Nurture a Positive Culture. They create an environment where lawyers and support staff feel valued and invested. They maintain lawyer retention because they know that lawyers leave leaders before they leave firms. They invest in personal growth because they cannot give what they don’t have.
- Maintain Steady Revenue. They ensure that the lawyers bring in the money (aka “oxygen”) that the firm needs to exist.
- Ensure Client Satisfaction. When client service problems arise, they intervene with de-escalation skills to solve client concerns. They protect the attorneys from nasty clients. And they discipline attorneys who are not serving clients well.
- Collaborate Across Departments: They work closely with marketing to turn potential clients into long-term relationships. They partner with operations to keep the firm running smoothly. They interface with finance on the money needs. They execute on the president’s client service vision.
How to Find a Managing Attorney
Look within your firm first. We have had the most success promoting from within.
They already know your firm’s values and culture, and they understand what makes your practice special.
We also intentionally seek to hire lawyers who have leadership upside as they mature and grow. The goal is to build a bench of leaders.
All things being equal, the firm with the most leaders wins.
Put most of your energy into growing this internal talent.
If there are no viable candidates internally, looking externally is the only remaining option.
To do this, cast as wide a net as possible. Be patient and prepare for a long process. Don’t rush. Be prepared to pay at the top of the market for this talent.
The lawyering skills will be fairly simple to assess. It’s evaluating the leadership effectiveness that will be the greatest challenge.
To do this best, talk to as many people as possible about the candidate’s ability to influence. Remember that past performance is the best predictor of future performance.
I love asking “Why do you want to lead?” The answer, if truthful, will go a long way to letting you know their leadership fitness. Look for answers that are servant-focused, not for self-satisfaction.
How to Lead a Managing Attorney
The formula to lead a managing attorney is simple:
- Give them clear goals
- Coach and support as needed
- Stay out of their way
Let’s break this down.
Once you’ve found the right person, set them up to win by giving them clear and simple targets to aim for.
The fewer goals, the better. For example, our managing attorneys are incentivized by gross margin and client satisfaction scores. Those are their two big targets.
Managing attorneys need absolute clarity on what success looks like. Lack of clarity is the biggest demotivator in family law firms.
Be prepared to regularly coach them along the way. Expect to have daily check-ins at the start. Then, as the managing attorney gains skill and confidence, make it a weekly check-in.
It’s important that the founder not check out once the hire is made. Be present and emphasize support.
Finally, it’s critical that the founder get out of their way and let the managing attorney lead their way. Micromanaging will sabotage their success.
Expect mistakes. This is part of the learning process. Help them feel free to take risks and fail.
When you get this balance right, your managing attorney will lift up your whole firm – not just meeting standards, but setting new ones.
