Attorneys respond best to focused, one-on-one conversations and career development programs that leverage their individual strengths. This customized approach helps attorneys attain greater levels of accomplishment and satisfaction, and increases their contributions to the firm.
A well-designed coaching program enables law firms to optimize existing talent by rewarding top performers with additional resources and support, as well as by developing future high-performers from the existing talent pool.
Coaching programs can facilitate improvements in many areas:
- Develop and strengthen current and future leaders
- Enhance client service
- Improve cross-selling and collaboration efforts
- Enhance individual and group productivity
- Build loyalty and improve culture
- Lateral integration and attorney onboarding
- Transitions (new partners, retiring partners, new roles)
- Work/Life balance issues
- Career enhancement
A coaching engagement begins by identifying the firm’s goals and objectives. Melissa Hoff then conducts a detailed intake interview with each participant to understand their practice, their strengths and goals and any perceived impediments to success. A detailed practice plan is developed for each participant, and Melissa works closely with each attorney over the following months to implement the plan, making necessary revisions and overcoming obstacles as they arise.
Coaching programs and attorney practice plans typically address several of the following areas:
- Business Development
- Individual business development programs
- Group/team programs for practice and industry groups
- Career Enhancement
- Identifying career goals and direction
- Building new competencies and skill sets
- Adapting to change
- Communication skills
- Building mentoring relationships
- Leadership Development
- New Practice Group Leaders/Department Chairs/Office Managing Partners
- Roles and responsibilities
- Balancing firm leadership responsibilities with a legal practice
- Managing and leading others
- Delegation, workflow, feedback and training
- Identifying and developing future leaders
- New partners
- Transitions
- Non-equity partners planning to become equity partners
- Retiring partners
- Transitioning clients
- Transitioning relationships internally and externally
- New roles/promotions
- Increased client responsibilities and interaction
- Work/Life Balance
- Identifying priorities
- Managing competing demands
- Prioritization and time management