360 Degree Feedback For Law Firms

360 Degree Feedback For Law Firms

Developing Partners & Senior Staff

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LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT IN THE LEGAL SECTOR

Developed in conjunction with Passmore Consulting and partners from leading law firms, we provide a range of 360 degree feedback tools, specific to partners and legal professionals. 

These tools are purely to develop law professionals in their role as partner and should not be confused with either generic 360s or those used to formally assess performance.

Building upon nearly 20 years of giving 360 feedback to senior managers around the world, (over 2000 to date) these newly developed tools are at the cutting edge of leadership development in the legal sector.

Use these 360s in conjunction with an employee engagement survey to optimise the performance of your law firm and increase employee engagement.
Contact a Protostar Consultant

HOW DOES A 360 DEGREE FEEDBACK PROCESS FOR LAW FIRMS WORK?

Select the appropriate model for the level in the organisation. Input into an online portal the details of who feedback is to come from– Manager, Peers and Direct Reports.

Assess against a set of behaviours that our research indicates are demonstrated by excellent partners. 

Perception is compared to the feedback from others and clarified by comments that they provide. The report is confidential and only the individual and the Protostar Consultant will see the final results. A development plan will be created, and in most instances, this will be shared with the manager or HR.

This tool is not designed to assess performance for promotion, recruitment, bonus or salary reviews – it is for personal development only.

SENIOR PARTNER - LAW FIRM

 This 360 feedback model is for senior partners such as equity or managing partners in law firms.

Heavy emphasis on strategic leadership and commercial foresight in law firms.

PARTNER - LAW FIRM


A bespoke 360 feedback tool for partners at law firms who wish to develop their skills or progress to a higher level.

Wide range of leadership skills, specific to law firms are covered by this model.

SENIOR STAFF - LAW FIRM

For aspiring partners or legal professionals on a law firm’s succession plan, this 360 feedback process is aimed at ensuring the individual develops the required skills set for advancement.

Designed in conjunction with senior partners and legal professionals.


WHAT  MAKES THIS 360 TOOL DIFFERENT?

Many law firms have tried to use 360 tools in the past but found that they are too generic and that being a partner or senior manager in the legal sector is different to other professions.

Having worked closely with senior law firm partners and Passmore Consulting, we have developed three 360 degree feedback questionnaires that are tailored purely for law firms. Unlike internally run tools that are linked to formal performance review processes, our 360s are confidential and are purely for development. Feedback will come in the form of a detailed report and a 90-minute feedback session with a Protostar consultant. Ongoing support will be provided to help create an individual development plan. 360 degree feedback for lawyers of all levels is proven to accelerate success.

Highly effective when used as a standalone partner development process. For optimal results we suggest running the 360s in conjunction with one of our award wining employee engagement surveys.

SENIOR PARTNER 360 - LAW FIRM

This model looks at 11 distinct competency groups required to run and develop a law firm effectively.

Each competency group is assessed based on feedback to 10 questions, making this by far the most rigorous development tool available for the legal sector.

Aimed at equity and managing partners, there is a heavy emphasis on strategic leadership, setting direction, compliance and commercial decision making.

While some partners of this level might not have a “manager” per se, if they report to a CEO or Chairman then they would also provide feeedback along with fellow partners (peers) and more “junior” partners.

As with all our 360 feedback models, at the end of each section respondents are encouraged to provide examples or suggestions that might help to develop the individual. These comments are anonymous.

PARTNER 360 - LAW FIRM

Aimed at partners within a law firm, this 360 model covers 10 competency groups, similar to those used in the Senior Partner model but with a greater degree of operational leadership emphasis.

As with all models, the behaviours being assessed (10 per competency group) are commonly displayed by partners renowned for excellence.  

This 360 feedback tool allows a partner to compare their own perception of how they behave against this wide range of positive behaviours, with those of their manager, peers and direct reports. This 360 degree questionnaire for law firm partners balances providing feedback on the skills and behaviours associated with highly successful partners, and those required to advance to either a higher level or larger firm.

SENIOR STAFF 360 - POTENTIAL PARTNERS

Aimed at senior lawyers or managers within a law firm who are being developed to become partners.

This 360 degree feedback model for law firms concentrates on the behaviours typically seen in aspiring partners and those that would need to be displayed upon reaching partner level.

Provides an excellent way of both providing developmental feedback to increase the chances of becoming a partner, but also helps to shape them and get experience that will be required at a later date.

As law firms can be highly competitive when it comes to potential partner positions, this feedback report is confidential between the individual and the Protostar consultant. It is purely for their development and to help ensure their success.

360 DEGREE FEEDBACK MODELS

SENIOR PARTNER - LAW FIRM

Leadership
Strategic Planning
Objective Setting and Review
Corporate Governance and Compliance
Partner and Committee Meetings
Communication
Thinking and Commercial Decision Making
Personal Commitment
Personal Effectiveness
Organisational and Legal Sector Knowledge and Awareness
Business Ethics

PARTNER - LAW FIRM

Leadership
Strategic Planning
Objective Setting and Review
Corporate Governance and Compliance
Partner and Committee Meetings
Communication
Thinking and Commercial Decision Making
Personal Commitment
Personal Effectiveness
Organisational and Legal Sector Knowledge and Awareness
Business Ethics

SENIOR STAFF - LAW FIRM

Leadership
Strategic Planning
Objective Setting and Review
Meeting Management
Communication
Thinking and decision Making
Personal Commitment and Emotional Intelligence
Personal Effectiveness
Organisational and Legal Sector Knowledge
Business Ethics

WHY USE 360 FEEDBACK IN A LAW FIRM?

Developed in conjunction with former Solicitors Regulation Authority Director, Crispin Passmore, and senior law firm partners, our 360 tools are designed purely for law firms.

The ability to both give and receive constructive feedback is often seen as a strength, yet relatively few individuals actually enjoy being the provider and certainly not the receiver. This is a common dilemma with professionals who know that to improve they should elicit such feedback but are fearful of highlighting any shortcomings that could hinder any upcoming promotion.

The legal profession is no stranger to this scenario. For some, promotion is focused on billing targets without reference to profitability or sustainability of revenue. For others it is about client relationships which are owned by individuals to the detriment of the firm. It seems only rarely because of their ability on an individual to build successful teams that drive all of the things that help the firm to succeed. As a result, it is not uncommon for legal partners, or would be partners, to have a range of incredible professional skills, but lack basic people management or commercial acumen, or lack coaching and collaboration skills that are necessary for modern practice. Managing partners and HR directors at law firms have searched for solutions to this paradox and now they have access to our bespoke 360-degree feedback tools. If you would like to see sample reports, and discuss how law firm partners, solicitors, lawyers and managers are using our 360 degree feedback process for law firms, contact a Protostar consultant now.
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