D&B Brief

Fitting Challenges: How Lateral Hires Can Become Part of the Team

 

Heather Bradley, CPCC, and Miriam Bamberger Grogan, CPCC, are the co-founders of The Flourishing Company, a workplace consulting firm which changes the way people experience work. They are the authors of Judge For Yourself: Clarity, Choice, and Action in Your Legal Career, published by the American Bar Association in cooperation with MCCA®. For additional information, visit: www.TheFlourishingCompany.com.

 

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Mobility among lawyers is a hot topic. Much has been written about what organizations can do to help senior legal talent fit into the existing culture. While that question is still ripe for discussion, this column examines the other side of the equation: What is the role of the individual lawyer in becoming a respected and included member of the team?

Fitting in is complex and, as with most complex issues, no single solution will cover all the intricacies of the problem. But lateral hires who address the following two challenges will go a long way toward earning the respect of their team members.

Challenge #1—Manage Expectations (Yours and Theirs)

Becoming a valued and trusted team member begins long before your first day with a new employer. When something goes awry, it is often not because of what someone did or did not do, but rather because unspoken expectations were not met. Throughout your interviews, conduct thorough due diligence to find out what the firm expects of you, and what you can expect from the firm. "The key is for both parties to understand and agree on expectations before the offer is extended or accepted. Often, the hard things aren't said," says Caren Ulrich Stacy, director of professional development, recruiting and legal personnel for Arnold & Porter LLP.

In particular, be sure your due diligence covers the following two areas. While the first may be less important if you are moving to an in-house position, it still needs attention. Understanding the politics and developing relationships with internal clients are key to becoming part of the internal team.

Marketing Support
"The lateral is responsible for bringing in the business," says Carl Cooper, chief diversity officer at Kirkpatrick & Lockhart Nicholson Graham LLP. "But firms must understand the needs of the lateral and provide appropriate marketing support."

To find out what you can expect, "Ask what the firm is willing to allocate to support your practice," counsels Theresa Jaffe, chief marketing officer at Jenner & Block. "Find out if the firm is willing to invest in certain opportunities which will allow you to maintain your visibility. You should know what resources are available to you upfront."

Probe deeply, with questions such as:

• How do you see other partners supporting me?
• Are there firm/practice marketing initiatives or am I expected to create my own?
• Who are the firm's top 25 clients? How can I be part of those teams?

Let the firm know what your expectations are. "The firm needs to understand the needs of the lateral. Early on, provide specifics, so there's no excuse for either side if something falls through the cracks. Tell the firm what you will need in terms of marketing support, internal networking, speaking platforms, and so on," says Cooper.

Measures of Success
There are also different expectations when it comes to defining success. Many attorneys consider the transition successful when their opinions are sought after and they are included in key decisions. How will your new firm measure success? Have a clear understanding of the following:

• Specifically, how and when will my performance be reviewed?
• Specifically, what factors will be taken into consideration in my review?

If you are coming from the government or a service role in another firm and do not have an existing book of business, what is a reasonable amount of time to develop one? Even successful rainmakers cannot guarantee clients will come. What is the grace time for building up a practice?

Continue probing until you are satisfied you have received unambiguous and satisfactory answers. Use phrases such as, "I need more information on this. Please help me understand exactly how you envision this working."

Challenge #2—Show Them the Money

Once you join the firm, "Make sure you have a solid book of business and expand it asap," says Cooper. "The faster you gain traction, the more people are drawn to you. If you are busy, everyone will beat a path to your door."

• Be part of the plan.
  As soon as possible, meet with the most senior marketing professional at the firm. "Together, review your practice's marketing plan for the year and ask how you fit in," says Jaffe.
• Leave your office.
  Of course it is important to focus on any existing client work, or the employment policies and procedures. But do not use your workload as an excuse for not developing relationships with colleagues. As with external clients, internal colleagues do business with people they like and trust. The sooner you begin to know the members of your team, the sooner you will become a part of it.
• Ask and offer.
  As you get to know your new colleagues, ask them about their work and how you can contribute. Offer insight into your area of expertise, and how their clients might benefit from your help.
• Ask for help.
  While much of the responsibility for becoming a respected member of the team lies with the new hire, do not feel you have to sink or swim on your own. "Most firms do a fairly good job of integrating people at a functional and intellectual level. But they aren't as good at helping laterals with the social and emotional adjustments. Leaving a firm after being there many years can be like getting a divorce," says Arnold & Porter's Stacy. "You are leaving behind an entire way of doing things and a whole set of established relationships. A great source of support can be a lateral committee advisor or mentor and the recruiting professional, who can talk through what you need and how the firm can support you."
• Give yourself time.
  While it is important to get busy quickly, remember that a complete lateral integration can take up to a year or longer. "A year gives the lateral a chance to experience the full cycle of evaluations, summer associates, billing, and other firm processes," explains Stacy.
• Make time for reflection.
  As you check in regularly with clients to make sure their needs are being met, check in with yourself periodically. Schedule time to reflect on your experience. Is this move turning out the way you wanted? If so, great. If not, revisit the steps above and see what adjustments you or the firm can make to improve the situation.

The three steps of The Flourishing Process™ can help you focus your efforts to fit into the new culture.

The Flourishing Process™

 
 

What does it mean for you to be a respected, included member of the team?

 

Ask yourself the following questions:

• What role do you want to play on the team?
• What role does the team need you to play?
• Who do you need to get to know?
• What do you need to know about them?

What do you choose?

 

Sometimes people beat a path to your door; most times, it is up to you to weave yourself into the fabric of the organization, department or practice group, and client teams. Do you choose to make it happen? What choices do you need to make to balance billable work with building internal relationships?

What will you do?

 

Armed with the clarity of how your success will be measured, "Set your own business plan with clear and specific goals," says Mary B. Richardson-Lowry, partner at Mayer, Brown, Rowe & Maw LLP.

Include short-term, achievable targets to establish an early pattern of success.

• How many internal colleagues will you meet with in the first week? In the first month?
• How many current or potential clients will you talk to each week?
• If you are with a firm, when will you meet with the chief marketing officer?
• How many speaking engagements will you have in the first six months? What kind of audiences will you address?
• What networking events will you attend?

Lateral changes are both exciting and challenging. Whether you are moving to a new organization or welcoming a new attorney into your firm, recognizing the challenges and addressing them directly will allow you to capitalize on the excitement.

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From the September/October 2006 issue of  Diversity & The Bar^®