Aimed at new and aspiring partners, this high level yet practical program is presented from a managing partner’s perspective with invaluable insights and essential information designed to accelerate your knowledge, skills, understanding, value and effectiveness as a partner.

Firm Structure & Finance - How are firms structured?

1.1.    Partnership/Incorporation and Service entities

•    Legal industry characteristics – the Australian scene

•    Partnership and other structures

•    Typical management structures and roles

•    Law firm business models - Existing and emerging examples

•    What key international commentators are saying about future trends for law firms

Understanding Financial documents

1.2.    Interpreting Key Financial Indicators

•    Profit & Loss and balance sheet interpretation

•    Typical cost base of firms – what to look out for

•    Calculating and sharing profits

•    Understanding your monthly financial  report

•    Buy in/buy out, lockstep, contribution model – what does this all mean 
     and what is the best option for me?

Strategy formulation and profitability

1.3.    How Does This All Translate Into Profits?

•    Time recording/billing/collection

•    The impact of leverage on profitability

•    The planning/retreat/budget cycle budgets - how are they set and monitored?

1.4.    Firm based planning

•    Short and long term planning

•    An introduction to the Balanced Scorecard approach

•    Utilising a simple ‘plan on a page’ framework

2.0    What is expected of you?

2.1     Your role as a partner in the ‘partnership team’

•    Implementation issues – using a ‘balanced scorecard’ approach

•    Firm culture & values

•    Partners meetings

2.2     Risk Management and Technology– How to minimise Your Risk. 

 A snap shot of technology- specific risks that may apply to your legal practice focusing on actual and emerging risks associated with some common work practices.

2.3     Your role as a team leader

•    Your role as a team builder and leader

•    Team planning and implementation of firm objectives

•    Appraisal, values and KPI’s that firm’s use

•    Making leverage work for you

•    Mentoring – seeking and providing (internal/external)

•    Recruiting  is ‘non delegable’ and key to your future as a partner

•    Team financial management and reporting

•    Team meetings – typical agendas and tactics

•    Using internal/external resources to help you achieve your objectives

3.0    How do firms seek and retain work?

3.1     Firm marketing – understanding the process and commitment required

•    Firm based marketing  strategy - targeting sectors and retaining critical clients

•    Pricing 

•    The role of innovation - new clients and developing new services

3.2     Building your team’s profitability and reputation

•    Marketing tactics-what are they and what is their role?

•    Tenders

•    Selling’ your services/pitch for work and sell the firm

•    CRM systems

•    Cross-selling – taking advantage of your partners and client contacts

•    Establishing a personal profile (internal/external) -  Building Brand “YOU”

•    Relationships are critical 

This intensive program is run over 3 days

Date:                Day 1: Tuesday 20th October – full day

                        Day 2: Tuesday 27th October – half day

                        Day 3: Thursday 29th October – half day

Time:               9:00am to 5: 00 pm (Day 1)

                        9:00am to 12:30 pm (Day 2)

                        9:00am to 12:30 pm (Day 3)

Day 1 includes Lunch, Morning and Afternoon Tea. Days 2 and 3 includes Morning Tea

Venue:             The Medina Grand, 189 Queen Street, Melbourne

CPD units:        12

Cost:                $2750 + GST

Code:               C931J

See our website for updates or contact Linda Baxter or Raji Bains on (03) 9602 3111

Duncan Hart

Australian Legal Practitioner 

LL.B MBA

Duncan Hart was a Regional Managing Director of one of Australia’s largest law firms and was also a Managing Partner for over ten years

Principal,  Duncan Hart Consulting

Malcolm Macleod

LLB, M.Eng., Grad Dip Com Law.
Australian Legal Practitioner 

Principal, Avitech Legal

Alicia Patterson

Bachelor of Arts (English), University of Melbourne
Graduate Diploma (PR), RMIT University 

Director, House Communication

Craig McCormick

Master of Commercial Law
Bachelor of Business
Chartered Accountant
Fellow, the Financial Services Institute of Australasia
Fellow, The Taxation Institute of Australia

Director - Tax Services, Grant Thornton