Consulting Services

Creating and Developing Individualized Business Plans

This is Lee Ann’s favorite! She knows she can make a significant difference in the success or failure of an attorney’s career by helping them create a realistic business plan and helping them stick to their goals. Lee Ann works one on one with the individual to assess his or her needs and then offers three choices of programs one of which will fit the requirements of attorneys at any level. It is never too early to begin planning toward a successful future.

Mentoring

Creating a Mentoring Program Through Generational Progression

The topic of mentoring is one that has become increasingly urgent as law firms see associate salaries rise while associate attrition shows no sign of decreasing. In fact there has become a sense of urgency surrounding the topic of mentoring as firms continue to lose vast amounts of money on their most valuable assets, associates they have wooed from their second year through their fourth year.

In 2007 a statistical survey showed that the number one reason associates left their law firms was lack of mentoring. Yet while this has consistently been the number one reason for moving, few firms have done anything but talk about the issue.

• “We should be doing more mentoring.”
• “We need a mentoring program.”
• “Our associates say they are leaving because they are not receiving any mentoring”
• “How am I supposed to mentor these kids and still practice law?”

Virtually every shareholder has heard these comments while sitting in partners meetings and yet excuse after excuse is offered up for why their firm does not offer what it takes to train and keep its most valuable asset.

Do you want to know what the number two reason for leaving a law firm was?

The lack of contact with partners, which associates tied directly to the absence of an effective mentoring program, made them feel that they were not important to the firm. The bottom line was that they didn’t feel that anyone cared about them. As a result, associates felt no loyalty to the firm. How many times have you found yourself sitting next to an associate or even a partner at a law firm function and had to introduce yourself?

You’ve read how crucial mentoring programs can be to the long-term prosperity of a law firm. It is common knowledge that the law firms that have enthusiastically implemented successful mentoring programs have reaped the rewards. How did they do it? How can you start?

Elite Legal Services, LLC can guide you through the process we have named Generational Progression. Arrange a meeting with the two of us and discover how your firm can become one of the elite groups whose mentoring process helps retain its associates and adds to its profits.

Creating and Presenting Training Programs

Lee Ann has seen much change in the legal community over the last two decades. Some of it was long overdue and some of it was called for, but poorly implemented. In her opinion, other changes were not only unnecessary, but outright dangerous to the health of many firms.

Whatever the case, there is a huge gap in the quality of the training attorneys are receiving today to adjust to the new expectations. The law schools certainly are not providing it and the law firms are generally somewhat confused as to what to provide and how to go about delivering it.

Lee Ann will work with you to design the training program your firm requires.

She is currently working with firms on two major programs.

“Relationships = Business”
This program consists of four parts and centers on the concept that in order to build and maintain a business base, it is essential to build and develop relationships. The first session is particularly appropriate for summer and junior Associates and the program builds upon itself to get them more and more comfortable with the concept of marketing.

“Mentoring the Mentor”
While many firms say they have mentoring programs and can point to their mentors, the mentors rarely have a clear path to follow. This is an on-going program during which Lee Ann meets with the mentors quarterly to assure that the process they have developed together is being followed and is effective. During theses sessions, the group discusses the successes as well as the issues the program is encountering and takes steps to resolve them.

Career Counseling

Elite Legal Services Career Counseling program goes hand in hand with its mentoring curriculum as it is designed to help a law firm assist employees who do not fit into the firm’s long term plan continue on their career path.

• It is important to remember that the dismissed attorney usually remains a part of the same legal community. Thus, it is prudent for the employer to help the attorney make a smooth transition to a new position.
• It also helps the employees focus on the future and on their job search rather than becoming caught up in the negative aspects of the transition.
• Abrupt changes in the workplace have an unsettling effect on the remaining employees. Allowing employees to observe a well-planned and positive transition does much to alleviate their stress and eliminate related downtime.

The decision to use Career Counseling is based on objective criteria including the attorney's years of experience, compensation and length of employment.