People & Culture

It seems like every other month, another headline screams “X law firm ditches annual appraisals”. For many this is welcome news. Just the word “appraisal” implies a one-way conversation, of the command and control era – the unnecessary admin and anxiety that go along with your ‘moment in the sun’. Their shortcomings are well known too: many appraisals are infrequent, overly retrospective and ratings-focussed.

As we all know the legal profession is undergoing its greatest period of transformation at present: the sands are literally shifting beneath your feet. As practice managers and leaders it’s often your role to not only stay on top of all the fast transformation within the industry, but also, to ensure that staff remain calm and retention remains steady.

Without question, the most important leadership skill to master is effective leadership communication. When done well, it’s inspiring, transformative and spurs employees to greatness.

New research by Australasian Legal Practice Management Association (ALPMA) shows wages are continuing to flat-line across the legal sector, and the forecast is for modest wage increases for staff working at Australian law firms.