Q: I just accepted a new job managing an in-house legal team, and I need to ensure that Iām as effective as possible from Week One. What are the main areas I need to excel in?
A: While administrative, leadership and legal expertise have always formed the core of a managerās job description in the legal field, other skills are growing in importance. To meet new expectations, consider developing these three must-have skills:
- Technical expertise
- Financial knowledge
- Interpersonal skills
- Communication: Top-notch written and verbal communication abilities are essential. Work on ways to communicate change effectively, or offer constructive criticism, praise and recognition. A good manager also helps team foster good communication, which is especially important during fast-paced matters, such as e-discovery and document review.
- Team leadership: As a manager, you help to establish the office culture. Celebrate team milestones, personal events and legal victories to boost morale. Make sure employees use their vacation days to help reduce stress levels and consider bringing in legal professionals on a temporary, project or consulting basis during periods of heavy caseloads. A good leader also thinks ahead. In addition to managing the day-to-day activities of the legal team, donāt forget to strategize ways for the organization, in general, to become even more successful in the future.
- Flexibility: Savvy legal supervisors know that adapting to change is integral to improving productivity and recruiting and retaining top talent. This could mean implementing flexible work arrangements or making remote work more efficient and productive for legal teams by researching mobile technology and collaborative software.
As technology continues to transform the legal field, managers of corporate legal teams need to be well versed in specialized legal software that helps to keep track of e-discovery, case work, evidence management and more. And while many organizations rely on cloud computing, the practical considerations are especially complicated in the legal world, where client confidentiality and data security are major concerns.
If your technical skills are in need of improvement, consider professional education. Many legal associations provide online resources, including podcasts, webinars and conference recordings. Legal industry blogs, journals and publications also are helpful for staying current with tech trends that affect the profession.
Donāt panic if youāre suddenly saddled with business responsibilities, such as managing the firmās operational budget, monitoring client accounts or suggesting new sources of revenue. You can boost your financial savvy by attending education programs on business management, finance and accounting. You can also reach out to the accounting department to learn more about the inner financial workings of your company.
Tech skills and business know-how are important abilities for leaders, but so are soft skills. Here are several skills that every successful legal supervisor should possess:
The role of a manager in the legal field demands a broader skill set than ever before. To be effective at your job and improve your future career prospects, make time for continuing legal education, stay current with industry developments and continue to hone your interpersonal skills.
Robert Half Legal is a premier legal staffing service specializing in the placement of attorneys, paralegals, legal administrators and other legal professionals with law firms and corporate legal departments. Based in Menlo Park, Calif., Robert Half Legal has offices in major North American and global markets and offers a full suite of legal staffing and consulting solutions.