Although the statement, 'behind every great man there’s a great woman,' is far too reminiscent of a 1950s housewife for a current 21st-century mentality, the idea that a successful person is not a singular tower but rather held up by a solid foundation of supporters still holds true.
And there is no better example of this idea than in the offices of law firms — from Bay Street to Main Street — where dedicated and competent members of the support staff lend their talents to the lawyers who employ them.
'Without the staff that I’ve got, I wouldn’t continue in practice — it would be too frustrating and too challenging,' says Donna Neff, a sole practitioner at the Ottawa-based Neff Law Office Professional Corp. 'I feel very strongly that the staff are a huge part of my success.'
The right support staff are not only good for the lawyer’s practice (and sanity), but good for the firm’s bottom line. Top talent can help to make a lawyer more efficient, as well as enhance a firm’s service offerings, which directly leads to generated revenue — a good thing in any economic climate.
'Lawyers are here for the business,' says Lisa Meabry, Neff’s senior law clerk. 'If they have someone who can generate income, lighten their load, be really great with clients, then everybody benefits from that.'
Dvara Malkin, division director at Robert Half Legal in Toronto, agrees that having the right people can have a huge impact on the overall success of the firm.
'Demand remains steady for support professionals who can perform multiple job functions and contribute to revenue-generating activities,' she says. 'Legal assistants are expected to be more versatile than ever, as they are increasingly taking on additional responsibilities in human resources, office administration and financial operations.'
But attracting the 'right' person may be easier said than done, especially since, as Meabry points out, some support staff roles require not only a qualified applicant, but someone who will 'fit in' with the firm’s culture, as well as the personality traits of the lawyers they will be working with.
'The fit is extremely important,' she says. 'If you have a crackerjack applicant but maybe they haven’t done this kind of law, that’s not the most important thing because if they’re willing to learn and they’re provided with the right tools, you can train someone to do the things you need them to do…and if it’s a good fit then it’s an enjoyable experience for both sides.'
Meabry suggests when interviewing a candidate to go beyond their resume and ask questions that get to the heart of who the person is, including their personality characteristics (or quirks), their likes and dislikes in terms of their professional experiences, and what they’re looking for in the position.
'You need to make sure it’s going to work well for them and for the lawyer.'
Thinking outside the compensation box is another important element when trying to attract people to a firm.
'Employers should highlight their strong corporate culture, benefits packages, work-life balance offerings and any other programs that would appeal to applicants,' says Malkin.
Meabry agrees that the paycheque is not the only thing a potential employee will consider when trying to find the right fit for them. Work-life balance is of utmost importance to most people these days, but what that looks like differs for each person.
So how do you figure out what works for each staff member? Treat them like an individual, says Neff. She lists work-life balance, the firm’s atmosphere and respect for the individual and what they can contribute as the most important elements to bring out the best in staff members.
'Make people feel valued,' suggest Malkin. 'Two of the most effective acknowledgements of outstanding performance — a sincere thank-you and praise in a public setting — do not cost anything but go a long way to making people feel appreciated.'
Neff, Meabry and Malkin all say that training is another key element to not only retaining support staff, but also adding to the firm’s value.
'Provide professional development opportunities,' says Malkin. 'Helping staff enhance their skills will show them you are concerned with their career success, which will increase their loyalty to the company, as well as improve their performance. These programs do not have to be expensive. Mentorships, for example, are a proven low- to no-cost option.'
Neff agrees with the importance of keeping her staff up-to-date with the latest technology, software and processes, saying that training is absolutely essential.
'You can waste a lot of dollars on staff time that isn’t productive because they don’t know what’s they’re doing,' she says, adding that training doesn’t necessarily have to include expensive, out-of-town training courses.
Neff prefers the less costly options of webinars or even internal training when one staff member will do the research or training and then share the knowledge with the rest of the team.
'In tough times, employee training is often among the first areas to face the budgetary chopping block,' says Malkin. 'Skimping on employee education can dull your firm’s competitive edge and undermine your recruitment and retention efforts.'
Lawyers should then be confident in the abilities of their staff and be able to delegate a significant amount of responsibility to them, which not only eases the lawyer’s workload but also encourages the support staff feel like valued member of the team — a win-win for everyone.
'Lawyers are trained to make sure they have their finger on everything, but at some point they need to let their staff have the responsibility to run with a task,' says Meabry. 'Give them the opportunity to prove themselves and more often than not, if it’s that right person, they will step up to the plate and everyone’s going to benefit.
'The staff member is going to feel pleased and proud that they’ve been given the opportunity to go to that next level and…the lawyer is going to have their load lightened and things are going to be done faster.'
Neff says that the key is to strike a balance between supervising and micromanaging, saying she trusts her support staff to get the job done, but at the end of the day, she is the lawyer and the responsibility falls to her to make sure things are done right.
'I’m lucky to have the staff that I have,' she says with a hesitation. 'Well, lucky’s not the right word. I work very hard to find the right people and to keep them and that’s really paid off.'
Back
