This article appeared in Marketing the Law Firm , an ALM/Law Journal Newsletters publication reporting on the latest, and most effective strategies. For Chief Marketing Officers, Managing Partners, Law Firm Marketing Directors, Administrators, Consultants.

• Retention and expansion of existing clients;
• Selection and implementation of an important resource;
• Hiring and integration of new lawyers, laterals, business professionals and staff;
• Working in partnership with clients across all levels of the firm;
• Increasing client service; and
• Increasing firm profits.

• Start by conducting an assessment using statistical data assessments to measure where the team is now (whether it's firm, department, operations team, office, etc.). Ideally, the assessment phase begins with the firm's leadership team so they may examine their group's culture and norms and begin to understand the measures, the norms, and the potential gaps between expectations and behaviors.
• Provide a day, at least, of training to help firm/team members understand what the baseline measures mean and how each individual may contribute to the overall success of the ultimate, long-term strategy.
• Execute on a clear, decisive game plan for closing the gap between where the team is today and the team's desired (Human Synergistics would call this “ideal”) culture.
• Reinforce what the team is trying to achieve and what it will mean to accomplish a truly collaborative approach to the business goals.
• Measure 12 to 18 months from the initial baseline measure and celebrate where the team is now compared to its initial baseline

see www.lawyerbrain.com ***** Silvia Coulter [email protected]