Ascending at a young age to the top position in a law firm can be difficult, especially given the hierarchical nature of these organisations. Four managing partners who did it successfully talk about how they overcame challenges, established their authority and brought their unique styles of leadership to their law firms.
ALB: What unique contributions do young leaders bring to law firms?
Yang Chen, Jincheng Tongda & Neal Law Firm: Many law firms founded in the early 1990s have faced the problem of managing the transfer of work. The major issue facing the new generation of management partners is to ensure a smooth transition.
Transference spans two levels: inheriting responsibility and inheriting culture. Participating in the management of the firm is more of an undertaking - especially when the firm has undergone nearly 30 years of development; is the entrepreneurial spirit of the law firm and its members still there? How best to develop it and carry it forward? Ensuring a smooth transference is a key contribution of the younger generation of management.
In this era of rapid development, the younger generation may have a finger closer to the pulse than the previous generation in terms of knowledge accumulation, cognitive structures, and ways of thinking, thus bringing new ideas and developments to the management of the firm.
Wu Gang, Commerce & Finance Law Offices: The group of Chinese law firms set up in the early 1990s resulted in a time when management was transitioning between old and new. The term “young leaders” is not appropriate. A more appropriate label could be one of inheritors of the business, ensuring its essence, culture and spirit are carried forward. At the same time, we also see that the market faced by law firm managers, with its competitive environment and the thinking of its legal practitioners, has undergone earth-shaking changes. How best to lead the firm in this new situation - striving for progress and climbing new heights is the heavy responsibility of a generation of young managers. They will also be tested by the market. At present, there is no need to speak of a unique contribution or value.
Pete Zhang, JunHe: Jun He is a fully integrated operation. Each branch is actually a node of the nexus platform, integrating business arrangements, financial management, manpower scheduling, knowledge management, risk management and control, etc., all of which are uniformly deployed by our headquarters. As the managing partner of the Guangzhou branch, my main responsibility is to keep a consistent overall service quality and brand image of the Guangzhou branch and Jun He. This is set out per the requirements and parameters set by the whole firm.
We should mention the benefits of Jun He's integrated operation: any innovative business and advanced practices created by our headquarters or other branches can allow a timely and efficient “copying” to other nodes under Junhe’s nexus integration. The localized market ultimately brings a synergistic effect of innovation – and the key role played by the branch managers is to make specific strategic decisions for localization.
Paul Zhou, Wintell & Co: The younger generation of leaders can bring to the firm a new thinking reflecting the trends of the times and industry. They can push forward the abilities of the profession, make changes reflective of the times, find it easier to accept new trends and encourage innovation. Two examples include the new understanding regarding scale and globalization, and the application of legal technology. They ensure that the firm can keep up with the pace of industrial development.
ALB: What were some of the challenges you encountered on becoming managing partner? How did you overcome them?
Yang: The first "hump" was the problem of time allocation. This required improving personal efficiency as soon as possible, and balancing the priorities of management, business, family and individual; the second "hump" was how to properly resolve any conflicts of interest between partners due to different demands, my response was to master three basic principles: first, act strictly in accordance with the rules and regulations of the firm; second, attack the issue not the person; third, do not engage in selfishness and do not seek personal gain.
Wu: I had a very similar experience to Kong Xin, another key member of the management committee. We joined the firm on graduation and we are coming up to our 20th year. Among the 40-year-old partners, we are the most familiar with trade relations’ culture, the most understanding of the main business of the firm, and the most experienced in leading teams. Thanks to the trust of all the top tier partners, the two of us took the lead in setting up a new management committee. While setting up the committee seems to have gone swimmingly, the burden on our shoulders have become even heavier. The challenge and difficulty lie in leading the team and managing the law firm which requires a big difference in approach. Managing the team is more dependent on authority, but management of the law firm is more about learning to “accept” and find “alternative” solutions in a timely manner, based on common values and benchmarks. Attacking the issue rather than people results in less friction to management.
It is difficult for team leadership skills to be “transplanted” directly into the management of the law firm. My personal experience is that the law firm management model is similar to that of a hospital. Although most department heads are recruited from top experts, outstanding experts may not necessarily be good heads. Similarly, partners cannot be too reliant on their success in business. Otherwise this may become a hinderance for the role of a manager. I personally have reservations about whether the law firm needs professional managers, because partners are both shareholders and management of the firm. The implicit connection results in a deep trust with one another. If outside management is used what ends up missing are the layers of trust-based relationships, coordination and management.
Zhang: There is a practice within Junhe that the establishment of a branch office is to be assisted by a headquarters’ partner for two years. I was officially the managing partner of the Guangzhou branch after such a transition period. The primary task and challenge at the beginning of the establishment of the branch is to ensure the unified system and culture of Junhe takes root in the Guangzhou branch as soon as possible. At the same time, the business standards and customer-facing structure of the branch should be in line with that of the whole firm.
This was not easy at the time. Partners of different backgrounds came together and everyone had one foot in the past. In particular, some of the original cases of the branch partners needed to be adjusted due to factors such as unfamiliarity with business tech. These are real “obstacles” facing branches. How to guide everyone in the overall direction of upgrading the business structure, rooting the Junhe culture in the Guangzhou branch, effectively establishing a strong link with our headquarters and other branches - the implementation of these tasks one by one, laid a solid foundation for the subsequent development of the Guangzhou branch.
Zhou: One difference between a law firm and a traditional enterprise is that the management structure is different. It is difficult to find one management model of a large enterprise or a large-scale firm that works for both. Usually one must gradually tweak any model to meet the actual needs of the firm. But often due to the lack of experience in such a process, it can be difficult to achieve a balance between the multiple goals: a firm’s philosophy, culture and collaborations. One current solution is: first, escape the firm’s confines and broaden participation in industry activities; second, seek advice from the judicial administrative authority; third, read foreign books on the management of law firms or professional service firms; fourth, maintain close lines of communication with partners.
As a managing partner, we need to face existing problems, cultivate a common vision, promote a spirit of collaboration, and step by step by analyzing the problems encountered while in management, accumulate useful experience and put forward solutions.
ALB: What was it like to lead a team of more senior professionals? What was your approach to ensuring you maintained authority and yet got the best out of them?
Yang: Democratic and equitable systems are important components of Jincheng Tongda’s culture. We do not distinguish based on qualifications of partners or income generation. Since the founding of the firm, not one of the 11 founding partners has left. I believe that when the older generation of management partners remain in their management positions, they will consciously identify and train the next generation of successors. This long-term arrangement and training mechanism ensures that younger generation partners will be acquainted with management tasks, be trained in completing them and ultimately have management responsibilities transferred to them.
In addition to this harmonious culture in the firm, our electoral system also plays an important role in maintaining management’s authority. For example, when we elect the management committee, the one-person/one-vote and secret-vote voting system of the partners allows the free expression of partners' wishes, so that ultimate authority of management is respected. Therefore, as a management level partner, authority is mainly based on institutional protections.
Wu: Without exception, Chinese law firms have to face up to the large difference in the ability and contribution of their partners. In trade, we respect a very important skill: to objectively recognize the existence of differences. It is normal to have differences of opinion and contradictions among partners. We must be kind to, trust and respect each partner and strive as much as possible to communicate openly to reduce mis-information. If this can be achieved then I believe that mature partners can make rational judgments. We have noticed that some large-scale firms hope to solve the problem of decision-making efficiency through a voting mechanism. However, due to the specialist nature of a lawyers’ work, very often this mechanism can be counterproductive.
When we are preparing to make a major decision, the management committee will first make a pre-judgment of the feedback of most of the partners collectively: how many will accept, how many will compromise to some extent, whether there are alternative courses of action etc. We try to avoid a rigid policy introduction, whereby if a stalemate situation occurs we always stick to the procedural mechanism to solve the problem - excessive faith in rigid procedures will cause a division within the firm’s culture.
Zhang: The integrated operation of Jun He creates a “chivalrous” atmosphere and makes the relationship between longstanding or senior partners and young lawyers particularly harmonious! Jun He also encourages systemic equality and democracy and especially encourages young lawyers to dare to “challenge” authority, that is, to present mature ideas and opinions that are different from senior lawyers or partners. We attach importance to such voices: first, this encourages young lawyers to maintain a spirit of independent and innovative thinking; and second, we do not determine the importance of opinions by hierarchy, so as to ensure the quality of legal services provided by the firm.
Applying this to management this principle applies also: managers do not need to deliberately establish their authority. From the point of view of a branch manager of Jun He, they serve more of a facilitator’s role.
Zhou: Fully respect our predecessors, understand and evaluate their contribution in the development of the firm. And by relying on the service led and consensus approach we can obtain the acceptance from the majority. With communication, we should fully promote democracy, but once the decision has been made, we must also avoid being sidetracked by negotiations or arbitrariness. In my opinion, authority and management are not equivalent concepts. Management committee partners do not represent status, privilege or title, but signifies an important responsibility.
To maximize management effectiveness, you need forward-looking ideas and long-term vision. Operating from the premise of fully respecting predecessors and recognizing the value of everyone, we also dare to challenge the status quo, actively develop new visions and strengthen communication with partners. When dealing with anything, always attack the issue and not the person, and objectively seek a harmonious path that can be walked together.
ALB: What insights or lessons did you gain from assuming leadership at an early age?
Yang: Whether management of a law firm should be handed over to professional managers or the partners themselves is a problem that many large-scale law firms are discussing. Some law firms have introduced professional managers, but never abandoned the role of a partner as a primary manager. This shows that the experience accumulated over a long period in a law firm is a "concealed benefit" for a law firm's managers. Law firms need professional managers, but it is also difficult to escape the deep-rooted participation of the partners. This deep involvement of partners requires a gradual cumulative approach in the management of law firms. I have previously been the head of the business department and the director of the branch office. I have also been in charge of various departments including PR, HR, and finance. The management experience accumulated from each position has not been lost.
As a management committee partner, it is necessary to fully understand the complexity of the law firm's management tasks, so as to correctly assess whether one is ready in terms of ideology, structure, psychology, work efficiency and management ability.
The deepest lesson learned was that for many issues, if one is not looking at them from a specific position or a certain height, can't be seen or understood. For example, as a young management committee partner, we sometimes disapprove of the opinions or suggestions of senior partners, but in time, through empathy, and ultimately verified in practice, these suggestions are recognized as correct. The revelation to me is that, as a manager in a law firm, one shouldn’t easily negate different voices, and don't readily accept them all. From the distillation of an issue lies the path of decision-making optimization.
Wu: I officially took the lead in setting up the management committee in 2017. In the past two years or so, moving forward unguided, also verified some of my preconceptions. When the previous generation of management partners founded the law firm, they were about 30 years old. By the time they had reached our age they had already accumulated about 10 years of management experience. As we already cannot be considered young, how best can we accumulate the management experience that they have polished for more than ten years in a short period of time and to innovate from that basis? My feeling is to fully invest in the collective wisdom of the members of the management committee. Our management committee members are excellent lawyers who all have unique achievements. They have a strong sense of responsibility and purpose. Once the division of labor is clear, the management committee fully decentralizes and addresses the specific tasks they are responsible for, but if any difficulties are met together. At present, this has resulted in a good working mechanism.
Zhang: Before joining Jun He, I worked in the management level at other law firms. At that time, I began to consider this: What is the key support behind a firm becoming larger and stronger? After joining Jun He, its integrated platform model has strengthened my conviction of the necessity of systemic construction, and also given me a deeper understanding of the role of law firm management: the role of management as facilitators is not superficial in meaning. Their value lies in providing guidance to the overall direction of the firm.
When partners are immersed in soloing doing business, who is there to identify and exploit market dynamics changes and industry opportunities? The industry shifts and the change in customer demand brought about by the rapid economic development will bring opportunities and challenges to the legal profession. Who is responsible for identifying these in the first instance? How can partners find an effective way to reach consensus and make rapid adjustments in the general direction of the firm? How does one combine different market changes to motivate different types of partners? This series of questions is ultimately the most valuable leadership service that management should strive to answer.
Zhou: Management is a matter of learning and it is a lifelong mission to keep learning. Developments within the lawyer industry are very common, but each firm has its own unique experience based on their past. One must learn from it, but it is key to integrate your own thinking into this and find a development potential.
The legal industry is largely based on income-generating quantitative criteria as a yardstick and benchmark. This requires management to have both the ability to improve the performance of the firm and the leadership of their team. How to balance the relationship between the two requires the manager to be good at providing support - while directing the overall team's strengths, being able to support their own self-improvement.
Law firm management should also recognize that each business team does not represent an income-generating monolith, and that blind pursuit of profit maximization will not take a firm far. At present, the legal service market is undergoing a transition from explosive growth to a pursuit of quality. How best to seize opportunities, enlarge and strengthen the firm is the most urgent problem facing management.
ALB: What advice do you have for lawyers wishing to become law firm leaders?
Yang: A lawyer's advancement is in clear stages. For young lawyers, only by working hard at every stage of development can they be promoted to a partner and gradually embark onto a management position. In the process of advancement, young lawyers are not completely “insulated” from the management of the firm. We strongly encourage young lawyers to use their expertise to actively participate in the firm's office affairs, so as to deepen their familiarity with the work at all levels of the firm. It also lays the foundation for more important management responsibilities in the future.
Wu: For lawyers who are interested in rising to law firm management, they should have the following key qualities: first, responsibility and patience, two complementary elements. There is a big difference between the management of the firm and the management of the client or team. The former has many conflicts between “emotion” and “rationality” which need to be resolved, and there are always various unexpected situations and difficult issues that work to defeat your confidence and spirit. Therefore, in all cases maintain a pointed sense of responsibility and it is especially important to deal with any problems without them crushing you, because what you are doing is not a simple job, but a career related to the overall development of partners and the firm. Second, is to have an inclusive spirit and structure. As a manager, don't take a “big boss” mentality, instead, try to work with people who are stronger than you or even those with different opinions. A successful partnership law firm must have appropriate standards for partner selection and create as many conditions as possible to bring together suitable partners.
Zhang: In order for partners to rise to management, the first thing is to be able to stand on the side of the business and get everyone's approval. On this basis, we must have the courage and desire to serve everyone: the daily work of management involves a lot of communication and coordination, and it is normal to bear a lot of pressure. In addition, it is important that lawyers jump out of casework thinking and form a management systematic thinking.
Young lawyers are also very competitive compared to professional managers. With a law firm’s major decisions, strong management skills are not the only ones needed. What is needed is a thorough understanding of the lawyer's business, the relationship between lawyers and clients, the legal service market and the team's incentives. Because there is no obvious right or wrong in management decision-making, a decision made one degree off may result in a firm ending thousands of kilometers off course.
Zhou: First one must become an excellent lawyer, have a deep understanding of one’s professional work, and to fully understand "who am I", "what do I want to do", "how can I serve." Secondly, actively participate in the activities and industry events organized by the firm, and gradually participate in the organization of work, observing and accumulating experience in the process. Thirdly, young lawyers must have enough courage, confidence and initiative to actively seek opportunities to demonstrate their personal abilities. Of course, they should remain willing to share, have courage to take responsibility, to be willing to choose, to be grateful, and to be ambitious to work towards a goal. The young lawyer's fire is an advantage, though it may all too easily turn into a disadvantage, so in the face of setbacks it is key to use a calm mind and heart to the lessons to be learned.
管理合伙人圆桌对话：年轻的力量
年纪较轻就成为律所管理者并非易事，至少对多数人来说不易——因为很多情况下要处理好与辈分年长或级别资深同事的融洽关系、制定好律所文化的发展基调与基准、还要带领律所朝着愿景稳步快速发展。
ALB:年轻一代“掌门人”带给律所的独特贡献或价值是？
金诚同达律师事务所管理合伙人杨晨律师：很多90年代初期创立的律所相继面临管理工作交接问题，摆在新一代管理合伙人面前的重大课题，就是确保事务所平稳过渡、做好传承。
传承涵盖两个层面：责任的传承与文化的传承。参与事务所管理工作更多是一份责任——特别当事务所历经近30年的变化发展，法律人的初心、律所凝聚的创业精神是否还在？如何将其提炼并发扬光大？从这个层面讲，做好传承本身即是年轻一代管理者的独特贡献。
此外，置身当下快速发展的时代，年轻一代管理者或许在知识积累、认知架构、思考方式上，比上一代管理者更加贴近时代发展脉搏，从而给事务所管理工作带来新的理念与发展思路。
通商律师事务所管理合伙人吴刚律师：90年代初设立的这一批中国律所正好到了管理者新老交替的时间点，“新掌门人”这一说法并不太合适，更恰当的定位应当是传承者，将事务所的业务精髓、文化和人文精神发扬光大。同时也应看到，今天律所管理者面对的市场、竞争环境以及法律从业者的思维模式已经发生了翻天覆地的变化，如何在新形势下带领事务所稳中求进再攀新高，是年轻一代管理者身肩的重任与期待，也有待于市场的检验，目前谈不上独特的贡献或价值。
君合律师事务所广州办公室管理合伙人张平律师：君合是完全一体化的运作，各个分所实际上是运营平台的一个工作站，包括业务安排、财务管理、人力调度、知识管理、风险管控等都由总部统一调配。作为广州分所管理合伙人，我的主要职责是按照全所制定的各项要求和指标，让广州分所与君合整体的服务质量与品牌形象保持高度一致。
在此要提及君合一体化运作的好处：总部或其他分所针对市场推出的创新业务和先进做法，在君合一体化的大平台下，均能确保及时高效地被“复制”到其他分所的本地化市场，最终带来创新联动效应——而分所管理者在其中发挥的关键作用就是做好本地化对接的具体策略安排。
瀛泰律师事务所管理合伙人周波律师：年轻一代的“掌门人”能够带给事务所符合时代和行业潮流的新思维，能够自发地迭代专业领域精进的能力，能够进行与时俱进的变革，更容易接受新的思潮并鼓励创新。比如对规模化和国际化的全新理解，对法律科技的理解和运用，让事务所能够紧跟行业发展步伐等等。
ALB:成为管理合伙人的过程中遇到了哪些挑战或难处？您的应对之道是？
杨晨律师：首先带来的“不适”是时间分配问题，这需要尽快提升个人做事的效率，规划好管理、业务、家庭、个人各个层面各类事项的轻重缓急；其次的“不适”是，面对合伙人之间因不同诉求产生的矛盾和利益冲突，如何妥善解决，我的应对之道是，掌握三个基本原则：第一，严格按事务所规章制度办事；第二，对事不对人；第三，不掺杂私心，不谋求私利。
吴刚律师：我和管委会另一位主要成员孔鑫律师经历非常相似，都是一毕业就加入通商，今年正好是第20个年头。在四十岁这一年龄段合伙人中，我们俩对通商的文化最熟悉、对通商的主要业务最了解、带领团队的经验也最丰富。承蒙所有一级合伙人的信任，我们俩牵头组建了新一届管委会，一切似乎水到渠成，但其实身肩的担子与使命更重了，其中挑战和难处在于，带领团队与管理律所的逻辑和方法有很大的区别，管理团队更多的是依仗权威，但管理律所更多的是要学会适时“包容”和寻找“替代性”解决方案，在建立共同价值观的基础上设定合适的基准，对事不对人，这样管理的阻力才会小一些。
团队领导技能很难直接“移植”到律所管理上。我个人的体会是，律所管理模式和医院类似，虽然院长大部分是顶尖专家出身，但业务出色专家未必能当好院长；同理，合伙人不能过于迷信自己在业务上的成功，否则这可能变成管理者角色的桎梏。对于律所是否需要职业经理人的问题，我个人持保留意见，因为合伙人既是事务所股东又负责经营管理，隐性的联结是彼此深层次的信任关系，完全引入外人管理，缺失的是这层信任关系，所谓的协调和管理往往流于形式。
张平律师：君合成立分所的惯例是由总部派驻合伙人先协助运营两年，我就是在这样的过渡期后正式担任广州分所的管理合伙人。分所成立之初的首要任务和挑战就是让全所统一的制度和文化尽快在广州分所落地，同时也要让广州分所的业务水准、客户结构等指标向全所的指标靠近。
这在当时并不太容易。不同背景的合伙人走到一起，各自有着以往律所的行事风格，特别是分所合伙人原有的部分业务因业务技术含量不高等因素而有待调整，这些都是实实在在影响分所向全所指标靠近的“障碍”。如何在大方向上引导大家调整升级业务结构、如何润物细无声地让君合文化在广州分所扎根、如何高效地与总部和其他分所建立顺畅对接，这些工作的逐一落实，为广州分所后来的发展打下了坚实基础。
周波律师：律所与传统企业很大的区别就是管理架构不同，很难找到或者完全借鉴大企业或者规模大所的管理模式，通常是走在逐步摸索符合自身事务所实际情况和需要而不断调整管理制度和方针的路上，但因在过程中缺乏经验，使得律师们的整体目标、思维、文化、协作很难达到平衡。目前的解决之道是：一是走出事务所、多参与行业活动；二是向司法行政主管机关请教；三是阅读国外关于律所或者专业服务公司管理的著作；四是与合伙人保持密切沟通和交流。
作为管理合伙人，需要正视存在的现实问题、循序渐进地培养共同愿景、倡导协作精神，同时不断总结管理中碰到的问题，积累经验并付诸行动。
ALB:如何管理并处理好与辈分年长或级别资深同事的融洽关系？很多情况下，既要维护权威、同时又不能过度施展、而要讲求发挥权威最大效能的管理之道。您对此的体悟与处理方法是？
杨晨律师：民主和平等是金诚同达文化中重要组成部分，我们不因合伙人资历和创收差异分出等级，事务所发展至今，11位创始合伙人无一人离开。就传帮带而言，在老一辈管理合伙人还未考虑退出管理岗位的时候，他们就有意识地物色和培养下一代接班人。事务所这种长期安排和培养机制，确保了年轻一代合伙人有机会接触到管理工作、得到锻炼并最终完成管理职责的交接。
除了律所的和谐文化，我们的选举制度也对维护管理层的权威发挥了重要作用。比如，我们在选举管理层时，合伙人一人一票及无记名投票的选举制度，使得合伙人的意愿得到充分表达，从而使得管理层的权威得到最大的尊重和保护。所以，作为管理合伙人，权威主要是靠制度保障的。
吴刚律师：我们要敢于直面合伙人在能力和贡献上的巨大差异，没有一家中国的头部律所存在例外。在通商，我们尊崇一个很重要的价值观：承认差异的客观存在，合伙人之间出现意见分歧和矛盾是正常的，要善待、信任和尊重每一位合伙人，我们力求通过开诚布公的沟通来尽量减少信息不对称，相信成熟的合伙人在此基础上可以做出理性的判断。我们也注意到一些较大规模的律所希望通过表决机制来解决决策效率问题，但由于律师的职业特性，很多时候却适得其反。
当我们准备推出重大决策时，管委会在集体论证时首先会对大部分合伙人的反馈做出合理预判：大概多少人会接受、又有多少人在某种程度上会妥协、是否有替代性的调整方案等；避免出现政策僵硬地推出，一旦陷入僵局拘泥于程序机制来解决问题——过分迷信程序机制会造成事务所文化的分裂。
张平律师：君合的一体化运作以及“君子之合”的氛围，使得前辈或资深合伙人与年轻律师之间的关系特别融洽！君合也在制度上鼓励这种平等和民主，还特别鼓励年轻律师敢于“挑战”权威，即：勇于提出经过经成熟思考、但与资深律师或合伙人不同的想法和意见。我们重视这样的声音，一是鼓励年轻律师保有独立思考的精神与创新思维，二是不以级别深浅定夺观点权威性，以此确保事务所提供的法律服务质量。
放在管理上也是一个道理：管理者无需刻意去树立权威，拿君合的分所管理者来说，我想更多是一个服务者角色。
周波律师：充分尊重前辈，正确认识和评价他们在事务所发展中的贡献，靠公心和服务方可获得大多数人的认可。沟通过程中要充分发扬民主，但也一定做好最后的集中工作，避免议而不决或独断专行。在我看来，权威和管理并不是一个等同概念，管理合伙人不等价于地位、特权或者头衔，而是意味着重大的责任。
而要最大效能发挥管理作用，需要前瞻的想法和长远的眼光。在充分尊重前辈、认可大家价值的前提下，勇于打破现有的一些秩序、主动创造远景并加强与合伙人的沟通。处理任何事情时做到对事不对人，客观寻求一条能够共同发展的路径。
ALB:年纪相对较轻时担当管理者，带给您哪些深刻洞见或宝贵经验教训？
杨晨律师：律所管理该交给职业经理人还是合伙人自己担当，是很多规模化律所都在探讨的问题。一些律所引入职业经理人，但从未脱离合伙人作为主要管理者的角色。这说明，在律所的长年实践与经验积累是担任律所管理者的一项“能力底色”，律所需要职业经理人，但也很难脱离合伙人的深度参与。合伙人深度参与需要在律所管理经验上的循序渐进和日积月累。我做过业务部门主任、分所主任，也分管过宣传、人力资源、财务等多个部门，每个岗位上积累的管理经验都功不唐捐。
作为管理合伙人，要充分认识到律所管理工作的复杂性，从而正确评估自己是否已在思想上、格局上、心理上、工作效能和管理能力上做好准备。
体会最深的经验教训是，很多事情，如果不处在特定位置或站在一定的高度，看不到也想不明白。比如，作为年轻管理合伙人，我们有时会对资深合伙人的意见或建议不以为然，但假以时日，换位思考，最终在实践中被验证这些建议是难能可贵的。给我的启示是，作为律所管理者，不要轻易否定不同的声音、也不要全盘接受，去粗取精的过程正是决策日臻优化的过程。
吴刚律师：我是2017年正式牵头组建管委会的。在过去的两年多时间，摸着石头过河，也验证了一些自己的预判。上一代管理合伙人创办律所时大概30岁左右，他们到我们这个年龄时已积累了10年左右管理经验。已经不算年轻的我们，如何在较短时间内领会到他们十几年打磨出的管理心得并在此基础上有所创新，我的感受是要充分相信管委会成员的集体智慧。我们的管委会成员均是至少在某一方面有独特建树的好律师，有较强的责任感和使命感，分工明确后管委会对于各自负责的具体工作充分放权，但出现波折和困难则一起面对。目前这是这套机制运行的还不错。
张平律师：加入君合之前，曾在其他律所担任管理者，也即那时开始思考：律所做大做强背后的关键支撑到底是什么。加入君合之后，一体化的平台运作更强化了对制度建设必要性的深信不疑，也对律所管理者的角色有了更深一层的认知：管理者作为服务者角色，不是表层意义上的协助服务概念，其价值在于律所大方向上的引领。
当合伙人都在埋头做业务，市场大的动态与每个产业下的机会风口谁去辨识和捕捉？经济快速发展带来的业务迭代与客户需求改变会给律师业务带来哪些机遇和挑战，谁有责任去最先感知？通过怎样有效的方式让合伙人在大方向上达成共识、做出迅速调整？怎样结合市场变化来激励不同类型的合伙人？这一系列问题归根结底才是管理者应该提供的、最具价值的领导力服务。
周波律师：管理是门学问，要始终保持学习才能不辱使命。律师行业发展共性很多，但每家基于历史条件和成长经历又具备各自独特经验。借鉴学习固然必要，但一定要融入自己的思考，找到适合本所的发展之道。
律师行业很大程度上以创收作为能力和品牌考量的量化标准，这就要求管理者既要有提高律所业绩的能力、又要有带领团队的领导力。如何平衡好二者关系，需要管理者善于借力——发挥团队作战能力的同时，也不断提升自我专业水平。
律所管理者还应认识到各个业务团队不是创收的集合体，一味追求利润最大化不能使律所走得长远。当前，法律服务市场正经历从野蛮生长到追求质量的转变，如何抓住机会、进一步把事务所做大做强，是管理者最紧迫的思考命题。
ALB:对于想成为律所管理者的年轻律师来说，您会给出哪些建议？
杨晨律师：律师的进阶有着明确的阶段属性。对于年轻律师来说，只有在每个发展阶段都努力做到优秀，才能晋升为合伙人，并逐步走上管理岗位。进阶过程中，并不是说年轻律师就跟事务所管理完全“绝缘”，我们非常鼓励年轻律师通过发挥专长积极参与事务所事务性工作中，这样既能加深对事务所各个层面工作的熟悉程度，也为将来担当更重要的管理职责打下基础。
吴刚律师：对于有志于成为律所管理者的律师同行，应当具备以下特质：首先是责任感与耐心，这两个要素相辅相成。律所管理与客户和团队管理还是有很大的差异，前者有太多“情”与“理”的冲突需要化解，也随时有各种突发情况和棘手事项会会挫败你的信心和锐气，所以在任何情况下基于高度责任感、处理任何难题都轻不言弃就显得尤为重要，因为你在做的已不是一份简单工作，而是关乎合伙人和事务所整体发展的事业。其次是要有包容的胸怀与大的格局，作为管理者切忌持老大心态，可以和比自己更强乃至意见不同的人一起共事。一家成功的合伙制律师事务所，对于合伙人的选择一定要有适当的标准，并且创造条件尽可能多地汇聚符合标准的合伙人。
张平律师：从合伙人中脱颖而出成为管理者，首先是业务上要能独当一面并获得大家认可的。在此基础上，要具备愿意为大家服务的勇气和担当：管理者的日常涉及大量沟通和协调工作，承受很大压力是常态。此外，律师跳出职业思维而在管理上形成一套系统的思考也很重要。
年轻律师，相较职业经理人来说也极具竞争优势。在律所管理的重大决策上，不是仅有很强的管理技能就能够解决，需要的是管理者对律师业务、律师与客户关系、法律服务市场和团队激励的透彻理解。因为管理决策上没有明显对错之分，但决策方向上对度的把握可能“差之毫厘谬以千里”，给事务所发展带来深远影响。
周波律师：首先要成为一名优秀的律师，对专业工作的性质和规律具备深度的理解，需要充分认识“我是谁”、“我要干什么”、“我要如何服务”。其次，积极参与事务所组织的活动和行业活动，并逐步参与组织工作，过程中注意观察和积累经验。再次，年轻律师要具备足够勇气、信心和最起码的主动，一方面积极寻求机会展现个人能力，另一方面注重奉献精神的培养、乐于分享、勇于担当、敢于取舍、懂得感恩、并具有追求远大目标的动力。年轻律师的朝气是优势，也会一不小心转为劣势，特别当面对挫折时要以一颗冷静的心去总结经验教训。
To contact the editorial team, please email ALBEditor@thomsonreuters.com.
