...or is it?
The inability to answer this question can be costing your law firm significant losses in terms of efficiency, operating expenses, morale, and lost opportunities.
In the fast-paced operational environment of any law firm, clarity and communication are essential. One essential tool that facilitates this is a well-written position description. Regardless of an employee’s rank—from a senior partner to a junior associate—having clear, concise, and regularly updated position descriptions is vital for several reasons.
Setting clear expectations
First and foremost, position descriptions set clear expectations for employees. By defining the duties, responsibilities, and necessary skills for each role, law firms can ensure that everyone understands their contributions to the firm's objectives. This clarity not only aids in performance evaluations but also helps in the hiring process by attracting candidates who are truly fit for the specific job requirements.
Efficiency
When expectations are clearly communicated and understood the risks of unnecessary duplication of effort and -- equally dangerous -- things "falling through the cracks" can be almost entirely eliminated. This is an especially big risk in smaller law firms, where relatively few people are expected to do a wide range of tasks and functions. Written position descriptions can therefore be a reliable reference to help answer the question "What's the best way to do this?"
Adapting to change
Position descriptions are dynamic documents that reflect the changing nature of job responsibilities. They can be a reliable "baseline reference" to help a law firm determine what specifically needs to change inside the firm in order to fix problems and capitalize on opportunities. Without this baseline, a law firm has to make half-informed guesses about what needs to change and how to change it, and they frequently get it wrong.
Employment dispute protection
Most employment disputes in law firms arise from poorly documented, vague, or inconsistent application of policies, and not from bad intentions. Accurate and current position descriptions help establish, for example, the criteria for evaluations and promotions, thereby reducing the risks of liability related to decisions about employment and human resources management.
Supporting a positive workplace culture
Effective position descriptions support a positive work culture. They foster an environment where employees feel valued and informed about their roles. This can lead to increased job satisfaction and better retention rates. It should not be a surprise, therefore, that there is a positive correlation between the quality of a law firm's position descriptions -- evaluated in terms of the accuracy, comprehensiveness, and clarity -- and its retention rates, especially among associates.
Norman K. Clark
For more than a quarter-century, Walker Clark members have worked with small and midsize law firms as they developed, documented, and updated position descriptions that contribute in measurable ways to the long-term financial and strategic success of the firm. Unlike general HR consultants, our team includes lawyers and other professionals who specialize exclusively in the management issues of the legal profession.
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