A survey in 2006 by the Institute of Executive Development and RHR International www.execsight.com asked respondents to choose which characteristics are most important for future leaders to possess. Eight abilities were available to choose from, but two dominated those actually chosen: “strategic thinking” and “ability to develop others.” Where respondents…
Data from a robust survey reported in InsideCounsel, March 2007 at 59, gives us some understanding about how long it takes to fill a corporate lawyer slot. The question asked of the law department respondents was, “On average, how long does it take to fill an attorney position?” More than…
How do law department lawyers find additional hires? Based on over 600 responses to a survey reported in InsideCounsel, March 2007 at 60, the clear edge goes to placement firms (See my post of July 5, 2006 on executive search firms’ services.). Here is the rank order given by respondents…
Based on over 600 responses to a survey, and as reported in InsideCounsel, March 2007 at 59, law departments would prefer to hire lawyers from another legal department 50 percent more than than they would prefer to hire from a law firm. Specifically, 34 percent of the respondents like to…
A study, published in the McKinsey Quarterly, 2007 No. 1 at 6, analyzes survey data to determine what factors make a difference in effective procurement organizations. The survey of 202 companies employed regression and cluster analysis of the scores, and then used those scores to divide the companies into low,…
Legal Week, Vol. 9, Mar 1, 2007 at 5, deems it noteworthy that Motorola announced that it was looking for a new UK head of legal. The spokesperson gave the name of the departing lawyer, Palwinder Hare, mentioned the lawyer who will be taking the role during the interim, and…
A good point made by a consultant, James Wilber of Altman Weil, appears in InsideCounsel, Feb. 2007 at 54. Wilber has observed that “often corporations classify paralegals as administrative staff, with salaries too low to attract highly trained professionals.” He makes the logical recommendation: redesign the salary structure so that…
Large law departments should pay attention to how many of their lawyers leave, whether because the lawyers are asked to leave or because they choose to leave (See my post of Aug. 24, 2005 on the value of exit interviews.). That turnover rate is a basic measure of human capital…
Angela Braly, who currently serves as WellPoint’s executive vice president, general counsel and chief public affairs officer, will become the CEO of the nation’s largest health insurer. According to USA Today, Feb. 27, 2007 at 3B, Braly has been with the company since 1999. It also points out that 58…
E. Norman Veasey and Christine T. Di Guglielmo, in “The Tensions, Stresses, and Professional Responsibilities of the Lawyer for the Corporation,” Bus. Lawyer, Vol. 62, Nov. 2006 at 1, recommend (at 13) that “the Board of Directors should have approval responsibility for selecting, retaining, and compensating the general counsel.” The…