How to make Partner in a law firm – the field is widening

There is a lot of “voodoo talk” about what it takes to be a partner in a law firm. But for all the advice on the subject that’s wrapped up as if a magic spell for partners-to-be, three, simple common-sense facts rule the roost:

1.  There are many law firms and, in each, the path to partnership can be different.

2.  Many of the tips on career enhancement aimed at successful people in any profession also apply to those who seek to be law firm partners.

3.  Increasingly, the routes to partnership are less traditional and those who make it to the top are more widely qualified.

Providers of legal services now have more choice of who their practice regulator can be. While the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) is still the largest (regulating over 10,000 law firms), CILEx now regulates the work of over 20,000 CILEx legal practitioners, many of whom in CILEx regulated organisations.

Meanwhile, the Council for Licensed Conveyancers (CLC) has ambitions to become the regulator of choice for legal conveyancing organisations and has been changing some its rules – e.g. around indemnity insurance for members – to make it more attractive. As a result, CLC regulated firms are becoming very common, being offered competitive advantages being regulated by CLC.

All of this leads to CLC partnerships in CLC-regulated firms and CILEx partnerships in CILEx-regulated organisations.

Licensed conveyancer to partner

One such firm is Chatham-based Raymond Beer & Co., a CLC-regulated specialist conveyancing firm whose Principal, Alan Johnston, has had a distinguished career. He was the first licensed conveyancer to be brought into partnership by a solicitor’s firm, Stephens & Son in Kent. Alan now leads a team of qualified solicitors working on a full range of services for the residential and commercial sectors. 

CILEx lawyer to partner

Kennedys is a global law firm with 50 offices worldwide, practising in corporate, commercial, insurance and claims, regulatory and compliance matters. Its sectors include aviation, banking and finance, education, life sciences and shipping. It was the first City firm to appoint legal executive partners: Allan Finlay as Head of Employment, and Richard Crockford as Head of Health and Safety.

Richard, who is described as “wise, tenacious and tactically brilliant” by The Legal 500 is still with the firm. He has acted for Rail companies in high profile actions arising out of the rail crashes at Southall, Ladbroke Grove, Hatfield and Potters Bar, and for range of organisations in relation to prosecutions for corporate manslaughter. Allan has since established his own business, Finlays Ltd, where – as a Fellow of CILEx – he focuses upon employment related business and legal solutions assisting with industrial disputes and actions, business reorganisations and transfers, and human resources support and strategy among other services.

Faster rise to partnership

And, for some, the path to partnership is being considerably shortened. From April 2019, Natalie Foster will have an equity stake in North Yorkshire Law, less than a year after graduating from Coventry University with a BA in Law and Practice. She is also set to qualify as a Chartered Legal Executive this year.

Instrumental in Natalie’s rise is the supportive, flexibility offered by the earn-and-as-you-learn approach of the CILEx qualification route. Previously, she worked as a business manager for Barclays, took time out to start a family, entered law as a part-time assistant and climbed the path to success from there.

Tipped to become a partner?

 When a firm becomes a Limited Company, this comes with more freedom to appoint Partners who have not followed the conventional qualification routes. For example, it is not uncommon for firms to have appointed partners that are not fully qualified, but have extensive experience is a specific legal area, such as an Associate member of CILEx being a firm Partner and Leader of the Private Client team, or a CLC Technician with extensive Conveyancing experience.

Some hints on ascending the ladder:

·     Have a clear career focus: plan and set aside regular time to nurture and review your career strategy.

·     Show commitment to the organisation and the profession.

·     Be good to juniors: you’ll be expected to help grow their careers too.

·     Acknowledge that you’re never too old to have a mentor to help you develop business and soft skills as well as legal knowledge.

·     Build your numbers. Hit and exceed your targets; take a very active interest in the firm’s profitability.

·     Network and network again: build your profile within the firm and in your sector.

·     Summarise – as succinctly as possible – the business case for your career advancement.

Law Training Centre offers CILEx, CLC and NALP qualifications through online learning. For more details, please email [email protected]

Eve Dullabh

Managing Director - Law Training Centre

www.ltckent.co.uk