Page 14 - Transformation Report 2018/2019

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5.2 Developing Attorneys

With successes being achieved in the recruitment of candidate
attorneys, the battlefront for real transformation in member firms
moves to the development of black and female attorneys who
can be retained and eventually mature into directors of the firm.

As economic pressures mount for all law firms, so too member firms
have struggled and in general reduced the number of professional
appointments made and approached remuneration packages
to new attorneys at the firm more conservatively. Consequently,
quality candidates, having earned their stripes at a member firm,
are often emboldened to hunt for more lucrative opportunities
in the larger centres where competition has increased individual
earning capability, exacerbating the retention of candidates at
member firms, particularly at more rural firms.

To counteract this the Group has actively assisted firms in being
more innovative and increasing their offering to young professionals
to avoid losing quality candidates to other firms. The foremost
strategy has been to help firms ‘reinvent’ themselves and update
their brand, facilities, way of thinking and way of doing things. Just
by being seen to be a modern and innovative New Breed Law
Firm , changes the perception of the firm and the potential it
TM
presents for a long-term career.

Secondly, the development and career planning of professionals
at the firm must be in place to ensure that a professional forms
part of an environment where he or she will be further developed,
reducing the wish or need to look for opportunities elsewhere. Here
the Group has helped firms put in place orientation programmes,
career planning, growth conversations, performance evaluation,
mentorship, training and development, access to a state of the art
research centre, candidate attorney support, online research tools
and more, all in the interest of creating a caring and supportive
environment that prioritises the development and career of a
young attorney.

Thirdly, firms are being introduced to alternative forms of remuneration
and reward structures, allowing younger professionals more scope
to develop their income based on their performance and avoid
the traditional tiered remuneration approach, which often leads
to young talent seeking more lucrative merit-driven environments.
More innovative and personalised reward structures also incentivise
professionals and increase their ability to earn greater income and
in turn promotes job retention.

Group Transformation Report for 2018/19