Cooley Godward Kronish – “Let's talk turkey, legal staff!”

Pros

Not too many extreme personalities among the attorneys. Has a reputation for quality legal work.

Cons

Support staff don't generally feel valued. Mid-level management is not professional. For example, HR people are not professionally trained. More needs to be done to establish teamwork, cooperation and respect between attorneys and staff. Firm needs to loosen up the purse strings and invest in higher-quality infrastructure and training. Huge Profit Per Partner ratio does not relate down to staff level. Staff salaries do not increase at anywhere near the rate of associate salaries, let alone partners.

Advice to Senior Management

Demand more of your mid-level management in terms of qualifications and continued education in their fields. Encourage more communication and teamwork among the offices. Provide more training and educational opportunities for staff as well as attorneys. Look at your personal income compared to the lowest paid workers at your firm and ask yourself if you are part of the problem or the solution when it comes to widening class differences in the U.S.