Practice Group Leadership Program

The Firm

A leading full-service law firm with a dominant footprint across the Western United States and a growing national practice. Consistently ranked in the Am Law 200, they are recognized for their deep expertise in energy, natural resources, and complex commercial litigation.

The Challenge

The firm aimed to formalize and professionalize its expectations and best practices for Practice Group (PG) Leaders. The existing expectations were understood in general terms but not clearly written or stated, leading to inconsistencies in leadership effectiveness and selection processes. The firm required a comprehensive, year-long leadership development program to equip current and future practice group leaders with the skills necessary to be effective at all career stages, while simultaneously clarifying firm expectations and building a strong peer network.

The Solution

Nebo was engaged to provide the leadership development programming, collaboratively designing a hybrid, year-long Practice Group Leader Program:

1. Needs Assessment: Nebo interviewed each participant in advance of the design process. This was crucial for identifying the "common denominators" of both the best practices and the struggles faced by practice group leaders, ensuring the content and approach were practical and relevant.
2. Hybrid Format: The program adopted a hybrid format, combining in-person half-day sessions with virtual 90-minute learning events. This enabled the firm to offer continuous learning over the course of a year, maximizing engagement and minimizing disruption.
3. Core Components: The program featured skill development programs covering leadership, effective collaboration, and, potentially, business development strategy. Key components for each participant included:
   • Six private one-on-one leadership coaching sessions with a team of coaches.
   • 360 feedback combined with the creation of a professional development plan.
4. Sponsor Collaboration: The client sponsor met regularly with Nebo to provide input on content ideas and help troubleshoot any concerns, ensuring the program remained aligned with the firm's strategic goals.

The Impact

The Practice Group Leader Program successfully clarified firm expectations for leadership and created a highly supportive, focused environment for senior leaders.

• Improved Selection and Effectiveness: For senior partners and firm leaders, the program catalyzed their thinking about the PG leader role. Many previously unwritten expectations and concepts were brought to light and captured for future use, significantly improving the selection and effectiveness of Practice Group Leaders.
• Strong Support and Unity: Participants felt strongly supported by the firm. They specifically commented on feeling united by being part of the program, benefiting from a supportive peer network, and finding a focused path for their own professional growth.
• Clearer Expectations: The program successfully built a shared vocabulary and set of expectations for PG leaders across the firm.
• Continuous Development: The one-on-one coaching and professional development planning ensured a practical focus on developing the individual skills required to be effective with colleagues at all career stages.