Management Counsel

MANAGEMENT COUNSEL: LAW PRACTICE 101 By: Brandon L. Morrow

Kramer Rayson LLP

FIRM MANAGEMENT: DRAWING ON THE PAST TO FOSTER THE FUTURE

In this column, we often pen advisory notes to our fellow members of the bar on the latest trends in law office management. We search for timely updates on firm management to pass along to our colleagues. Those articles are effective, timely, and I’ve dog-eared my fair share of DICTA articles, only to pull them out later when a tricky issue arises. This article is a bit different. It’s the culmination of my sit-down with Kramer Rayson LLP’s managing partner, Jackson G. (Jay) Kramer. Jay, a hands-on manager, maintains an active practice (managing the firm is not his only job), focusing on wills, trusts, estates, real estate, and general business matters.

He brings a unique perspective to firm management. As we discussed managing a 30-attorney firm in 2023, Jay often drew on the advice of his late father, Jackson C. (Jack) Kramer, who managed the firm in the 1970s and 1980s. Managing a firm has changed a lot in the decades since the late Mr. Kramer oversaw the organization. But, as I quickly learned, there remain many lessons from leaders of the past that have plenty of application today.

People. When asked about the firm’s most valuable resource, Jay was quick to answer: our people. This peoplecentric approach has been a hallmark of the firm’s existence. From the senior partner to the newest intern, it’s important for them to know the organization cares about them, he said. But individual attention must be balanced with a duty to the organization as a whole. Jay recalled some advice from his father: “Always remember the organization. Not everyone is going to agree with every decision you make, but they have to know that every decision is made for the greater good.” This advice—focusing on sound motives supporting decisions rather than just their outcomes—can be applied to firms big and small.

Challenges. When asked about the greatest challenges facing law firms, Jay immediately identified two. First, how do we find the time and resources to train young lawyers? With more pressure on the bottom line than ever, Jay pointed out that many clients are reluctant to staff a matter with more than one attorney. “When I first started practicing, it was a foregone conclusion for clients that younger attorneys would be staffed on matters alongside more senior attorneys.” While there were some costs associated with that, the benefits were two-fold: the younger attorneys gained valuable experience and the clients got to know those younger attorneys who would later take over the work, providing invaluable continuity of representation. Firms owe a duty to those younger lawyers, Jay pointed out, to ensure they get the experience they deserve, even if it means absorbing the costs somewhere along the way.

Second, how do we manage the expectation for instantaneous actions and responses? The culprit is easy to identify: technology. And Jay was quick to point out that this expectation for immediate action isn’t limited to clients, nor is it limited to our profession. Nevertheless, with the light-speed pace at which technology has developed—a “blessing and a curse” according to Jay—everyone expects an immediate response. “But sometimes,” he reflected, “an instant response is not the best response. Sometimes, in order to be thoughtful, we have to take some time to reflect before responding, whether that be to the court, a client, or opposing counsel.” Nevertheless, technology plays a necessary and crucial role in managing law firms. But recognizing the role technology plays, does not necessarily mean you have to be an expert in it. While a tech guru he is not (he still reads a physical newspaper), Jay does what any good leader does: he surrounds himself with those who possess the necessary skills, whether it be IT professionals or young, tech-savvy associates.

Culture. This is a term that permeates the recruiting landscape and is all-too frequently used in LinkedIn posts. But Jay opined that his job is not necessarily to create a culture, but to foster the culture, a collegial atmosphere, that has permeated the firm for the last 75 years. How does a firm develop or maintain that type of collegial culture? “Hiring good people, who just happen to be very skilled lawyers and counselors, is the most effective way,” Jay stated, again drawing on advice from his father. But he went on to add that it’s crucial to remember that while the work we do is very serious, we can’t take ourselves too seriously, either. That last piece of advice came on the heels of a comment from Jay, who’s been at the reins for a little over a year, where he stated with a dry smile that he was thankful there had been no “palace coup” attempts during his tenure.

The dichotomy between past and future dominated our conversation. It also shapes the way Jay serves as managing partner of the firm that bears his family’s name. “It is rewarding,” Jay remarked, “to shepherd this organization into the future.” But he was quick to point out that looking to the future, also means that we must be “caretakers of the legacy” upon which the firm was built.

About this column: “The cobbler’s children have no shoes.” This old expression refers to the fact that a busy cobbler will be so busy making shoes for his customers that he has no time to make some for his own children. This syndrome can also apply to lawyers who are so busy providing good service to their clients that they neglect management issues in their own offices. The goal of this column is to provide timely information on management issues. If you have an idea for a future column, please contact Caitlyn Elam at 546-4646.