Strength in numbers: how team collaboration leads to success

Category: Blog, Practice Management 19th November 2021

Most law firms would agree that their greatest asset is its people. A firm may have lawyers who are considered leaders in their fields, or who have expertise in a niche area of law. But it’s often the case that individuals are working in silos and it’s hard to ignore what impact that could have on the success of the firm, and the team within it, if a firm operated more like a business to achieve firm-wide goals.

Effectively communicating and collaborating remotely has been a challenge for all business during the last 18 months, but for lawyers, the siloed nature of their roles meant teamwork became increasingly difficult without the physical office environment. With a hybrid model of working here to stay, how can you foster – and benefit from – team collaboration within your firm?

How to foster & benefit from team collaboration

Set clear goals

Without knowing what you’re aiming for it’s difficult to know if you’ve succeeded. Ensure there are clear goals, which are effectively communicated to the team, so everyone is working towards the same aim. When there is a common objective, it brings individuals together to achieve the collective result as opposed to just individual targets and tasks.

Regular check-ins

Depending on the size of your firm the regular check-ins may be firm-wide or by department, but regularly getting the team together emphasises that there are several moving parts within the firm. It also encourages communication and provides a space for sharing experiences, feedback and lessons learnt.

Encourage ideas

An engaged team – people who are passionate about what they want to achieve – leads to innovation and improvement. To foster an engaged team, it’s important to remove fear and create a space for ideas and honest feedback. New ideas and insight can often encourage improved ways of working that will benefit the firm and your clients.

Centralise processes

Ensure your infrastructure supports collaboration and effective communication. A centralised practice and case management solution ensures everyone is working from the same data, follows the same processes and has access to the same tools. This ensures no one is at a disadvantage and completing tasks and managing workloads becomes more effective.

Clear leadership

To ensure the firm is working together towards the same goal, clear leadership and communication is key for effective progress. Team leaders can facilitate progress by removing barriers and celebrating successes.