The truth about career paths is that you enter….and you exit. As the saying goes – life is in the dots. During those “dot” years an important consideration is succession planning, yet very few professionals pause to create intentional paths to their own successors. The legal industry is struggling right alongside so many others, with the additional complication of the typical compensation system rewarding generation of clients over all else. That’s the first consideration for firms. How can you reward preparing for the future of the firm?
This is a complicated question that includes the culture of the firm and the path to partnership that is often measured by new clients instead of firm contributions. I’m not suggesting an about-face on the time tested method of compensation, although I do believe shifting the landscape to something more collaborative is critical to the longevity of your firm.
A complicated subject for sure, and the topic of our next Leaders’ Lab. Join in the conversation to share what your firm is doing and hear from others in a quick 45 minute video chat. Your only investment is showing up!

Judy Hissong, CLM
Judy Hissong is the President of Nesso Strategies. A former law firm Chief Operating Officer, she helps firms become more profitable by advising leaders in strategic and leadership development challenges. Her mission is “world domination for Good.” By creating actionable, lightbulb moments that leaders want to share and spread, she intends to improve the world one person at a time. When she’s not speaking, training and consulting, Judy teaches quarterly online workshops and facilitates Leaders Lab, a monthly video conference that enables small groups of leaders to brainstorm strategies and solutions to work through common issues that keep firms stuck. Learn more at www.nessostrategies.com.














