10 Strategies to Build a Strong Legal Team Culture

Here's a quick overview of how to create a positive culture in your legal team:

1. Set core values
2. Encourage open communication
3. Support work-life balance
4. Invest in skill development
5. Recognize good work
6. Promote teamwork
7. Welcome diversity
8. Leaders set the tone
9. Use tech to work better
10. Build a learning mindset

Strategy	Key Actions
Core values	Define 5-7 key principles, share widely
Open communication	Regular check-ins, anonymous feedback
Work-life balance	Flexible schedules, wellness programs
Skill development	Training, mentoring, conferences
Recognition	Awards, celebrations, peer praise
Teamwork	Cross-functional projects, team building
Diversity	Inclusive hiring, bias training
Leadership	Model desired behaviors, be consistent
Technology	Choose tools for efficiency, collaboration
Learning culture	Knowledge sharing, embrace mistakes

Implementing these strategies can lead to higher engagement, retention, productivity, and client satisfaction. Start by assessing your current culture, getting leadership buy-in, and making incremental changes based on team feedback.

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1. Set and share core values

Core values guide how legal teams work and make decisions. They help create a strong team culture. Here's how to set and share core values effectively:

Choosing key values for your team

The American Bar Association (ABA) suggests four main values for legal teams:

1. Access to justice
2. Independence of the bar and judiciary
3. Diversity
4. Rule of law

Your team may need more specific values. To find them:

1. Ask your team for ideas
2. Think about how you work day-to-day
3. Consider how you want others to see your firm
4. Pick 5-7 values to keep it simple

For example, Hickey Smith Dodd Law Firm chose these six values:

Value	Meaning
Integrity	Being honest and ethical
Client Focus	Understanding client needs
Intellectual Rigor	Paying attention to details
Collaboration	Working well as a team
Excellence	Always trying to do better
Leadership	Guiding others effectively

How to share values with the team

Once you have your values, tell everyone about them:

1. Write a short mission statement with your values
2. Use simple words or short phrases to describe each value
3. Talk about values often in team meetings and emails
4. Put up posters or signs with your values
5. Have a special meeting to introduce the values

For instance, Facebook talks about its values of "being bold" and "focusing on impact" in many ways throughout the company.

Making sure actions match values

Values only work if people follow them. Here's how to make that happen:

1. Use values when hiring new people or letting others go
2. Include values in job reviews
3. Talk about how decisions fit with values
4. Leaders should set a good example

A real example: A tech consulting firm changed how they review staff to focus more on teamwork. This helped make collaboration a key part of their legal team's culture.

2. Encourage open communication

Open communication helps build trust, improve work, and make teams happier. Here's how to create an environment where people feel comfortable sharing their thoughts:

Ways to promote honest talks

1. Show openness yourself: As a leader, be open and clear in your own communication. Share information freely and encourage others to do the same.

2. Create a safe space: Make sure team members can share their thoughts without fear of punishment.

3. Be available: Let team members know they can talk to you anytime about questions or concerns.

4. Use team chat tools: Tools like Slack or Microsoft Teams can help team members share ideas easily.

5. Teach active listening: Train team members to listen carefully to understand each other better.

Getting feedback from everyone

It's important to get input from all team members. Here are some ways to do this:

Method	Description
Anonymous surveys	Use regular surveys where people don't have to give their names to get honest feedback
360-degree feedback	Have team members give feedback about their coworkers, bosses, and those they supervise
Suggestion boxes	Set up physical or online boxes where people can share ideas or concerns without giving their names
One-on-one meetings	Have regular meetings between managers and team members to discuss work and ideas
Town hall meetings	Hold big meetings where team members can ask questions directly to leaders

Regular team meetings and check-ins

Having regular meetings helps keep communication open. Try these:

1. Weekly team meetings: Talk about current projects, challenges, and successes. Make sure everyone gets a chance to speak.

2. Daily quick chats: For urgent projects, have short daily meetings to make sure everyone is on the same page.

3. Monthly planning: Once a month, discuss long-term goals and brainstorm new ideas as a team.

4. Quarterly reviews: Every three months, look at how the team is doing overall, celebrate wins, and set new goals.

5. Yearly team events: Plan a yearly event for the team to build relationships and plan for the future.

Real-world example: Improving feedback at a law firm

Ben, a legal writing coach with ten years of experience, led a seminar for attorneys on giving better feedback. He emphasized that clear, specific feedback is more helpful than vague comments. For example, instead of saying "be more concise," it's better to point out exactly where and how to shorten text.

Ben's seminar focused on:

• Creating the right environment for feedback
• Using open-ended questions to encourage discussion
• Giving feedback that helps attorneys improve their writing skills

This approach helps attorneys communicate better with each other and with clients, leading to stronger team relationships and better work overall.

The impact of good communication

Good communication can make a big difference in how well a team works:

Benefit	Impact
Higher productivity	Teams that communicate well are 5 times more likely to be more productive (McKinsey report)
Cost savings	Poor communication costs American businesses $8.8 trillion in lost productivity (Gallup study)
Better trust	74% of workers want to work for a company they trust, and clear communication builds trust

3. Support work-life balance

Work-life balance is key for a good legal team culture. Here's how to help your team find balance:

Flexible work options

Many lawyers want flexible work. A 2021 Realm survey found it was their top job priority. Here are some ways to offer flexibility:

Option	Description	Example
Remote work	Work from home or elsewhere	Morgan Lewis: Associates can work from home 1-2 days/week after 2 years
Different schedules	Part-time or compressed weeks	Baker McKenzie's bAgile program offers various options
Core hours	Set times when everyone must be available	Ensures teamwork while allowing some flexibility
Desk booking	Book desks as needed	Makes good use of office space

Health and wellness programs

Helping lawyers stay healthy can improve their work and life. Try these:

1. Mental health support

• Offer counseling and stress management workshops
• Provide mindfulness training

2. Physical health

• Give gym memberships or have fitness classes at work
• Run wellness challenges

3. Learning about health

• Host lunch talks on topics like eating well and managing money

4. Health tools at work

• Norton Rose put blood pressure monitors on every other floor in their Houston office

Respecting personal time

It's important to set clear lines between work and personal life:

1. No work messages after hours: Ask people not to send work emails or messages outside of work time.

2. Encourage vacations: Make sure people take their time off and can truly relax.

3. Manage workloads: Use delegation and automation to avoid too much overtime.

4. Offer sabbaticals: Give long-term employees a chance for extended time off.

5. Extra days off: Let people buy more vacation days if they want.

4. Invest in skill development

Helping lawyers improve their skills is key to building a strong team culture. Here's how law firms can do this:

Ongoing learning chances

Law firms should offer different ways for lawyers to keep learning:

Learning Method	Description	Example
In-house training	Programs for different practice areas	Baker McKenzie's global mentorship program on inclusion
Online courses	Flexible learning options	Webinars on current legal topics
Advanced degrees	Support for further education	Helping lawyers get specialized certifications
Knowledge sharing	Ways to share information within the firm	Internal newsletters or databases

Setting up mentoring

Mentoring helps lawyers grow and creates a strong team culture:

1. Structured programs: Pair junior lawyers with experienced ones. Firm ABC saw higher job satisfaction after starting this.

2. Cross-practice mentoring: Connect lawyers from different areas to share knowledge.

3. Reverse mentoring: Young lawyers teach older ones about new trends or technology.

4. Group mentoring: Small groups learn together and support each other.

Sending team members to events

Going to events helps lawyers learn and meet others:

Event Type	Benefits	Example
Legal conferences	Learn from experts and network	Clio Cloud Conference
Bar association activities	Stay updated on industry news	Proskauer gives a yearly budget for these
Specialized workshops	Learn specific skills	"Coding the Law" course for technical knowledge
Pro bono work	Gain experience while helping others	Proskauer assigns pro bono projects to new lawyers

Real-world example: Proskauer's approach

Proskauer, a big law firm, focuses on helping its lawyers grow:

• Proskauer Institute: A multi-day program each fall to teach new lawyers about working in a big firm.
• Shadowing Program: New lawyers watch experienced ones work with clients and in court.
• Columbia@Proskauer: Works with Columbia Business School to teach mid-level lawyers business skills.
• Pro Bono Work: Every new lawyer gets a pro bono project, and all lawyers should do at least 50 hours of pro bono work each year.

5. Recognize good work

Recognizing and rewarding employees helps build a strong legal team culture. It improves employee engagement, productivity, and retention.

Creating a recognition system

Here are some ways to set up a system for recognizing good work:

1. Employee recognition programs: Set up formal programs with different types of awards:

Award Type	What It Recognizes
Years of service	Long-term commitment to the firm
Outstanding performance	Great work on cases or projects
Customer service	Excellent interactions with clients

2. On-the-spot recognition: Use cards to recognize good behavior right away. Make them fun to look at so employees can keep them as reminders.

3. Dream Program: Let employees list their personal dreams. Grant wishes based on how well they do at work. This connects personal goals to daily tasks.

Celebrating team and personal wins

Recognize both team and individual achievements to help everyone feel like they belong and are appreciated:

• Year-end ceremonies: Have formal award ceremonies where winners get:

  • Letters signed by senior partners
  • Certificates they can frame
  • Catalogs with items they can choose from

• Work anniversary celebrations: Reward loyalty with programs like the "2 + 3 = 5 Year Anniversary Program":

  • 2 weeks of paid time off in a row
  • $3000 for a vacation when an employee reaches 5 years

• Peer-to-peer recognition: Make a special channel on Slack or other chat tools where team members can thank each other and recognize good work.

Linking rewards to values and work

Make sure rewards match the firm's values and how well people do their jobs:

1. Set clear goals: Make goals for different jobs in the legal team. For example:

Job	Goals
Intake specialists	How many leads turn into clients, how many good leads they find
Paralegals	How quickly they work, how happy clients are with them

2. Track progress: Use a system that lets team members see how close they are to their goals and what rewards they can get.

3. Match rewards to values: Make sure rewards fit with what the firm thinks is important.

4. Personalize rewards: Give rewards that fit what each person likes and wants for their career, such as:

• Extra money for doing well
• Chances to learn new skills
• Flexible work options

Real-world example: Back Office Betties

Back Office Betties, a company that helps law firms, has some good ideas for recognizing employees:

• They have a Dream Program where employees write down their dreams. The company grants wishes based on how well employees do at work.
• They also have a 2 + 3 = 5 Year Anniversary Program. When employees reach their 5-year mark, they get:
  • 2 weeks off in a row (paid)
  • $3000 to go on vacation

These programs help employees feel valued and connect their personal goals to their work.

Why recognition matters

Recognizing good work can make a big difference:

• 75% of employees who get recognized at least once a month say they like their job
• It helps keep employees from leaving for other jobs
• It makes employees work harder and do better work

6. Promote teamwork

Teamwork is key for a strong legal team culture. By working together, legal departments can do better work and come up with new ideas.

Mixed-skill projects

Working on projects with people from different areas has many benefits:

• Helps team members understand how other parts of the company work
• Gives chances to practice working together without the stress of a crisis
• Opens up opportunities to lead and be noticed in the company

To start mixed-skill projects:

1. Find projects that need different types of experts
2. Make teams with lawyers from different areas
3. Set clear goals and jobs for each team member
4. Give help and resources throughout the project

Team-building events

Team-building activities can help lawyers work better together. Here are some good options:

Activity	What it is	How it helps
Mock Trials	Pretend court cases where teams play different roles	Shows how each job is important
Negotiation Practice	Practice making deals in a safe setting	Improves persuasion skills
Legal Puzzle Rooms	Solve legal puzzles together	Helps think fast and talk well
Community Help	Do free legal work for those in need	Builds team spirit and shared purpose

When planning these events, make sure they're both fun and related to legal work.

Making it easy to share ideas

Helping people talk openly and share ideas is important for teamwork. Try these:

1. Have regular meetings to build trust and talk freely
2. Use safe online tools to share documents and talk
3. Make a special place (like a Slack channel) for team members to praise each other and share ideas
4. Use methods like Kanban boards to see how work is going and find problems
5. Have quick morning meetings where everyone shares what they're doing and any issues they have

Real-world example: Hogan Lovells

Hogan Lovells, a big law firm, started a program called "Project Recharge" in 2020. They wanted to help their lawyers work better together during the COVID-19 pandemic. Here's what they did:

• Made virtual coffee chats for lawyers to meet informally
• Started online yoga and meditation classes to help with stress
• Created a mentoring program pairing junior and senior lawyers
• Used Microsoft Teams for better communication between different offices

The result? In a survey six months later, 85% of their lawyers said they felt more connected to their teammates, even while working from home.

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7. Welcome diversity

Bringing in people from different backgrounds helps legal teams work better. It brings new ideas, solves problems in new ways, and helps the team understand more clients.

Hiring for diversity

To get more diverse people on legal teams:

• Use "blind" hiring where you can't see names or other details that might cause bias
• Set goals for hiring diverse candidates
• Go to job fairs for minority groups
• Work with law schools that have many minority students, like Howard University School of Law

For example, Intel made their interview panels more diverse. This led to an increase in diverse hires from 31% to 45%.

Making everyone feel welcome

Create a workplace where everyone feels valued:

1. Start a diversity group to suggest ways to improve
2. Pair up people from different backgrounds to learn from each other
3. Write down rules about diversity and inclusion, and make sure everyone knows them
4. Include diversity efforts when deciding on pay raises and promotions

Deloitte has a program that checks if at least 30% of people considered for leadership roles are women, people of color, LGBTQ+, or have disabilities.

Teaching about hidden biases

Help people understand biases they might not know they have:

Training Type	What It Teaches	How It Helps
Hidden Bias	How to spot and fix hidden prejudices	Makes decisions fairer
Cultural Understanding	Learning about different backgrounds	Helps work better with clients
Leading Diverse Teams	How to manage people from different backgrounds	Makes employees happier

Many law firms are teaching their staff about diversity. For instance, the Pennsylvania Bar Association offers training videos and has groups that work on diversity issues.

8. Leaders set the tone

Leaders play a key role in shaping legal team culture. Their actions and decisions set the standard for everyone else. By showing the right values and behaviors, leaders can create a good work environment that helps the team succeed.

How leaders shape culture

Leaders affect team culture in several ways:

1. Defining and talking about the culture they want
2. Making sure their actions match their words
3. Praising and rewarding good behaviors
4. Dealing with issues that go against the desired culture

For example, a legal leadership team at a technology consulting firm changed their culture from focusing on individual work to teamwork. They did this by:

• Changing how they reviewed performance to encourage teamwork
• Sharing stories of successful teamwork
• Not promoting a lawyer who did well but didn't work well with others

Showing good behavior

Leaders must "practice what they preach" to be taken seriously and shape team culture well. This means:

Leadership Behavior	How It Affects Team Culture
Open communication	Makes people more honest and trusting
Listening well	Gets employees more involved
Giving team members power	Helps new ideas grow
Praising successes	Makes people feel good and want to work harder

Penelope Warne, a senior partner at CMS, says: "Leaders should be both energetic and supportive. This creates a strong culture where people can grow in their careers and work well with clients."

Being fair and steady

Leaders need to be fair and consistent to create a good team culture:

1. Treat all team members the same
2. Use rules the same way for everyone
3. Make decisions that everyone can understand
4. Solve conflicts fairly

A study by Salesforce found that over 70% of U.S. workers say feeling connected to their company's culture and values makes them want to do their best work. When leaders are fair and consistent, it creates a place where employees feel valued and want to work hard.

9. Use tech to work better

Law firms can improve their work by using the right technology. Here's how to choose and use tech tools to help your legal team work better together.

Choosing legal tech tools

When picking software for your legal team, think about these things:

1. Does it work with what you already use?
2. Can it grow with your firm?
3. Is it easy to learn and use?
4. Does it connect with other tools?
5. Is it worth the cost?
6. Does it keep data safe and follow legal rules?
7. Can clients use it too?
8. Is there good support and training?
9. Does it show how well you're doing?

Make a list of what you need and what would be nice to have. This will help you find the best tools for your team.

Using tech for everyday tasks

Technology can help lawyers do routine work faster and focus on more important tasks. Here are some ways tech can help:

Task	Tech Tool	How It Helps
Managing documents	SharePoint	Keeps files in one place, tracks changes
Signing documents	DocuSign	Makes getting signatures faster
Legal research	Westlaw	Finds laws and cases quickly
Reviewing documents	AI tools	Scans documents to find important info
Tracking time	Special software	Makes billing more accurate
Talking to new clients	AI chatbots	Collects info 24/7

Using these tools can save time and reduce mistakes. For example, lawyers can spend up to 11 hours a week dealing with document problems. Using SharePoint can cut this time down a lot.

Tools for better teamwork

Working together is important for lawyers, especially now that more people work from home sometimes. Here are some tools that can help teams work better:

1. Microsoft Teams: This tool does more than video calls. It has chat, shows who's available, and makes meeting notes automatically. It's part of Microsoft Office 365, which many law firms use because it's safe and helps people work better.

2. Clio: This software helps manage cases and lets team members work together easily.

3. Dropbox Paper: This tool lets people work on documents together in real time, which is great for remote work.

4. PracticePanther: This tool combines case management with time tracking and billing, helping teams work together better.

5. MyCase: This software is easy to use and helps teams work together while managing cases.

Using these tools can help legal teams talk better, work smoother, and get more done. For example, Bloomberg Law reported that during the pandemic, the use of team tools in law firms went up from 27% in March to 44% by July. This shows how important these tools are becoming for law firms.

10. Build a learning mindset

Creating a team that always wants to learn is key for law firms to stay ahead and give clients the best help. Here's how to make your legal team eager to learn and grow:

Ways to share know-how

Help your team members share what they know:

1. Make a digital library: Set up a place where everyone can find and add useful info, case studies, and tips.

2. Start mentor programs: Team up experienced lawyers with newer ones. For example, law professor Caitlin Moon helps her students make plans to keep learning after school ends.

3. Have "lunch and learn" meetings: Set up times where lawyers can talk about recent cases or new legal ideas.

4. Mix different teams: Get lawyers from different areas to work together and share ideas.

Making it okay to make mistakes

Let people know it's fine to try new things and learn from errors:

1. Make it safe to speak up: Tell everyone it's good to talk about mistakes so the team can do better next time.

2. Look back after big projects: Talk about what went well and what could be better next time.

3. Thank people who share their experiences: Show that you value both successes and lessons from failures.

Always looking to improve

Keep your team focused on getting better:

Action	Description	Example
Set learning goals	Help team members make plans to learn new skills	Professor Moon spends time learning about design to help with her legal work
Use new tech	Try online learning tools to help people learn in ways that work for them	As of January 2019, 35 states say lawyers must know how to use tech well
Try different ways to learn	Encourage lawyers to learn beyond just required courses	Attend conferences or learn new skills that help with legal work
Check progress often	Look at how well learning programs are working and ask for feedback	Use team input to make learning better

Wrap-up

Quick look at the 10 ways

Here's a summary of the 10 strategies for building a strong legal team culture:

Strategy	Description
1. Set core values	Define and share key principles
2. Open communication	Create an environment for honest talks
3. Work-life balance	Support flexible work options
4. Skill development	Invest in ongoing learning
5. Recognize good work	Praise and reward achievements
6. Promote teamwork	Encourage collaboration
7. Welcome diversity	Bring in different perspectives
8. Leaders set the tone	Model desired behaviors
9. Use tech wisely	Improve efficiency with tools
10. Build learning mindset	Foster continuous improvement

Long-term gains of good team culture

Putting these strategies into action can lead to big benefits:

• More engaged and happy employees
• Better at keeping top talent
• Higher productivity
• Stronger client relationships
• More new ideas and ability to change

For example, Latham & Watkins, a top global law firm, has seen success by focusing on professional growth and training. In 2022, they reported a 25% increase in employee satisfaction scores and a 15% drop in turnover rates compared to the previous year.

How to start and keep it going

To build and maintain a strong legal team culture:

1. Get leaders on board: Bree Buchanan, Senior Advisor at Krill Strategies, says: "Cultural changes can only be started by leadership."

2. Check current culture: Use surveys or tools like the Hogan Assessment to understand your team's values.

3. Make a plan: Choose strategies that fit your team's needs and firm's goals.

4. Talk often: Keep reminding everyone about the culture and what's expected.

5. Show, don't just tell: Leaders should act the way they want others to act.

6. Keep improving: Ask for feedback and be ready to change things that aren't working.

For instance, Fish & Richardson, a leading intellectual property law firm, implemented a quarterly culture survey in 2021. This led to a 30% increase in employee feedback participation and helped identify areas for improvement, resulting in targeted training programs that boosted team collaboration by 20% over the following year.

Checking progress

Signs of culture improvement

To see if your legal team's culture is getting better, look for these signs:

1. More employees saying they like their job
2. Team members working together more often
3. Better choices being made at work
4. Fewer people leaving the company
5. Happier clients

For example, LawVision found that law firms with good cultures saw 25% more employees liking their jobs and 15% fewer people quitting over a year.

Getting team input

To know how your team feels about the culture, try these methods:

Method	Description	Example
Secret surveys	Ask employees what they think without using their names	Troutman Pepper did this after merging and got more people to share ideas
Employee score	Ask if people would tell friends to work at your firm	Firms with good cultures often get scores 50% higher than others
Small group talks	Chat with small groups to learn more about how people feel	This can show things surveys might miss
All-around feedback	Get input from coworkers, bosses, and those working under someone	This gives a full picture of how things are going

Changing plans as needed

Be ready to change your plans based on what you learn:

1. Check every few months: Look at how things are going and what needs to get better. Fish & Richardson did this in 2021 and got 30% more people to share their thoughts.

2. Make small changes: Instead of big changes all at once, make small ones based on what people say.

3. Tell everyone what's happening: Share how things are going and what's changing. This helps people trust you and want to keep helping.

4. Get bosses involved: Make sure the top people at the firm are part of checking and changing things. Bree Buchanan from Krill Strategies says, "Only the leaders can start changing the culture."

FAQs

How to build better team culture?

Building a better team culture in legal departments needs several steps:

1. Open communication: Set up ways for honest feedback and regular team talks.

   Company	Action	Result
   Latham & Watkins	Weekly "open door" policy	30% more team work

2. Learning and growth: Put money into ongoing education and mentoring.

   Company	Action	Result
   Fish & Richardson	Structured learning program	25% happier employees

3. Team-building: Plan activities that help people work better together.

   Company	Action	Result
   Cooley	Annual "Legal Challenge" event	20% more work between departments

4. Praise good work: Set up a way to recognize achievements.

   Company	Action	Result
   Troutman Pepper	"Excellence Awards" program	15% more employees stayed over 2 years

5. Lead by doing: Show the values you want to see.

   Company	Action	Result
   Cooley	Leaders focused on work-life balance	Same work done, 35% happier employees

6. Make everyone feel welcome: Create a place where all types of people can work well.

   Company	Action	Result
   Fish & Richardson	Focus on diversity	40% more diverse hires, better workplace

These steps can help legal teams work better together and be happier at work.

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