A Clockworks Approach to Lawyer Development

William D. HendersonIndiana University Maurer School of Law

• Finding good raw talent• Pay a salary• Training rotation system

― Substantive knowledge― Delegation― Supervision― Client relations

• Low attrition, no lateral hiring• Teamwork demanded, rewarded• Up or Out

Cravath System circa 1920

Source: Marc Galanter, Planet of the APs, 53 Buff. L. Rev.

(2006)

Expenditures on Legal Services as Percent of

Gross Domestic Product, 1978 to 2003

Three Decades of Growth

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0

20,000

40,000

60,000

80,000

100,000

120,000

140,000

First Year Enrollment JD/LLB's Awarded NLJ 250 Lawyers

ABA Accredited Law Schools vs. NLJ Firms

“Is court a service or a place?”

-- Richard Susskind, Tomorrow’s Lawyers

Counting …

• 227 Exhibitors– 81% privately held– 19% publicly held– 1% non-profit

• Employees– Average = 10,733– Median = 125– Minimum = 2

• Locations– 12% Foreign-based– 2/3 have foreign locations

• Offerings– 35% Services– 49% Products– 13% Both

• Target Clientele– 1% law firms– 1% legal departments– 90% law firms & legal

departments– 8% law firms, legal

departments, and government agencies

• 59% make software

Inside the clockworks …• Contracts• Torts• Property• Civil Procedure• Collaboration Skill• Industry Knowledge• Effective Communication

• Empathy• Self-Awareness• Active Listening

• Project Management• Basics of Network Analysis and Stats• Basics of Systems Engineering• Basics of Knowledge Management• Basics of Design as a Discipline• Decision-Making• Upper Level Law

Thank you!

wihender@indiana.edu