Considering Client Service As Part of Employment Reviews

The other day, I posted about value based fees, inspired in part by some posts on Dan Hull's What About Clients blog.  Today I'm commenting on another of his posts from earlier this week - about incorporationg client service criteria into performance reviews.  Dan's firm has a performance evaluation system which has recently been re-vamped to include specific focus on client service. (Their system also includes 'top down' evaluations, but also 'bottom up' evaluations - something missing from many law firms, but that's not the focus of today's post).  Dan says,

"We talk about real service every single day, almost as if it were a substantive area of law practice. It's a running conversation. But if are serious about building and keeping a "client service culture" at Hull McGuire, we need to underscore them in every performance review."

Well said, Dan.  As I've said in the past, law firms can't expect their employees - whether attorneys or other staff - to take firm initiatives seriously unless the firm makes a real commitment to those initiatives.  That means compensation and advancement need to be based on the values that the firm espouses.  Otherwise, they aren't really values. 

If the firm says it values client service (as every firm must, if it expects to survive), each individual must be evaluated based upon whether they are living up to the firm's client service standards.  When performance evaluations and compensation systems focus on nothing but billable hours, it's no wonder that associates and staff don't strive for better client service.  Rewarding those who provide excellent client service - in all its forms - is bound to get employees more engaged in delivering that service.

More firms should follow Hull McGuire's lead and incorporate the firm's stated values into performance evaluations and compensation systems.