own hands TAKE the law Into Your The George Washington University Master of Professional Studies and Certificate in Law Firm Management

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1 Into Your TAKE the law own hands The George Washington University Master of Professional Studies and Certificate in Law Firm Management Katherine Diggs Director of Business Management Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP New York City, NY

2 THE BENEFITS OF THE COURSE A legal way to get ahead DRAMATICALLY IMPROVE YOUR CAREER OPTIONS Graduates tend to advance quickly to higherpaying positions. Many have created their own titles and job descriptions. Your degree puts you on equal footing with others who have advanced degrees, thus graduates tend to gain a stronger voice within the firm. Your studies give you a managerial perspective and a birds-eye view impossible to gain in the field day-to-day. Your increased understanding of the business of law means you can become integral to your firm s growth and success. A like-minded alumni community broadens your career network. YOUR FIRM BENEFITS, TOO Well-trained professionals help sustain the firm s competitive edge. High performing teams are more productive and loyal to the firm. When administrators think like owners, they add constant value, ferreting out inefficiencies and streamlining operations. Graduate leadership skills are passed on to others, creating a culture of continuous learning not firmly embedded in law firm administrative culture. Anyone in the legal industry today is witnessing dramatic change. Many law firms look to me in my role at Thomson Reuters for insights and solutions to help their law firm business succeed. I have been fortunate to complete and receive a few degrees, including a JD and an MBA, but George Washington University s Master s Program in Law Firm Management has clearly been the most beneficial to me personally and professionally. The George Washington University law firm management program combines the best of law school and business school it s grounded in leadership skills, taught by experienced law firm leaders, and gives me, and my clients, a true competitive advantage. Tommy Williams Senior Director, Thomson Reuters Washington, D.C. Outside affiliations are listed only for the purpose of identification and do not imply endorsement by the US government or other outside employer. LAW FIRM MANAGEMENT 3

3 LAW FIRMS INCREASINGLY VALUE THE DEGREE AS A GATEWAY FOR FUTURE LEADERS Build a case for yourself YOUR DEGREE ADDS CRITICAL MANAGERIAL SKILLS Development and implementation of strategy Law firm economics and profitability analysis Law firm management structures Legal services market analysis Marketing, branding and client services Legal lean sigma process improvement Legal technology and knowledge management MBA programs can t match this program. They simply aren t focused on professional services and even if they were, they can t match the experience of the faculty at GWU. Crystal McNeill Office Manager, Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP New York City, NY no other law firm management master s program also develops leadership skills Strategy development and execution Leading teams and leading change Legal industry dynamics and competition Partner compensation systems Leadership styles, communication, motivation and conflict management Change leadership Outside affiliations are listed only for the purpose of identification and do not imply endorsement by the US government or other outside employer. LAW FIRM MANAGEMENT 5

4 WHO SHOULD APPLY, LOGISTICS AND YOUR DEGREE Beyond a reasonable doubt EARN YOUR MASTEr s of law firm management An executive Master s Program focused on law firm leadership and management that may be completed in 18-months. Designed for students who work full-time. Classes are small 12 to 20 students to provide an interactive experience with faculty. Five residences at The George Washington University, Graduate Education Center in Alexandria, VA (located across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C.). The remainder of the Program is done from where you live. Program will give you a high-level perspective of leading and managing a law firm. You will learn skills in strategy development, leadership, process improvement and technology. Faculty consists of professors from the GWU Business School and experts from the law firm industry, including former heads of Arnold & Porter and Morrison & Foerster. Upon successful completion of the course work, you will graduate with a Master of Professional Studies in Law Firm Management from The George Washington University. This is a shortcut to a better business life. It would have been a much longer road without the degree. Jeffrey Eberhard Managing Partner, Smith Freed & Eberhard, PC Portland, OR ADMISSIONS REQUIREMENTS Bachelor s degree with a 3.0 GPA or higher (on a 4.0 point scale) from a regionally accredited college or university Minimum three years professional administrative experience in a law firm or related setting Completed Online Admissions Application Form Non-refundable Application Fee, payable to George Washington University Current Resume with Education and Work History Statement of Purpose: a 250 to 500-word essay giving your academic objectives, research interests and career plans Two Professional or Academic References, preferably from a current supervisor One Official or Certified Transcript from each institution of higher education attended An official detailed evaluation is required for an International Transcript International applicants may need to submit Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) Scores Application Deadline is March 1 for the Cohort beginning this Summer with the June Residency Outside affiliations are listed only for the purpose of identification and do not imply endorsement by the US government or other outside employer. LAW FIRM MANAGEMENT 7

5 LAW FIRM LEADERSHIP SPRING RESIDENCY FACULTY Compelling EVIDENCE for excellence Law firms today are becoming more complex to manage as they focus on the corporate business model for sustainability. The LFM graduate degree is like no other in the country because it concentrates solely on law firm business and sustainability. This program provokes strategic thinking and critical understanding for managing the law firms of the future. Grace C. Lopez Director of Administration Carlton Fields Jorden Burt, P.A. Miami, Florida William A. Bachman M.S.A., University of California, Irvine. Former COO, Bingham McCutchen LLP. Adjunct Professor, School of Management, Boston University. James R. Bailey A.M. and Ph.D., Washington University. Hochberg Professor of Leadership Development, School of Business, The George Washington University. Burkey Belser B.A., Davidson College. President and CEO, Greenfield/ Belser Ltd. Stephen R. Chitwood M.P.A. and Ph.D., University of Southern California; J.D., The George Washington University. Professor Emeritus of Public Administration and former Director of the Center for Law Practice Strategy and Management, The George Washington University. Laura J. Colcord M.B.A., New York University. Lead Instructor, Legal Sales and Service Organization. Chief Operating Officer and Founder, Legal Lean Sigma Institute. Silvia L. Coulter Law Firm Management, The George Washington University. Partner, Client Development Practice, LawVision Group. N. Sharon Hill Ph.D., University of Maryland. Assistant Professor of Management, School of Business, The George Washington University. William G. Johnson M.B.A., Stillman School of Business, Seton Hall University. Director of Strategic Planning, Cravath Swaine & Moore. James W. Jones J.D., New York University. Senior Fellow, Center for the Study of the Legal Profession, Georgetown University. Principal, Legal Management Resources. Carl A. Leonard, Program Director J.D., Hastings College of Law, University of California. Former Chairman of Morrison & Foerster. Assistant Professor, The George Washington University. Catherine Alman MacDonagh J.D., New England School of Law. President and Co- Founder, Legal Sales and Service Organization. Chief Executive Officer and Founder, Legal Lean Sigma Institute. Steven R. Petrie M.B.A., Carlson School of Management, University of Minnesota. Chief Strategy Officer, Faegre Baker Daniels LLP. Aric Press J.D., New York University. Editor in Chief and Vice President, ALM (American Lawyer Media). Marianne Purzycki M.S., Library Science, Case Western Reserve University. Former Senior Research Analyst, The Hildebrandt Institute. Jeffrey S. Rovner J.D., The George Washington University. Managing Director for Information, O Melveny & Myers. Former partner, Morrison & Foerster. Gretta Rusanow L.L.B., The University of New South Wales. Director and Senior Client Advisor, the Citi Private Bank Law Firm Group, Citibank, NA. Sherrese Smith J.D., Northwestern University School of Law. Partner, Paul Hastings, Washington, D.C. Jeffrey L. Weeden M.P.S. Law Firm Management, The George Washington University, J.D., Ave Maria School of Law. Principal, WeedenLaw, Denver. Outside affiliations are listed only for the purpose of identification and do not imply THE endorsement GEORGE by WASHINGTON the US government UNIVERSITY or other outside employer. LAW FIRM MANAGEMENT 9

6 LAW FIRM MANAGEMENT COURSEWORK REQUIREMENTS LAW FIRM MANAGEMENT COURSEWORK REQUIREMENTS Be sure to read THE FINE PRINT Five on-site residencies in Alexandria, VA, consisting of two nine-day residencies and three four-day residencies. Additional coursework in the program is done from where you live. The sequential cohort structure of the program begins with a nine-day residency each June. The residencies and distance learning cover the following four topics: Law Firm Management focuses on how to develop a law firm strategy and align the economics, management structure, partner compensation and culture of the firm behind it. Law Firm Leadership focuses on developing each student s leadership skills. Process Improvement results in each student receiving a Yellow Belt in Six Sigma. Legal Technology and Knowledge Management focuses on the ways information technology enhances the quality of legal services, increases client satisfaction and improves firm profitability. VIRGINIA ALEXANDRIA MARYLAND WASHINGTON D.C. The campus is located 5 minutes outside of Washington, D.C. SUMMER Nine-Day Residency Theories, Principles and Practices of Law Firm Management (6 credits) Students Work in Teams to Develop Strategy for a Simulated Law Firm Overview of the Legal Industry and Emerging Trends Strategic Thinking in the Law Firm Context Economics and Profitability of Law Firms Legal Services Marketing, Managing Client Relations and Tools for Market Research Management and Compensation Structures in Modern Law Firms How to Work in Virtual Teams fall DISTANCE LEARNING Applying Strategic Management Profitability Analysis Market Analysis of a Practice Group Law Firm Strategic Planning Analysis of a Merger Proposal Fall Four-Day Residency Practical Applications of Law Firm Management Completion of Simulated Law Firm Strategic Plan and Merger Proposal, Presentations and Critique Revision of Simulated Firm Strategic Plan, Presentations and Critique The Future of the Legal Industry and Continuing Challenges for Law Firm Managers Spring Nine-Day Residency Principles of Leadership (6 credits) Developing a Personal Leadership Philosophy Influencing through Motivation and Persuasion Managing with Power Having Difficult Conversations Leadership Communication Using Storytelling Using Conflict and Collaboration for Mutual Advantage, Motivation and Performance Leading High Performance Teams Leading Organizational Change: Process, Culture and Structure Spring Distance Learning Application of Leadership Frameworks Personal Leadership Plan Analysis of Biography or Autobiography of a Leader Personal Case Study on Change in an Organization Spring Four-Day Residency Strategic Leadership for Sustainability and Change Presentations and Discussions of Projects on Organizational Change Colleague Coaching on Individual Development Plans The role of and requirements for becoming a Legal Lean Sigma Champion Fundamental principles of Legal Lean Sigma and the DMAIC process improvement methodology Fall Distance Learning Process Improvement in Law Firms Complete a simulated Legal Lean Sigma project demonstrating its applicability specifically to the law firm environment Identify the problems and challenges surrounding efforts to introduce new management techniques within the legal environment Apply leadership practices and techniques when seeking to overcome resistance to organization change Fall Four-Day Residency Legal Technology and Knowledge Management Identify the elements of a firm s information technology (IT) organization Assess the alignment of a firm s IT strategy with the firm s overall business strategy Articulate the role and goals of knowledge management for the law firm of today and tomorrow Explain the interrelationships of IT and knowledge management Examine the security aspects of the firm s IT systems Specify the components of a successful knowledge management organization LAW FIRM MANAGEMENT 11

7 It seems like there s always a reason not to take the step that can change your life timing, money, whatever. But no time is ever perfect, no circumstances will ever be ideal. Now is the time. No more delay. Join us. Margarida Saragoca Director of Business Development Vieira de Almeida & Associados Lisbon, Portugal Our Closing argument FOR MORE INFORMATION call 800-JOIN-GWU ( ) or visit The George Washington University is an equal opportunity/affirmative action institution certified to operate in Va by SCHEV. Master of Professional Studies and Graduate Certificate in Law Firm ManagemenT