In order for us to talk about the best practices in managing a legal team in a company, we must, first of all, realize that such a team is not only composed of good lawyers but represents a well-functioning hybrid. Why a hybrid? Because this team must provide both substantive assistance and act as an entity that perfectly understands and senses business needs.
Over the years, while managing a legal team, I have seen several necessary skills and features that every head of the legal department should have:
Skill Identification
In my opinion, a good assessment of an employee’s skills in a team is the key to the success of a well-working team. Not every team member will have soft skills or communication skills. Assigning a person to work within the scope of their skills while giving them the opportunity to develop in other fields is point number one for me.
The Ability to Listen to Business
Teaching your team members to listen to the expectations of the company, business, and market is the second key skill for me. A sense of the expectations of colleagues in the company is a very important feature among members of legal department teams because it improves processes in the company. The ability to identify risk and deal with it rather than simply escalating it as part of document checking and ongoing consulting is the key to success.
It also allows team members to become independent and take responsibility for the decisions made. As a result, the team member builds their skills in coping with stress and communication, and it also allows them to build relationships externally.
Clarification of Expectations
Explaining expectations to team members helps avoid conflicts and wrong decisions among team members, which will consequently build their self-confidence in the company and their independence. It often happens that team members guess the expectations of their superior or the company’s management, which causes an avalanche of failures and negative consequences. Setting your own and the company’s expectations clearly results in a healthy, transparent relationship.
Team Cooperation
Develop clear boundaries and rules for the functioning of the team. In case of position differences between team members, also clearly communicate contact paths, responsibilities, and dependencies. These clear rules will result in healthy relationships and a lack of boundaries between team members in communication. Developing a culture of supporting team members and sharing information and knowledge will come naturally to them.
Communication with the Team
I believe in the principle that people do not live by work alone. A very important skill is building a relationship with the employee and empathy for all their problems. A team leader who does not enter into the employee’s emotional sphere, even to a small extent, will not build a good relationship with them and will not gain their trust. Frequent communication, both on business and more private topics, is very important. An employee who feels understood and cared for is a loyal, hard-working team member. I am a big opponent of the position that the boss should be isolated from their team – on the contrary, let’s talk!
Enforcement
The consequence of all the above skills is the ability to execute tasks. This involves a clear team action plan, communication, and empathy for the employee, but also setting boundaries and setting goals. Executing work will teach the employee independence and allow them to develop and climb the career ladder. Enforcement also allows you to observe the employee in stressful conditions and teach them how to work under time pressure.
By Kamila Dutkowska-Wawrzak, Legal Director, Atlas Ward Poland
