What lawyers can learn from consultants

June 23, 2023I joined McKinsey Legal in January for a rotation with the firm’s general counsel, Pierre Gentin. I moved from the consulting arm or “CSP” side of the firm after two years as a business analyst with the goal of learning as much as possible before entering law school in the fall. This move gave me the opportunity to work with and observe lawyers at the top of their field, partnering with them to drive strategic initiatives and innovation within McKinsey’s legal department. While I have learned a lot from McKinsey’s lawyers and legal professionals, I have also had opportunities to share my own lessons, leveraging my consulting background and my status as an “outsider” in the department. I have found that many of the lessons I’ve learned during my time as a management consultant are also applicable to lawyering. Some of the most salient lessons applicable to both lawyers and consultants are outlined below:

1. Create a sense of urgency by assigning internal deadlines to work when no external ones exist

   Consultants and lawyers often work toward deadlines that are assigned externally. In addition to dictating when work should be done, these deadlines can also serve as powerful motivators. When no external deadline exists, however, lawyers can borrow from consultants’ practice of creating our own road maps to ensure work is done in a timely manner. Sometimes this means assigning arbitrary “due dates” to work, even when the work could be completed later. Treating these deadlines as if they are assigned externally requires the team’s buy-in, but it will allow projects to move more quickly and galvanize progress.

2. Build informal relationships through non-project-related one-on-ones between colleagues of all tenures and seniorities

   Throughout McKinsey, colleagues are encouraged to find time for informal coffee chats. But on the CSP side, this is more like a mandate. On my first engagement at the firm, I was surprised when my team leader asked if I had met one-on-one with the partners on the engagement yet; why would I, a new joiner, meet with a partner? I soon realized that across tenures and roles, colleagues are expected to find time for informal conversations throughout the course of engagements. These conversations—ranging from my five-year plan to improv comedy to a partner’s journey through the firm—have allowed me to develop close relationships with colleagues who have become trusted thought partners on both personal and professional fronts. Championing these relationships in a legal function can do the same, allowing new joiners and tenured colleagues alike to form a network of mentors and sponsors who are invested in each other’s personal and professional well-being.

3. Make time for meetings, and don’t be afraid to connect without the full group

   Viewing meetings as a means of moving work forward instead of as a hindrance will ensure they are fit for purpose and occur only as often as necessary. General updates can happen over email—but if there is a problem to be solved, it is almost always better to grab time (even five minutes) to talk it out. Consultants frequently receive and send requests for quick, ad hoc chats (“Can I grab five minutes?”), which are critical when moving quickly.

   But in a global department where many professionals work remotely, coordinating meetings across time zones and busy schedules can be difficult. To ensure work progresses even when schedules don’t align, hold meetings as soon as essential attendees are available, and keep others in the loop through concise emails that summarize takeaways from the call. On most projects, our consultants do this by sending an “end of week email” containing all the need-to-know information from the past week. Adopting this practice in the legal department has allowed us to keep each other apprised of goings-on without involving everyone in every meeting.

4. Be introspective and look at what is and isn’t working, even when things are going well

   Over the course of an engagement, a consulting team’s members will meet several times to discuss their workload, to share their thoughts on how the work is progressing, and to raise questions and concerns. These check-in meetings may be one-on-ones or may include the entire client service team, but they are usually done at set intervals and held regardless of how things are going. These check-ins allow the team to identify potential issues before they arise and recognize and promote those behaviors that contribute to the team’s well-being. In a legal department, these check-ins serve the same purpose, allowing lawyers and legal professionals to identify what’s working and what can be improved.

I encourage lawyers and management consultants alike to make use of these lessons whenever possible to motivate themselves and others, to manage projects more efficiently, and to encourage professional and personal development across their organizations.