On the afternoon of March 7, 2025, the fourth online discussion with the theme “HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AND LEADERSHIP SKILLS” was successfully held, attracting nearly 120 participants.
During the discussion, the speakers and audience talked about the key factors in human resource management and leadership development in law firms, based on the human resource initiatives of the International Bar Association (IBA).
The discussion was organized with the participation of coordinators and speakers:
- - Lawyer Nguyễn Mạnh Dũng, Director, ADR Vietnam Chambers (Coordinator)
- - Lawyer Ngô Thanh Tùng, Managing Partner, Vietnam International Law Firm (VILAF) (Coordinator)
- - Lawyer Đặng Vũ Minh Hà, Member of the Law Firm, Dzungsrt & Associates LLC (Speaker)
- - Lawyer Phạm Quốc Tuấn, Managing Partner, DIMAC Law Firm (Speaker)
Main Topics:
1. Internal Training in Firms: The speakers shared how their firms train employees at different levels. Effective training methods commonly used by many firms include organizing and dividing research and presentations by topic, sponsoring participation in relevant courses both domestically and abroad, etc.
2. Recruitment and Retention of Employees: The speakers shared their views on recruiting “talented” individuals and discussed the expectations from employers and employees. All the lawyers agreed that to retain employees, firms need to ensure factors such as benefits, rewards, and addressing employees' legitimate demands.
3. Performance Management: This topic received significant attention from the audience in previous discussions. Questions about setting KPIs for billable hours, measuring work effectiveness through billable hours, etc., were raised with the speakers. The lawyers shared their personal views and how their firms address this issue.
4. Compensation and Benefits: Both the speakers and the audience agreed that this is one of the most important issues for both employees and partners. While each firm has different policies, they all aim to balance the interests of employees and the firm in a reasonable manner, ensuring that employees are fairly compensated for their work, which motivates them and supports the firm's growth.
5. Handling Emerging Issues: During recruitment, unexpected issues may arise, such as the performance of hired employees not meeting expectations from the interview, or employees revealing traits that do not align with the firm’s culture. The speakers, as recruiters, discussed the causes of these situations and shared methods for minimizing and addressing such issues when they arise.
6. Career Development: Most employees expect a clear career development path, and this is often a question asked by candidates during interviews. According to the speakers, each firm has different criteria to assess whether an employee meets the conditions for promotion. These criteria vary depending on factors such as the firm's size and culture.
7. Company Culture: One important factor in motivating employees is creating a healthy work environment and improving employees' mental well-being. Some firms adopt methods such as eliminating conflict-causing elements within the company, organizing sports activities to help employees relieve stress, etc.
Additionally, the discussion included a mini-survey on the human resource management and leadership skills policies applied by firms. The survey results are as follows:
- - 70% of firms allow commercial lawyers to engage in more than just paperwork and document organization in transactions.
- - 68% of firms (i) organize skill-building training sessions for specific lawyer groups and (ii) encourage young lawyers to participate in important company groups (specialization, business development, marketing, technology, etc.).
- - 50-55% of firms (i) organize and encourage participation in community events and social activities; (ii) provide opportunities for young litigators to practice litigation early in their careers; (iii) share the company’s economic situation with employees; and (iv) have measures to support lawyers' mental health.
- - 45% of firms (i) allow hybrid working arrangements (remote and on-site); and (ii) support employees with membership fees for the Bar Association.
- - 30-38% of firms (i) have an effective approach to managing and working with younger teams (GenZ); (ii) invest in technologies based on recommendations and experiences from young lawyers and staff; and (iii) support employees with the costs of professional training courses for lawyers.
The next discussion, Topic 5, with the theme “Strategy and Finance – Billing & Revenue Growth,” will be held at 15:00 on March 14, 2025 (Friday). Registration link: https://bitly.cx/ZCx2R
For detailed information about other topics in the “Online Law Firm Management Series 2025” with the theme “Professional Law Firm Management – Real and Fictional Stories,” see here: link
#ADRVietnamChambers #LawFirmManagement
