Canadian Bar Association: Let Non-Lawyers Own Law Firms
Who has the better of this argument, Canada or Texas?
In Mindset Matters: Lawyers That Lead Well Are Receptive to Change, I brought forward the view that business executives might be better equipped to lead law firms through the turbulent change facing the legal industry.
The Canadian Bar Association’s (CBA) recent recommendation that non-lawyers be able to own law firms underscores this view.
This CBA recommendation is refreshing when juxtaposed against the Texas State Bar ethics ruling stating that a Texas law firm may not use “officer or principal” in job titles for non-lawyer employees or pay profit-based performance bonuses. As Fred Headon, Assistant General Counsel at Air Canada and CBA President, urges:
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What lawyers do is as crucial as ever, but how we do it needs to be updated and quickly. There is plenty of opportunity for firms of all sizes to embrace this, and for new organizations to embrace this as well.
If you want a benchmark, the concept of “non-lawyer ownership” trending in Canada is already permitted in the UK and Australia.
If do you choose a lawyer to lead your law firm, then make sure that the lawyer gets solid training in leadership and management. Practicing law is not a qualification to lead. Running a law firm as a sustainable business requires different training, experience, and mindset.
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What do you think of the CBA recommendation?
Related Reading:
- Bar Associations: Protecting Consumers or the Status Quo? by Tim Corcoran
- Is Wal-Mart Law Coming To The US? by Debra Cassens Weiss—ABAJournal
- OK Non-lawyer Ownership Of Firms, Says Canadian Bar by Stephanie Francis Ward—ABAJournal
This post was originally published on my blog, Leadership Close Up.
Kevin McKeown (@KevinMcKeown) is president of LexBlog, which empowers lawyers to increase their visibility and accelerate business relationships online. With LexBlog’s help, legal professionals use their subject matter expertise to drive powerful business development through blogging and social media. Visit LexBlog.com.
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