Kneis, Hellend & McPherson

Background and Objectives:

Kneis, Helland & McPherson is a market-dominant niche Family Law firm in Colorado Springs, Colorado.  The firm reached out to EvolveLaw to help set and execute goals, manage talent, and consider succession plans.  The partners were overworked, there were some talent instabilities, and there was no clear vision and strategy to maintain the firm’s market position. 

The tasks were to (1) build partner consensus around vision, strategy, and execution; (2) help the partners and Executive Director with best practices for law firm structure and talent management; and (3) create a sustainable framework to iterate around all these issues and to approach succession well. 

Approach and Implementation:

EvolveLaw used a thorough and structured strategic planning process to help the partners develop shared vision and language around their future as a firm.  We began with in-depth key stakeholder interviews to envision project outcomes.  After summarizing those interviews, we did a Values survey to help interpret the interviews and understand culture. 

Once there was agreement on foundational values and coordinated vision, we did a SWOT analysis and dug deep into firm operations and finances and agree on how to leverage strengths and distance from weaknesses.  We created a statement of the unique value of the firm to the market and its clients and began to translate that statement and the firm’s SWOT into concrete 1-year, 3-year, and 7-year goals and detailed execution plans. 

We also did a Clifton strengths survey for the firm’s partners to dive into their different approaches to leadership and practice.  The Clifton study directly impacted how we structured the strategic execution plan, to assign responsibilities that made sense to all.  The Clifton results and Values work set the stage for the partners to communicate about their longer-term individual career goals and begin to discuss how to stage for succession as plans changed. 

EvolveLaw stayed engaged with the firm as it began to follow the execution plan, advising on specific tactics and iterating the plan. 

Deliverables included SWOT analysis and firm Differentiators, Strategic and Execution Plans, Clifton analyses results and Memo, Values survey results and presentation, Meeting agendas and presentations, Meeting and interview summaries

Impact: 

The firm talent plan stabilized, the partners were united behind goals and an execution plan, and communications around governance and strategy were open and well-understood.  The agreed-upon framework for strategy and tactics continues to serve the firm well, including through the recent transition of one of the partners into a Magistrate’s role.