Canadian Lawyer

www.canadianlawyermag.com 19 Canadian Lawyer asked law firms and lawyers across Canada working in a wide range of practice areas to comment on topics that relate to what makes a five-star workplace. Both types of respondents answered questions ranging from the basics of pay and the types of benefits offered (including bonus structure, vacation, case file distribution) to broader questions such as diversity and workplace culture. From this, we were able to identify what qualities make for a five-star workplace. METHODOLOGY TIMES HAVE CHANGED when it comes to workplace culture in a law firm. Generally, they are more diverse in gender, race and reli- gion — though most would admit there's still a long way to go. And young lawyers joining a firm are far more willing to spell out what they are looking for when it comes to staying there for the long term. "What I find is that the younger gener- ation is a little less loyal — and I don't want to say that in a negative way," says Dario Pietrantonio, a partner with the long- standing intellectual property firm ROBIC, S.E.N.C.R.L./LLP based in Montreal. "What I am saying is that the up-and-coming genera- tion of lawyers always have their eyes open for different career paths," he says, and they want to be clear about the cases they will work on and the mentorship they will receive. They are also "more cognizant of quality-of-life issues such as workplace flexibility, and the impor- tance of family and friends as a key part of a successful career in law." By recognizing these trends, ROBIC has developed a workplace culture admired by those who work there. Among the comments about ROBIC, one employee says: "I have been with ROBIC for several years now and I think that the firm's greatest strength is its ability to adapt; ... there is room for new ideas, new needs, and the firm is evolving with us." Another lawyer at ROBIC describes the firm's openness "to new ideas, new proj- ects, new initiatives." Gauging the temperature of employee satisfaction The key to aiming for a five-star workplace involves figuring out what employees think and how they may react to new policies. Robin Lockhorst, the managing partner at McLeod Law LLP in Calgary, says that the first simple test is whether employees in a firm are "engaged and communicating." If not, there might be a problem. "Silence is not a good thing, as it means employees are likely disengaged," he says. But beyond taking stock of the general sense of engagement, Lockhorst says any firm that aims for becoming a five-star work- place must find more deliberate ways of figuring out if employees are happy. "It's not enough to sit back and just try to figure out the temperature of the water. You actually have to use a thermometer." As a result, McLeod conducts regular surveys, holds meetings with staff, and regu- larly schedules town hall meetings where people can ask questions and can expect answers from the firm's executive committee. "We try to use a very deliberate and active way of assessing things related to workplace satis- faction," he says. Thanks, at least in part, to McLeod's will- ingness to listen to employees, the comments employees gave in our survey all highlight the desire to focus on employee satisfaction. They range from "very good culture, reason- able expectations" to "encouraging autonomy and creativity." These qualities have helped create, as one lawyer wrote, "a strong culture of collaboration." "We want our model to be about reinvesting in everyone's future and making the practice better." Rob Miller, Miller Titerle + Company

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