Page 15 - Minnesota Vol 8 No 4

were spending their time. It also interviewed clients about what the rm was doing well and not doing well.
“In the end, we took the inter- nal data and thinking combined with the external feedback and created a new tool for budget- ing these matters and tracking work against a budget. We cre- ated something clients didn’t even know they wanted. We got ahead of their need and provided more value to our cost in ways we didn’t know were possible. A client told us, ‘No one else brought this so- lution to us, and no one com- municates about the work being done the way you’re doing it.’ Just being a really good lawyer is the minimum of what is expected. We will do that no matter what. But now we are challenged with delivering legal services in ways that are business-oriented, giving solutions for value. Value isn’t the lowest price; it is the most bene t for all cost inputs.”
CREATING A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE THRIVE IN CAREERS THEY CHOOSE
Ryan believes that helping peo- ple succeed does not come from a top-down approach. Rather, it comes from an inclusive and con- tinually evolving one.
At this year’s annual meeting, Briggs invited all of its roughly 300 personnel to the top oor of the IDS Center for a new kind of discussion. “In the past, we’d usu- ally have the managing partner talking about their perspectives on the rm market and to cel- ebrate our past successes,” Ryan said. “We changed the format to bring a panel that was a cross-sec- tion of attorneys and operations professionals, and asked them to share their views on the same strategic and business questions leadership has been grappling with. It helped to hear from peo- ple across the spectrum about the challenges and opportunities that exist and their ideas for change. is was the start of something we’re going to continue here. We want to be a team of professionals who collaborate and hear di er- ent perspectives, and are not just
looking for success on our own.” He continued, “It all goes back to why this rm exists and the purpose of our business. We want to continue focusing on the suc- cess of our clients, people and community. As professionals, we are responding to all these con- stituencies and engaging in all di- mensions of the practice. I think the result is that we are a more vibrant and robust law rm, po- sitioned in the market as people who are making the most of their talents and capacities to keep ful- lling our purpose in new and in-
ventive ways.”
CULTIVATING CHANGE IN THE LEGAL PROFESSION
Rainhart came to her opera- tions post through unconven- tional means as a former human resources and talent o cer inside large rms, and she brings a peo- ple- rst interpretation to her role. She is known as a change agent in the legal profession, a role that isn’t always easy. “We’re not making a product here,” she said. “We’re not running an assembly line, and we’re not a store. We are our people. We start with human beings and what motivates them, and we use that understanding to help our leadership understand how to create the right internal dynamic so we can create the re- sults our clients need.”
She continued, “Steve has out- standing instincts. It’s fun to work with somebody who has new ideas in a law rm leader role. Our goal is to create an outstand- ing client experience by creating an outstanding internal rm ex- perience for our people. In order to do that, we have to be bold and try new things. We have to experiment, even if things don’t go perfectly the rst time. To do that, leadership has to be willing to listen to other people and take direction and feedback from our colleagues. Our job is to come in every day and make the rm as strong as possible going forward, based on what our market needs now and in the future, not to maintain what we’ve had. Change is not in front of us anymore; we are stepping into it.”
A Client’s Perspective
“Having the opportunity to work with Steve Ryan and the executive leadership team of Briggs and Morgan has been a powerful catalyst to allow the Minnesota Vikings to effectively accomplish the many business and legal goals we have established as a franchise. Steve Ryan and the executive leadership team has provided both our franchise, and me speci cally, straight-forward, honest, creative, and timely advice well beyond the “normal” law rm. Our entire business and legal operation has bene ted from the counsel provided on a daily basis to us by Steve and his team. The complex and demanding environment of professional sports, especially the National Football League, requires a law rm that provides both legal and business advice from individuals who treat our business as if we were family. For the last decade, I have communicated with a lawyer from Briggs nearly on a daily basis. They deserve so much credit for what we have been able to accomplish.”
-Kevin Warren, Chief Operating Of cer, Minnesota Vikings
Briggs and Morgan, PA
2200 IDS Center
80 South Eighth Street Minneapolis, MN 55402 (612) 977-8400 briggs.com