Compensation strikes again!

Today, a client called me to ask whether I know a compensation systems consultant who can help their firm create the right environment for non-equity partners to become equity partners. My response was i) compensation systems are a function of the firm culture and governance; ii) one first must analyze what the goals of the firm are and ought to be; iii) for any system to work, it must have the acceptance ("buy-in") of the principle stakeholders in the firm.

Most systems will work so long as the participants deem the system in place to be fair and reasonable. The system is better, in my opinion, when there are objective metrics in place. But, even subjective metrics work as long as the participants think there is fairness and justice working … with an appellate process in place that is also fair and just.

Oh, by the way, I concluded, I do that! <g>

Apropos of this conversation, I read that another law firm is being sued for unfair compensation system that works against the women in this firm. See my earlier post on this subject.

Categorized in: Cash Flow - Finances, Management