Law Practice Management Tip - January 2006

All management tips are provided by State Bar of Texas and ABA Practice Management Advisors. The tips are not meant as legal advice, nor binding on the State Bar of Texas or the ABA.

Did you know that with the new year upon us, it may be perfect time for associate evaluations in your firm.? The process of evaluating associate performance should not be a one-time event. Hopefully, you have been communicating with your associates as to their strengths and weaknesses, successes and failures throughout the year. But, if you have not, be sure to be prepared to do so during a formal evaluation meeting with the associate and make a new year's resolution to provide informal feedback to your associates throughout the year beginning January 1. Be sure that your year-end evaluation is based upon performance criteria that has been established and communicated to the associates. An evaluation form which enumerates these criteria and provides a scale for rating performance might be a helpful aid to focus the evaluation on the established criteria. Associates should be evaluated only by those partners who have had significant direct contact and experience with the associate. The evaluation meeting should include those same partners. Finally, it might be wise to separate the formal evaluation meeting from the meeting where salary raises and bonuses are communicated. You don't want the associate to fail to hear your constructive criticisms because he or she is focused on the amount of raise and bonus they have received.