![\"Abstract](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.attorneyatwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Practice-Group-Leader-Effectiveness.jpg?resize=770%2C495&ssl=1\" "\\"\\"")
In a law firm, leadership is defined not just by title but by how effectively you collaborate across the organization.\u00a0Law firm practice group leaders (PGLs) sit at the intersection of client service, talent development and firmwide strategy. The most effective PGLs understand the power of strong peer relationships.<\/p>\n
Table of contents<\/h2>\n\n- What Sets Successful Practice Group Leaders Apart?<\/a>\n
\n- 1. Praise Other Practice Group Leaders in Public, Address Issues in Private<\/a><\/li>\n
- 2. Ask What Other Leaders Need, Then Deliver Without Overcommitting<\/a><\/li>\n
- 3. When Competing for Resources, Prioritize the Firm\u2019s Strategic Goals<\/a><\/li>\n
- 4. Before Challenging a Decision, \u2018Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood.\u2019<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
- The Bottom Line: The Firm Is the Message<\/a><\/li>\n
- More Reading on Law Firm Management<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n
What Sets Successful Practice Group Leaders Apart?<\/h2>\n
As we approach the new year, many firms will be selecting new practice group leaders to perform this critical role. Your success is primarily determined by the quality of your relationships with peers, including other PGLs, department heads and firm leadership. Here are four behaviors that PGLs can use to enhance collaboration, minimize friction, and increase their influence within the firm.<\/p>\n
1. Praise Other Practice Group Leaders in Public, Address Issues in Private<\/h3>\n
Publicly celebrating the successes of another practice group fosters a culture of collaboration and trust. Whether it\u2019s acknowledging outstanding work in a practice group meeting on a shared project or recognizing a colleague\u2019s contributions during a joint meeting of all PGLs, your praise demonstrates maturity and promotes partnership.<\/p>\n
On the other hand, publicly criticizing a peer or another department undermines credibility and can be seen as politically unwise.<\/p>\n
2. Ask What Other Leaders Need, Then Deliver Without Overcommitting<\/h3>\n
A powerful leadership practice is asking: <\/p>\n
\u201cWhat do you \u2014 and your group \u2014 need from us to move this matter or develop new business?\u201d <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\nThis creates alignment and positions you as a collaborative leader. Just be sure not to over-commit. Transparency preserves trust, and reliability builds long-term credibility.<\/p>\n
Ultimately, a practice group leader\u2019s effectiveness is measured by the quality of these peer relationships.<\/p>\n
3. When Competing for Resources, Prioritize the Firm\u2019s Strategic Goals<\/h3>\n
Effective leaders advocate for headcount, budget, or marketing support by framing their requests around the firm\u2019s mission rather than departmental interests. The strongest PGLs elevate conversations to:<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat advances the firm the most?\u201d <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\nIf another practice group has a stronger claim to resources, conceding gracefully shows maturity and sound judgment.<\/p>\n
4. Before Challenging a Decision, \u2018Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood.\u2019<\/h3>\n
Disagreements are inevitable. Instead of responding with immediate critique, start with curiosity:<\/p>\n
\u201cCould you share the thought process that guided your approach?\u201d <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\nThis question helps reveal underlying assumptions, key pressure points and the reasoning behind your decisions. Many leadership misalignments arise not from ill intentions but rather from divergent information or conflicting priorities. Understanding this can enable better collaboration and decision-making.<\/p>\n
The Bottom Line: The Firm Is the Message<\/h2>\n
Practice group leaders influence the firm\u2019s culture and direction. Those who publicly celebrate others, address problems privately, collaborate honestly, avoid territorial conflicts, and approach disagreements with curiosity are leaders who uplift the entire firm and those who practice there.<\/p>\n
\nMore Reading on Law Firm Management<\/h2>\n\n- Legal Leadership: How to Future-Proof Your Law Firm<\/a> by Wendy Merrill<\/li>\n
- The 3 Most Common Conflicts in Law Firms and How to Resolve Them<\/a> by Wendy Merrill<\/li>\n
- Art of Steering the Ship: The Essential Management Toolkit for Practice Group Leaders<\/a> by Yuliya\u00a0LaRoe<\/li>\n
- The Law Firm Ecosystem: Recruiting Your Team<\/a> by Erik Mazzone<\/li>\n
- \u201cBlack Box\u201d Comp Plans vs. Percentage-Based Comp Plans<\/a>\u00a0by Erik Mazzone<\/li>\n
- Best Compensation Plans Follow the Rule of Thirds<\/a>\u00a0by Brooke Lively<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.attorneyatwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Smart-Growth-Strategies-770x495-Type.jpg?resize=770%2C495&ssl=1\" "\\"\\"")
<\/a><\/figure>\n\nStop Guessing, Start Growing<\/strong><\/p>\nA cluster of transformative trends is set to rock the legal industry. How will you shore up your practice\u2019s business model? Download this complimentary guide to Smart Growth Strategies for Midmarket and Smaller Law Firms<\/a>, prepared by Gene Commander Inc and Attorney at Work.<\/p>\n\nGet the Guide<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nImage \u00a9 iStockPhoto.com. <\/p>\n
\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.attorneyatwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/AttorneyatWork-Logo-%C2%AE-2021-1.jpg?resize=372%2C106&ssl=1\" "\\"\\"")
<\/a><\/figure>\n\nSign up for Attorney at Work\u2019s daily practice tips newsletter here<\/a> and subscribe to our podcast<\/a>, Attorney at Work Today.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Tea Hoffman shares four behaviors practice group leaders can use to enhance collaboration, minimize friction, and increase their influence in the firm. The post 4 Ways Effective Practice Group Leaders Build Strong Peer Relationships appeared first on Articles, Tips and Tech for Law Firms and Lawyers. The best practice group leaders are skilled collaborators and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-139116","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-legal_matters"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/139116","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=139116"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/139116\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=139116"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=139116"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=139116"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
- \n
- 1. Praise Other Practice Group Leaders in Public, Address Issues in Private<\/a><\/li>\n
- 2. Ask What Other Leaders Need, Then Deliver Without Overcommitting<\/a><\/li>\n
- 3. When Competing for Resources, Prioritize the Firm\u2019s Strategic Goals<\/a><\/li>\n
- 4. Before Challenging a Decision, \u2018Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood.\u2019<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
- The Bottom Line: The Firm Is the Message<\/a><\/li>\n
- More Reading on Law Firm Management<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n
What Sets Successful Practice Group Leaders Apart?<\/h2>\n
As we approach the new year, many firms will be selecting new practice group leaders to perform this critical role. Your success is primarily determined by the quality of your relationships with peers, including other PGLs, department heads and firm leadership. Here are four behaviors that PGLs can use to enhance collaboration, minimize friction, and increase their influence within the firm.<\/p>\n
1. Praise Other Practice Group Leaders in Public, Address Issues in Private<\/h3>\n
Publicly celebrating the successes of another practice group fosters a culture of collaboration and trust. Whether it\u2019s acknowledging outstanding work in a practice group meeting on a shared project or recognizing a colleague\u2019s contributions during a joint meeting of all PGLs, your praise demonstrates maturity and promotes partnership.<\/p>\n
On the other hand, publicly criticizing a peer or another department undermines credibility and can be seen as politically unwise.<\/p>\n
2. Ask What Other Leaders Need, Then Deliver Without Overcommitting<\/h3>\n
A powerful leadership practice is asking: <\/p>\n
\u201cWhat do you \u2014 and your group \u2014 need from us to move this matter or develop new business?\u201d <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n
This creates alignment and positions you as a collaborative leader. Just be sure not to over-commit. Transparency preserves trust, and reliability builds long-term credibility.<\/p>\n
Ultimately, a practice group leader\u2019s effectiveness is measured by the quality of these peer relationships.<\/p>\n
3. When Competing for Resources, Prioritize the Firm\u2019s Strategic Goals<\/h3>\n
Effective leaders advocate for headcount, budget, or marketing support by framing their requests around the firm\u2019s mission rather than departmental interests. The strongest PGLs elevate conversations to:<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat advances the firm the most?\u201d <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n
If another practice group has a stronger claim to resources, conceding gracefully shows maturity and sound judgment.<\/p>\n
4. Before Challenging a Decision, \u2018Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood.\u2019<\/h3>\n
Disagreements are inevitable. Instead of responding with immediate critique, start with curiosity:<\/p>\n
\u201cCould you share the thought process that guided your approach?\u201d <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n
This question helps reveal underlying assumptions, key pressure points and the reasoning behind your decisions. Many leadership misalignments arise not from ill intentions but rather from divergent information or conflicting priorities. Understanding this can enable better collaboration and decision-making.<\/p>\n
The Bottom Line: The Firm Is the Message<\/h2>\n
Practice group leaders influence the firm\u2019s culture and direction. Those who publicly celebrate others, address problems privately, collaborate honestly, avoid territorial conflicts, and approach disagreements with curiosity are leaders who uplift the entire firm and those who practice there.<\/p>\n
\nMore Reading on Law Firm Management<\/h2>\n
- \n
- Legal Leadership: How to Future-Proof Your Law Firm<\/a> by Wendy Merrill<\/li>\n
- The 3 Most Common Conflicts in Law Firms and How to Resolve Them<\/a> by Wendy Merrill<\/li>\n
- Art of Steering the Ship: The Essential Management Toolkit for Practice Group Leaders<\/a> by Yuliya\u00a0LaRoe<\/li>\n
- The Law Firm Ecosystem: Recruiting Your Team<\/a> by Erik Mazzone<\/li>\n
- \u201cBlack Box\u201d Comp Plans vs. Percentage-Based Comp Plans<\/a>\u00a0by Erik Mazzone<\/li>\n
- Best Compensation Plans Follow the Rule of Thirds<\/a>\u00a0by Brooke Lively<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n\nStop Guessing, Start Growing<\/strong><\/p>\n
A cluster of transformative trends is set to rock the legal industry. How will you shore up your practice\u2019s business model? Download this complimentary guide to Smart Growth Strategies for Midmarket and Smaller Law Firms<\/a>, prepared by Gene Commander Inc and Attorney at Work.<\/p>\n
\nGet the Guide<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nImage \u00a9 iStockPhoto.com. <\/p>\n
\n<\/a><\/figure>\n\nSign up for Attorney at Work\u2019s daily practice tips newsletter here<\/a> and subscribe to our podcast<\/a>, Attorney at Work Today.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Tea Hoffman shares four behaviors practice group leaders can use to enhance collaboration, minimize friction, and increase their influence in the firm. The post 4 Ways Effective Practice Group Leaders Build Strong Peer Relationships appeared first on Articles, Tips and Tech for Law Firms and Lawyers. The best practice group leaders are skilled collaborators and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-139116","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-legal_matters"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/139116","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=139116"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/139116\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=139116"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=139116"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=139116"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
- The 3 Most Common Conflicts in Law Firms and How to Resolve Them<\/a> by Wendy Merrill<\/li>\n
- 2. Ask What Other Leaders Need, Then Deliver Without Overcommitting<\/a><\/li>\n