Well, I care about engagement very much. We are a people business – our success relies on all of us being engaged and giving our best, regardless of whether we are a lawyer or a Business Services professional.

Working in a firm like ours shouldn’t be a 9 to 5 existence, or “a transactional relationship”.

We should be working together to deliver the full strength of the Firm on whatever task we are working on, whether it’s a client-orientated initiative or an internally-focused task.

If we are truly engaged we know we can initiate change, that we can alter the way we work, that we can challenge the status quo.

If we are engaged, we go the extra mile. And we go the extra mile when we think “this is worthwhile”, “it is enjoyable”, “I feel committed” and (even) “this is fun”. That type of engagement is what will help us realise our shared goals.

“We should be working together
to deliver the full strength
of the Firm on whatever
task we are working on.”

On the right track

So how are we doing on engagement? Well, achieving the financial results we did in 2017 wouldn’t have been possible if we hadn’t been giving our best.

Our engagement scores in external surveys such as Vault, Above The Law and RollonFriday have all improved markedly over the last few years, both in absolute and relative terms.

The working environment in many of our offices is improving and engagement in the New York office during our Global Partner Meeting this year was tangible. So we are doing well.

But it doesn’t mean that we think we have done all we can do. It’s still difficult to get people to do things.

For example, in London, why do we struggle to find interviewers to turn up to trainee interviews? Why is it so difficult to arrange Summer Associate events? Why do we need to be chased to respond to calendar invitations? Why do we (partners) sit on conflicts emails?

These may be small examples but they are important and aren’t always due to being short on time. So there is more to do and there are some things we are putting in place to help us do it.

The importance of feedback

I’m a big believer in surveys as a tool to help prove to sceptical lawyers that x or y needs to change.

The London employee engagement survey has been tremendously helpful in providing insights into how everyone in London feels we’re doing in areas that matter to them.

The surveys began in 2010 and we have learnt a huge amount since then about where we can improve in certain areas, such as making a team in London feel valued, improving our working environment and working practices, the bonus scheme, plus the quality of food and meeting rooms!

“We are determined to
look closely at what
you tell us and to devise
global and local action
plans to address
your feedback.”

This year we will run a global engagement survey, which will help us understand where we need to improve on the deal we have made with you, the deal that we recently set out in our Employee Value Proposition.

And we are determined to look closely at what you tell us and to devise global and local action plans to address your feedback.

So please look out for the survey later this year and take the opportunity to tell us where we can improve – your opinion is vital to make the right changes to create true engagement.

Why values are critical

There is a lot of evidence – including from the management consultants, McKinsey – that organizations with strong, shared values perform better than their peers. I also have four of my own reasons why values are important:

First, many of our clients are increasingly values-led and they expect their law firms to be the same. It’s something they are asking us about more and more when we pitch for business.

“We are well aware that
our values are becoming
increasingly important
when candidates make
their choice of firm.”

Secondly, our people expect it. As we look to attract the best talent, we are well aware that our values are becoming increasingly important when candidates make their choice of firm; they want a clear basis for an informed choice.

Thirdly, having the correct set of values will help us achieve our vision. You achieve great financial success where the organisation can see where it is going and why it is heading there, and understanding the values behind our strategy is as important as knowing the strategy itself.

Finally, we all know the consequences to our reputation if everyone across the business fails to live up to acceptable values. The example of UK charity Oxfam is just the latest evidence of the long-term damage this can cause.

What next for our values?

We would all probably agree that White & Case has values, but the challenge as a global firm is to share them consistently across the entire business, so they are the same, regardless of where we are.

For instance, do we hold the same values in London as we do in Tokyo or Paris or Washington? And then, importantly, does the Firm uphold those values and have the courage to call out those who don’t abide by them?

Over the coming months, we will be working to identify a consistent set of values for White & Case.

We are currently deciding our approach, but my expectation is that we will consult with a large number of you for your input, before agreeing a set of values that we believe will relate to each and every one of us regardless of role or location, and to not only be relevant for White & Case as it is today, but to reflect the law firm we aspire to be in the future.

Please be part of our engagement story and make your mark on our future success.