One is the managing partner, elected by partners for a term of 3 years.
5 are board members, who rotate on the board for between 2 and 6 years..
There are 5 non-legal department leaders, and 3 sector committees. each lead by a partner.
There are 8 groups each with a group leaders.
For each partner there are about 2 to 5 lawyers – total legal staff approx. 190.
For each group of 4 – 6 lawyers there is a secretary.
There are also the support groups (IT, HR, finance, catering, etc).
Total partners and staff approximately 300.
Span of Control and Chain of Command
Most staff report up to more than one person. Legal staff work within groups and have someone they report to directly as well as to the partners in the group as a whole, and to the group leader. Non legal staff generally report up to the director of their department. Leaders of each group or department report to the managing partner, but there are also committees on particular issues who leaders may also report to. The managing partner works with a board elected by partners. The managing partner and board report back to the partnership.
Recruitment of Human Resources
Many junior lawyers are recruited through the summer clerk and graduate program. This involves law students coming in prior to their last year of university to work over the summer holidays and then staying on as paralegals during their last year, and returning as graduates once university has finished. HDY also recruits at all levels (for lawyers and non legal staff) through word of mouth and direct approach, and through recruitment agencies to fill gaps. Usually prospective employees send in a cv which is reviewed, the person then comes in for an interview with someone from HR and someone from the group they would work in, and then if they get through that interview, they return for a second interview with one or two people from the group they will work in.
Maintenance of Human Resources
HDY has many training and development programs for legal and non legal staff. Staff also have mentors as well as a person they report to, who has responsibility for their ongoing development and also their well being. Staff work in a team environment which assists with development and learning. Staff are encouraged to support their peers. Each group has a ‘people partner’ to take overall responsibility at a group level for staff development and well being, and the people partners meet regularly as a group with the director of HR to discuss any issues.
Employee Qualifactions
All legal staff require a law degree and must be admitted to practice in NSW. Partners require unrestricted practicing certificates. Each lawyer must complete 10 hours of CLE (continuing legal education) per annum, including in particular topics (ethics, equal opportunity). Non legal staff also have qualifications in their specific areas eg the finance department have accounting degrees, the IT department have technology qualifications, HR team members have training in human resources and people development, the catering team are trained chefs and wait staff, and secretaries have office management qualifications.