Some firms have good self-awareness and use tools, such as client surveys, to stay somewhat on top of how they are perceived. Nonetheless, it is impossible to cover every outside constituency and what firms don't know can be costly. For example, consider a situation as straightforward as one in which a fourth-year associate at another firm is bullied or otherwise mistreated by a lawyer at what we'll call "Firm A." No one from Firm A may hear about this, as the only persons in the room are the two lawyers, the witness and the court reporter.

Let's assume that the fourth-year associate eventually blossoms into a partner with a multimillion-dollar practice who eschews considering Firm A when he moves some day (even though it could have been a wonderful home), because his mistreatment by a single lawyer in that firm still resonates with him. Or, even worse, that lawyer may have moved in house and, at some point, may end up playing an instrumental role in ensuring that Firm A is not hired because he cannot forget that incident from many years ago.

Firms often point to their well-written mission statements, informative websites, strategic brand building efforts (such as advertising and sponsorships), contributions from public relations firms, and general marketing campaigns as a means to avoid and ameliorate these issues. Each one of these is an important part of a firm's arsenal and can be quite helpful. Nonetheless, reputations are built and tarnished by what happens on a daily basis, whether it is in a courtroom or outside of the office. No matter how artful or compelling a marketing or PR effort may be, it cannot mask what occurs in the trenches, which is where the attention ultimately should lie. In this article, I will offer a few suggestions as to principles that should be instilled, which, if followed, should go a long way toward building a strong reputation for a firm.

A CULTURE OF RESPECT SHOULD PERMEATE THE FIRM

Young lawyers, especially litigators, are often "raised" in environments in which every matter, whether it is a trial or even a simple motion to compel, is tantamount to a battle between good and evil. This can lead to regrettable behavior, even from lawyers who otherwise are good, decent people. As noted, this can have long-term consequences for the firm and for the lawyers who are involved. It is incumbent upon partners and more senior associates to teach their more junior brethren that great results can be achieved while acting honorably -- the two concepts can work hand in hand.

This credo should similarly be instilled within the confines of the firm. Every person in a firm merits being treated with respect, whether it is the managing partner or a temporary employee who is filling in as a messenger in the mail room. Lawyers can subconsciously begin to believe that snappish or oafish behavior is acceptable, even when they instinctively know better.

I can recall speaking with a fellow in-house lawyer (earlier in my career) who worked at a competitor in our industry. I told him that I was very surprised to learn that he had hired a particular firm for a major piece of litigation, when another firm in his city had recently won a similar case. He matter-of-factly related that he would never hire that other firm since a good friend of his from law school had been treated poorly by the lead partner in that other firm while the friend was a young associate. The in-house lawyer did not want his company to be associated with such a person, no matter how big the case was.

QUALITY ALWAYS MATTERS

Although this is a basic precept, it is one that cannot be forgotten: If you are going to do something, do it well. This understandably has become more challenging today, as the pressure on private practice lawyers to keep costs in line by completing tasks as efficiently as possible has become unrelenting.

I am quite cognizant of that reality and am not suggesting that simple e-mails, quick client updates and straightforward memoranda be treated as if they are appellate briefs that will be scrutinized by a Supreme Court justice. If a client only requests a "B" level product, it makes no sense to spend many additional hours to crank out an "A" document, especially if those extra hours cannot be billed.

Nevertheless, there often can be a wide range within that "B" level, and whenever possible, one should err on the side of turning out a product at the upper end of that spectrum, as your reputation and that of the firm will follow that document forever. This may trigger the sometimes uncomfortable dance between a partner who doesn't want extra time billed that will have to be written off, and the associate who already is working hard and is reluctant to eat hours on his own, but it is a tension that needs to be resolved so that quality is not forsaken.

PICK THE BEST LEADER FOR YOUR FIRM

Much like the modern manager of a major sports franchise, the job description of a law firm managing partner, CEO or chairman is much broader than it was years ago. Today, a firm leader needs to be financially astute, must be facile in dealing with the press, should be a good "face" for the firm publicly, must be adept at managing sometimes challenging personalities and offices (who they may rarely see because of geography), and ideally should be an indefatigable and effective recruiter. In addition to those skills, the managing partner often sets the tone for the organization, and through his actions, helps to define its reputation, so his personal characteristics and ethos are vitally important.

In light of this, it is incumbent on partners to not simply let this role fall to the most powerful person in the firm, or, if there is a leadership vacuum, to allow the job to go to the person who simply is willing to do it. In the former case, it just may be that the most important partner in the firm happens to be imbued with all or most of the key characteristics that have been outlined here. If that is the situation, and the partner has the time (or can find it somehow), a firm would be very fortunate to have him at the helm, especially since he has the gravitas to make things happen.

However, if such a person is lacking in some of those key areas, putting him in the top spot can damage a firm's reputation (inside and out). This is particularly the case if such a person is imbued with a healthy ego, as leadership to him may be akin to an intoxicating tonic that may be drunkenly quaffed as readily as if he were gulping water at the end of a Saharan marathon.

The latter scenario, in which a caretaker ascends to the throne, may trigger more subtle reputational issues. Of course, there are times when any organization may benefit greatly from having a placeholder at the top, as it may be a period in which the firm needs to regroup or otherwise would benefit from stability. In other cases, though, some major partners may bless such a selection if they know that they will be paid well and that the managing partner essentially will not create any waves. This can be harmful if stronger, more captivating alternatives exist (even though the environment in the firm may be benign), as deficiencies in any of the areas of responsibility noted above can impact the firm. This is especially true if the person lacks verve and doesn't inspire confidence, which are quite important in tough times. Additionally, as most things flow from the top, there may be a similar concern that it is acceptable to be good, but not great.

ALWAYS ASSUME YOU'RE IN THE PUBLIC EYE

We really do live in an Orwellian world, in which GPS devices, smart phones, satellites and cameras track our movements. Unless one is a Luddite who lives a Unabomber type of existence in the remote wilderness, even many actions inside of our homes are externally tracked, whether they are individual keystrokes (thanks to distinct IP addresses) or something as simple as the cataloguing of TV shows we watch.

In light of this, it is important for lawyers to never forget that they are always in the public eye, whether this entails their daily commute on the train, a routine trip to the grocery store, or sitting in the stands watching a child play in a Little League game. They are still "on the clock" as it relates to their (and their firm's) reputation in such settings, so it behooves them to always act professionally. Let me offer an example.

A law firm more than 1,000 miles outside of my home market flew me in to discuss a retained search for a key partner need. During our meeting, we spent considerable time talking about several target partners, which included a review of their bios and accomplishments. My return trip was delayed, which led to me sitting at a relatively empty airport gate on a quiet Saturday morning. Imagine my surprise when one of the target partners, who surely had no idea who I was, sat down across from me (any doubts I may have had about his identity were quelled when he plopped his briefcase -- which was emblazoned with his firm's name -- on the ground next to him).

I then proceeded to watch in horror as this rather slovenly dressed lawyer sprawled out over his seat and starting chomping on his breakfast as if he were Secretariat munching his last bale of hay. His repast was followed by a series of cell phone calls with escalating volume and obnoxiousness. I retreated to another area, secure in knowing that he was now off the candidate list, as the conservative firm who had identified him would never have countenanced such behavior. The partner had hurt himself and his firm and likely had no idea.

TEACH YOUR LAWYERS TO DO THE RIGHT THING

Finally, as trite as it may sound, if there is one principle that you can espouse as a golden rule, it would be for the lawyers in your firm to "do the right thing." It is easy to compile such a list of Do's and Don'ts as it relates to practicing -- malpractice carriers are happy to provide such information. It is impossible, though, to come up with any type of all-encompassing inventory of what one can or cannot do when it relates to a firm's reputation, as there simply are too many scenarios and permutations. Nevertheless, if your firm's lawyers are taught to listen to that inner voice of reason and fairness that speaks to them when they are in uncharted waters, and it is a voice that your firm has helped shape over time by instilling the importance of acting honorably, it should almost always lead them in the right direction.