A firm retreat can be a powerful tool for creating a bond among lawyers, as well as providing a forum for firm growth and change. Retreats are often the only time that the entire partnership or firm meets for an extended period of time to discuss critical issues, exchange views and make hard decisions about the firm’s direction and strategies. We have years of experience with firms of various sizes in strategic planning and leading and facilitating retreats. Firms benefit from using an independent facilitator to address important issues such as strategic planning, business development, and compensation. We work with firm management and the partners prior to the retreat to determine the key issues and concerns and to set a workable, achievable agenda. We believe that most firms fail to capitalize on the time and effort expended at a retreat due to the lack of follow-up. This creates the usual cycle of skepticism on the part of the firm’s partners as to the value of strategic planning and retreats in general. In order to provide the firm with the full benefits of the decisions made at a retreat, we provide retreat follow-up consulting that helps firm management and lawyers effectively implement the agreed upon strategies and action plans – thereby taking theory and putting it into practice.