The Power Behind the Throne: Lawyers managing Founders’ and Managing Partners’ Office

The modern Executive Assistant (EA) is no longer confined to managing calendars or handling administrative tasks. Today, they are stakeholder managers and crisis navigators, helping leaders with strategic decision-making. Unlike a Personal Assistant (PA), who primarily handles personal chores, an EA focuses on making a professional difference by taking on responsibilities that directly support the leader’s strategic goals. This distinction is crucial—while both roles are important, the EAs have now transitioned to larger roles as professionals who manage the offices of Founders and Managing Partners in a law firm. In their new roles, their influence extends far beyond routine tasks, often positioning them as the backbone of executive leadership.

In this article, the authors discuss how these roles present an unconventional yet highly rewarding career path for young professionals, particularly lawyers. With thousands of law graduates entering the profession each year and enhanced interest in lawyers to explore unconventional opportunities, exploring working with a Managing Partner or Chairman of a law firm offers a unique blend of legal exposure and strategic growth. This article explores the transformative potential of such roles, their evolution, and the pathways they open for career advancement.

At its core, the difference between an EA and a PA lies in the scope of their responsibilities. A PA manages personal tasks—scheduling appointments, handling household errands, or coordinating travel for the executive’s family. In contrast, an EA operates at a higher professional level, ensuring the executive’s work life runs seamlessly. Some of the key areas where a professional handling Founders’ and Managing Partners’ office packs a punch above their weight include:

• Strategic Decision-Making: Acting as a proxy for the executive in meetings or communications.

• Stakeholder Management: Liaising with clients, vendors, service providers, collaborators and internal teams.

• Crisis Navigation: Addressing high-stakes issues before they escalate.

• Project Leadership: Overseeing compliance of critical initiatives on behalf of the executive, ensuring that the progress is aligned with the timelines.

For lawyers, this distinction is particularly relevant – they don’t just handle research or clerical work; they become the right hand of the Founders and Managing Partners, equipping them with all the necessary inputs required to shape the firm’s strategic directions.

The legal profession faces a paradox: an abundance of law graduates but a scarcity of remunerative and rewarding traditional career opportunities, at least in the formative years of the professional journey. Many young lawyers struggle to secure roles in litigation or corporate law, leaving them searching for alternative pathways. Handling Founders’ and Managing Partners’ offices in a law firm is one such avenue—one that offers unparalleled exposure to the inner workings of legal practice and business.

1. Legal Acumen: Lawyers understand legal terminology, drafting, and the nuances of client correspondence, making them ideal for managing high-stakes communications.

2. Strategic Insight: They can serve as sounding boards for case strategies, mergers, or firm governance, contributing meaningfully to decision-making. They prepare briefs and documents, analyse data for case strategies, and even represent the executive in internal discussions.

3. Practice Management: They gain hands-on experience in business development, client relations, and workflow optimization—skills rarely taught in law school. They often act as the first point of contact for high-profile clients and coordinate with other Partners, lawyers and members of business support.

4. Running the Partner’s Office: They oversee schedules, prioritize tasks, and ensure that the Partner’s focus remains on high-value work.

Lawyers managing the Founders’ or Managing Partners’ office get a masterclass of sorts in legal entrepreneurship - providing a front-row seat to how law firms operate.

One of the most compelling aspects of such roles is their potential as a launchpad for leadership. Unlike traditional legal roles, which may silo professionals into specific practice areas, these roles offer a holistic view of the business. This breadth of experience opens doors to diverse career trajectories:

1. Returning to Mainstream Legal Practice: Professionals who later transition to litigation or corporate law bring a unique edge: they understand the business side of law. Their experience in client management, firm operations, and strategic planning makes them more versatile practitioners.

2. Transitioning to Business Support Roles: Many professionals, after being a part of the Founders’ and Managing Partners’ office, move into operations, knowledge management, or corporate communications within law firms or other industries. Their cross-functional expertise is invaluable in these roles.

3. Ascending to CXO-Level Positions: Such roles, including the roles of an EA, are increasingly recognized as a grooming ground for future executives. Drawing examples from other sectors, Natarajan Chandrasekaran (Chairman of Tata Sons, former EA) or Debashish Vanikar (President of Pidilite Industries), illustrate how those providing assistance to executives during their early stages of work often rise to the highest echelons of leadership.

The corporate world is replete with examples of EAs who leveraged their roles to achieve remarkable success – including Ann Hiatt, Former EA to Jeff Bezos, who played a pivotal role in Amazon’s leadership operations and Rajiv Dube, who Started as an EA to Ratan Tata and rose to become Executive Director of the Aditya Birla Group.

For lawyers, this means that handling the offices of a Founder or a Managing Partner isn’t a detour, it’s an accelerator. The skills acquired—strategic thinking, stakeholder management, and operational agility—are transferable to any leadership role, legal or otherwise.

For lawyers—especially those seeking unconventional pathways and the roads less travelled—handling the office of a Founder or Managing Partner and providing them executive assistance is a hidden gem. It combines legal expertise with business strategy, offering a rare opportunity to shape the future of a firm while building transferable leadership skills. It isn’t just a job – it’s an internship in leadership. It’s a chance to stay connected to the law while learning the art of managing a legal practice and a proven springboard to the C-suite.

The power behind the throne isn’t just about supporting leaders—it’s about becoming one.

About the authors: Rajesh Narain Gupta is the Founder and Chairman of SNG & Partners and Nipun K Bhatiaa is the CEO of Legal League Consulting.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s). The opinions presented do not necessarily reflect the views of Bar & Bench.

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