Mirko Schade (Managing Partner) in an interview about the challenge of implementing a merger in everyone’s minds

Keller Schneider is on course for success and expansion with the merger. This requires a captain who can set the entire Team on course for a shared future and take on the challenge of change management within the Firm.

“A merger is always a team effort. It doesn’t just mean a legal and economic merger, but also particularly affects the interaction of all employees as a unit and has an impact on the entire corporate climate.”

Mirko Schade says this with conviction, because he knows exactly what he is talking about. After all, he plays a key role in our Firm. In this interview, we talk to him about his tasks.

Mr. Schade, what three key words describe your first year as Managing Partner?

I can think of the following ad hoc: change management, a lot of responsibility as well as prioritization and agreement on daily business and strategic issues.

As Managing Partner, I am responsible for the success and further development of Keller Schneider. This concerns strategic, economic and structural decisions for the future, but also applies to hands-on operational measures. Our merger was multi-dimensionally challenging. In addition to merging four Offices, there was also a generational change. Accordingly, we were also confronted with the classic issues. These challenges can only be met with consistent decisions, intensive communication and mutual understanding. I am driven by the Team idea that we can only be successful together. The experience and expertise of established employees play just as important a role as new input, ideas and the energy of younger employees. Respect, appreciation, but also commitment and loyalty are values that must be lived and implemented on a daily basis.

It is a balancing act in which you have to pursue your goal in a focused manner.

What activities do you enjoy most as a Managing Partner?

I am a vision-driven opportunist. For me, the glass is always half full and I see opportunities rather than risks. What excites me is planning the next steps, planning and driving forward the cross-Office and cross-border integration and internationalization of the Firm. I also appreciate the close exchange with our experienced partners.

We are on course for expansion. Being responsible for this as Your Contacts and not only setting this course strategically, but also implementing it in a practical and solution-oriented way in the Team, that’s what motivates me the most.

You also need to have some soft skills such as the ability to work in a team and communication skills – lone wolves have no place in this position.

And what has been the biggest challenge so far?

Clearly: the merger. It was legally completed, but when I became Managing Partner, it had to be implemented in the work processes and daily business of all employees. This process is still ongoing. Everyone in the Firm, including myself, is learning a lot and we are developing strongly and constantly – especially with regard to communication and internal work processes.

We are a modern firm with sustainable growth – also because the entire Team works together towards a common goal. This requires a positive corporate climate, which we have to work on continuously. This is not something that can be taken for granted.

What tasks have you already successfully completed as an MP or, to put it another way, is there one service that you would particularly highlight?

To see how the Team has successfully managed to emerge from the restructuring process with new common goals and ambitions is something I and we as a Firm are particularly proud of. There were always new challenges and there were always initiatives within the Team to master these new challenges. A joint success that is the achievement of all employees and partners.

The merger process has allowed us to grow once again, as the experience we have gained will flow directly into future projects. Ultimately, everyone benefits from clearly defined corporate value strategies, optimized work processes and a uniformly positive corporate culture with which our employees identify: not only us as a firm team, but above all our clients.

Managing Partner – a challenging position in law firm management that requires a lot of experience in a pragmatic hands-on mentality with an understanding of business, but also a high level of social and methodological competence.

Mirko Schade is not only the youngest partner at Keller Schneider, but with his legal and commercial entrepreneurial spirit, he also holds the reins of the Firm as MP. He always focuses on the team concept, is a mediator and organizer at the same time and always remains confidently approachable for everyone. More about MirkoSchade