MMS’ investment in people pays off

Awarding the firm IIP silver accreditation, IIP assessor Stephen McQuillan praised the firm for its support and development of staff, both junior and senior, and said MMS now stood out in comparison to other organisations.

He said: “Having supported MMS for six years, I have been very encouraged by the evidence from the last two assessments where it has been clear that the firm’s approach to employee engagement and development is producing effective outcomes. “The evidence I observed at the firm stood out from what I have seen in other organisations with, in particular, some impressive examples of how employees and leaders have been supported and developed. I am looking forward to supporting the firm build on its key strengths.”

The UK-wide commercial law firm has long put its people at the heart of its approach to business, and in recent years has stepped up its programme of support and development for staff. The approach was reflected in the latest round of promotions, which saw 40 lawyers moving up within the organisation. It was the largest round of promotions since the start of the recession, with twice as many movers as last year.

MMS has worked with IIP for a number of years and has been able to use IIP’s framework to identify the areas that have the greatest bearing on operational performance and direct the firm’s resources accordingly. The framework has also allowed the firm to benchmark itself against the very best organisations worldwide.

Kenneth Shand, chief executive of MMS, said: “This status recognises the way the firm has adopted best practices in people management. “The accreditation, which is an independent assessment based upon the candid feedback of employees, represents a strong platform and gives us all great confidence for the future.”