US study links firm profits to the appearance of managing partners

Law firms looking to bolster their profits might want to consider electing a managing partner with powerful looks. An new study published in Social Psychological and Personality Science has suggested that law firm profits might be linked to the appearance of their managing partners. The study examined photographs of 73 managing partners from leading US firms, judging them on the basis of “dominance, maturity, attractiveness, likability, and trustworthiness.” The study found that the appearance of dominance and maturity were strong predictors of law firm profitability. Managing partners with particularly profitable faces include Robert Sheehan, the former head of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom; Kenneth Doran of Gibson Dunn & Crutcher, and John Montgomery of Ropes & Gray.

US study links firm profits to the appearance of managing partners blogs.wsj.com Wed, Oct 27, 2010