Firms that have multiple lawyers in the same practice who can land marquee clients are in an enviable position. However, if not managed correctly this advantage can quickly turn into a nightmare for the firm.
The McLaren Formula 1 team has this problem. They have two incredible drivers who could each be world champion but only one can stand on the top step. To maximize the team’s success without hindering either of their drivers, they have developed the “Papaya Rules.” The rules are basically race hard but clean, with a team‑first mentality and no contact between teammates.
With a few tweaks these rules could easily be adapted for law firms with multiple high-performing lawyers, encouraging competition while protecting the firm.
What the Papaya Rules Are, And Why They Work
McLaren’s Papaya Rules are a driver code of conduct rooted in fairness, clean racing, and a team‑first mentality. The principle is deceptively simple: both drivers are free to fight, but they must give each other space, avoid contact, and protect the team’s result. The rules are reinforced in race‑time radio messages, reviewed after flashpoints, and continuously refined as circumstances change. Crucially, McLaren does not designate a “number one” driver, even under championship pressure.
This balancing act is exactly the challenge a firm faces when two rainmakers share a practice universe and are regularly trying to outdo one another.
Translating Racing to the Partnership: The Papaya Principles for Law Firms
At a law firm, “racing clean” means channeling competitive energy into client‑winning behaviour without eroding culture, economics, or brand. Papaya Rules for a firm could be:
- Team first, always – When in doubt, do the thing that grows firm value, not lawyer scorecards.
- Compete hard but clean – Don’t battle other members of the firm and don’t engage in client/matter poaching.
- No collisions – If two partners square off for the same opportunity, the process, not politics, decides.
- Equal opportunity – By default, there is no “number one” partner. If the business case supports a preference (e.g., client continuity or sector expertise), communicate it, document it, and balance it later.
- Evolving guidelines – When something awkward happens, adjust and keep trust intact.
Business Development is the Pit Wall
On track, racers execute; the pit wall calls strategy.
In firms, Business Development is the pit wall. It supplies data, sequencing, and communication that enable “hard but clean” competition. Done right, BD helps remove ambiguity before it becomes drama.
Let Internal Competition Drive Success
Healthy rivalry can be great for the firm. Unhealthy rivalry will ruin a firm. The moment star lawyers believe the firm prefers one partner over another is the moment the culture pays and the firm’s long‑term health is at risk.
“Winning at all costs” cannot be the answer. Lawyers should be allowed to win as fiercely as your firm allows, provided they are not trading future trust, culture, or client clarity for a short‑term bump.
When tension spikes, management needs to step back and ask, “What outcome is best for the firm?” then choose an intervention to achieve the firm result.
Lando Norris vs. Oscar Piastri, Partner A vs. Partner B: Some Light‑Hearted Parallels
Every firm has its Lando and Oscar. One is blisteringly quick with outright pace; the other’s racecraft and consistency under pressure wins on Sundays. The point of Papaya Rules is not to prevent hard moves; it’s to make sure those moves don’t send a McLaren car into the barriers.
For F1 fans, these examples will resonate.
- The “Monza divebomb” moment – A bold first‑lap move that costs the team points. This maps to a surprise solo pitch that undercuts a coordinated campaign. Lesson: brief before you lunge.
- The “Hungary swap” call – Restoring order after a team‑driven sequencing snafu is akin to correcting a logistics error. Lesson: fix team mistakes, then let merit decide.
- The “Singapore scrape” – Contact during a congested launch resembles overlapping market pushes that upset or confuse a client. Lesson: concede the messy corner, reassess together, and keep momentum.
Compete and Win
I’ve compared winning, versatility, and teamwork across other industries to legal before, and I’m convinced that looking beyond ourselves only improves how we work. Admittedly, I am a lifelong McLaren fan, so the Papaya Rules likely resonate a bit more.
Papaya is McLaren’s colour. The Rules are designed to let two drivers compete and be their best while driving team success. This mindset suits any firm that has two number ones — and one unstoppable team.
Lawyers love to win. Your firm’s version of Papaya Rules invites your rainmakers to bring their best. Let your lawyers race hard, race clean, and never crash into each other. Give them equal opportunity, transparent rules, and swift debriefs. Then get out of their way just enough for excellence to shine and step in only when the firm’s long‑term winning demands it.
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