Law Firm Management

Dentons in fresh merger talks with US outfit McKenna Long

By Alex Newman | October 1, 2013

Dentons has confirmed it is in merger talks with US firm McKenna Long & Aldridge, less than half a year after completing the three-way tie up between SNR Denton, Salans and Canada's Fraser Milner Casgrain.

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White & Case boosts Kazakhstan presence with launch in Astana

By Pui-Guan Man | October 1, 2013

US firm White & Case has expanded its reach in Kazakhstan with the launch of an outpost in the capital, Astana. The base will operate alongside the firm's existing office in Almaty and will be led by Almaty office executive partner Maxim Telemtayev, who will split his time between the locations.

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Burke to leave Freshfields after 8 years at helm to take up in-house PE role

By Anna Reynolds | September 30, 2013

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer managing partner Ted Burke will leave the firm next year to become general counsel and chief operating officer at US private equity firm Arclight Capital.

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HSF set to overhaul partner pay in post-merger shake-up

By Anna Reynolds | September 26, 2013

Herbert Smith Freehills is set to introduce a merit-based element to partner pay as part of its post-merger restructuring, in a clear departure from legacy Herbert Smith's rigid eight-year lockstep. The system will take into account a number of factors including financial performance and business development, engagement with staff, client servicing and contribution to the success of others, bringing the firm closer to merger partner Freehills' system, which is more heavily linked to individual performance. The new 'balanced scorecard' system has been given the go-ahead by management and comes as proposals on the wider remuneration structure are due to be put to partners.

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Coalition victory fuels hopes of M&A revival among Australia's hard-pressed law firms

By Elizabeth Broomhall in Hong Kong | September 26, 2013

The election of the conservative Liberal-National Coalition Government in Australia has raised hopes among the country's struggling law firms that the ending of electoral uncertainty and a raft of business-friendly policies will combine to reverse a worrying decline in M&A levels. The 7 September poll and the subsequent swearing in of Prime Minister Tony Abbott following six years of Labour rule has been welcomed by senior business lawyers, who have been fighting to rein in costs because of the impact of slowing economic growth on deal activity. Among the Government's main priorities are plans to scrap a controversial carbon tax on Australia's largest polluters and abolish the Minerals Resource Rent Tax or 'mining tax'. It has also pledged to boost spending on infrastructure and support foreign investment into the country.

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Outgoing CC managing partner Childs ponders next move as firm gears up to vote in successor

By Pui-Guan Man | September 26, 2013

Clifford Chance managing partner David Childs (pictured) is considering his options for the future as he prepares to hand over to his successor, with retirement from the firm among the likely routes. Partners expect Childs, whose second and final four-year term ends in May 2014, to take up a role outside the firm after he steps down, with one saying Childs is "definitely" retiring, and another partner at the magic circle firm adding: "As far as I know there are no plans to bring him back into practice, which is a shame." Another source close to him said he was currently "looking for a job".

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Dropping the jargon – why law firm training courses should focus less on the law and more on how to practise it

By Legal Week | September 26, 2013

Formal training courses aimed at developing the legal skills of lawyers are often not effective learning tools at all. In order to improve, law firms must invest more time and resources into designing training sessions that use case studies, simulation and experience sharing. It is also important that greater investment is made in the training of facilitators so that they are more effective in coaching participants during a session. Traditional training methods have too great a focus on the law itself, rather than how to practise it. To be good lawyers, fee earners must learn key skills such as how to apply and give legal advice that is relevant to the client and their business, as well as how to present to a client without bamboozling them with law jargon. Speaking in the language of the client is crucial. If a formal training framework is a pre-requisite, that alone is not sufficient. The most effective and beneficial method of learning professional practice – and lawyers are not so different from other professions such as auditors or consultants – comes from shadowing and being coached by more senior lawyers.

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Vote on Ashurst's full Australian integration passes with 'overwhelming' support

By Anna Reynolds | September 26, 2013

The full financial integration of Ashurst and its Australian arm has been approved by both partnerships and will take effect on 1 November 2013. The vote – which opened on 10 September for Ashurst partners – closed this morning and required a 75% majority for the combination to go ahead.

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Dentons heads to Houston as it beefs up oil and gas network

By Alex Newman | September 25, 2013

Dentons is to open its 79th global office in Houston, becoming the latest firm to add a local presence in the home of the US oil and gas industry.

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Herbert Smith Freehills launches management elections as co-CEOs retire

By Anna Reynolds | September 24, 2013

Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF) has kicked off the process to appoint new leadership with current joint CEOs David Willis and Gavin Bell retiring from the firm. Willis and Bell, who have been in the roles since the legacy firms Herbert Smith and Freehills merged in October 2012, will step down in April 2014. The Herbert Smith Freehills Global Council - the firm's governance body - will decide whether the dual role will be replaced by a single CEO or whether the role will continue to be undertaken jointly, with the appointments process expected to be completed by the end of the year. Before merger talks between Herbert Smith and Freehills began, Willis' term as managing partner of Herbert Smith had been due to end in April 2013. He agreed to a 1-year extension because of the merger.

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Pro Mid Market

There Are 500 Million Reasons to Start Taking Online Services Like LegalZoom Seriously

By Zack Needles | September 21, 2018

State bars have tried to hobble them, small firms and solos have tried to co-exist with them and midsize firms have mostly just tried to ignore them, but online legal services companies seem to only be getting stronger. Now, some midsize firm leaders say it's time to acknowledge them as real competition—and maybe pick up a few pointers in the process.

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International Edition

An eye on the US – the thinking behind Slaughters' move for ex-SFO chief Green

By Krishnan Nair | September 21, 2018

City white collar partners offer their take on the magic circle firm's high-profile hire

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Law.com

Hire Some Interns, Make Legal Innovation Happen a Bit Faster

By Roy Strom | September 20, 2018

For about $1,350 per week, your law firm can take an important step toward the future.

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Law.com

New Shearman & Sterling Initiative Banks on Clients' Fintech Needs

By Dan Packel | September 20, 2018

The Wall Street firm's FinTech Foundry program is aimed not just at banks and startups, but also other companies that see applications for technologies like blockchain.

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Pro Mid Market

Litigation Boutique Desmarais is All In on AFAs

By Susan DeSantis | September 20, 2018

"We do not bill by the hour. Instead, we bill a monthly, flat fee and, if a client prefers, we also will bill a flat monthly fee for the expenses, which we will then manage," said John Desmarais, founding partner of Desmarais.

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The Legal Intelligencer

Why Your Firm Needs an Employee Wellness Program

By Jessica L. Mazzeo | September 20, 2018

Employee satisfaction and engagement are topics that have been, and will continue to be, reoccurring in today's workforce and well into the future. While there may be some out there who feel that continuing to talk about this topic may be redundant and unimportant, please note: you're wrong.

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Law.com

ALSPs: Already Here & Looking Upmarket

By Casey Flaherty and Jae Um | September 20, 2018

Shifting more complicated workstreams to alternative legal service providers (ALSPs) may be the next tectonic shift in the legal market.

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The Legal Intelligencer

Former Staffer Sues Stevens & Lee, Alleging Pregnancy Discrimination

By Lizzy McLellan | September 19, 2018

Plaintiff Alicia Drees was fired shortly after returning from maternity leave, her complaint said.

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International

Shearman & Sterling to Open Seoul Office

By John Kang | September 19, 2018

The firm will enter Asia's fourth-largest economy as U.S. rival Simpson Thacher & Bartlett prepares to exit by year's end.

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The Legal Intelligencer

How Holland & Knight Built a Philadelphia Office on Reed Smith Talent

By Lizzy McLellan | September 19, 2018

The firm capitalized on Reed Smith's shifting priorities to grow from zero to more than 30 lawyers in Philadelphia in a flash.

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