Law Firm Management

Plan of action

By a:1:{i:0;s:1:" ";} | July 18, 2007

A law firm with offices in London and the West Country recently experienced a power blackout at 4pm as a result of a failure at an electrical sub-station. At that very time, the firm was on the brink of closing a film business deal worth close to £20m. Fortunately, the firm was able to implement its contingency plans, work around the blackout and close the deal, even though it was nearly two days before power was restored.

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Lateral thinking

By a:1:{i:0;s:1:" ";} | July 11, 2007

A recruiting law firm can face more than it bargained for when making a lateral hire. A recent House of Lords decision clarifies how economic torts can be used to hold a recruiting firm liable in damages to the lateral hire's original firm. The recruiting firm has deeper pockets than the lateral so is often included in any claim.

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Professional Development: The training game

By a:1:{i:0;s:1:" ";} | July 4, 2007

With recruitment and retention now a key issue for both law firms and in-house legal departments, the ability to offer high quality professional development is a key tool in developing and retaining talent.

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No spam here

By a:1:{i:0;s:1:" ";} | July 4, 2007

Joyce Legal is a niche law firm specialising in litigation and construction law. To tie in with a new guide it had written on construction design regulations, the firm wanted to put on a series of seminars for the construction industry. With a two-week lead time to produce a printed flier and a three-week lead time to arrange for inserts in a leading industry publication, the quickest and most cost-effective way of promoting the events was by email. Target companies received a downloadable copy of the booking form and were returning bookings before a postal invitation would have hit their desks.

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Management: Pregnant and redundant

By a:1:{i:0;s:1:" ";} | June 27, 2007

There is a perception among senior management in some City law firms that female lawyers who take time off work to have a family are no longer ambitious or committed to their careers. Some female lawyers in their thirties hold off starting a family, in the hope that they will be promoted to a partnership position first.

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Tech tonic

By a:1:{i:0;s:1:" ";} | June 20, 2007

It is a sign of the times that many of the issues legal IT professionals are grappling with are the same issues that are affecting lawyers. Whereas IT may have previously been viewed by fee earners as a back-office function, the strategic goals of IT and legal professionals have since become rather more entwined; both sides have a greater awareness of each other's role within the firm. In the words of Allen & Overy (A&O) managing partner David Morley: "pretty much everything we are doing now has a technology angle, but it is not always obvious."

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Prepare for the worst

By a:1:{i:0;s:1:" ";} | June 20, 2007

Few law firm managers would place contingency planning at the top of their management agenda given the current economic climate. However, a number of factors suggest that the tide might be turning and less prosperous times could be on the horizon. It is therefore vital for firms to plan now for any future downturn to ensure they are in a strong position to ride out the storm.

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Brave new world

By a:1:{i:0;s:1:" ";} | June 20, 2007

When it becomes law, the Legal Services Bill (LSB) will be a watershed moment for the legal industry. The legislation, which is currently with the House of Lords, promises to fundamentally alter the shape of the UK legal market. Firms of all sizes, and in particular the small to medium-sized section of the industry, need to be aware of the upheaval that is about to take place and get ready now.

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Fit for purpose

By a:1:{i:0;s:1:" ";} | June 13, 2007

Mergers and acquisitions have always been big business opportunities for law firms, but now it seems that legal businesses are turning this attention on themselves. The drive towards creating a more corporate profession has led to a boom in law firm mergers, resulting in the creation of ever-larger practices. Recent announcements, such as Irwin Mitchell's plans to merge with Scots firm Golds to form a 1,200 fee earner superfirm, or south Yorkshire's Atteys' decision to join forces with local rival Richmonds, show that many believe big is beautiful.

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Corporate Counsel: More than just a lawyer

By a:1:{i:0;s:1:" ";} | June 6, 2007

If you are going to be a successful in-house lawyer you have to see yourself as something different. Different from what, or from whom, you may well ask? The simple answer is that you have to see yourselves as business legal partners; not aloof or separate from the business that you work for but as an integral part of it - and that means having a different set of skills from lawyers in private practice.

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New Jersey Law Journal

Gross Revenue Dips Slightly, PPP Shrinks for Partner-Replenished McElroy Deutsch

By David Gialanella | March 7, 2018

"It was a disappointing year because our productivity was up. The billable hours of the average lawyer was up. And the rates were up," managing partner Edward Deutsch said. "But I think everybody's got a problem with slow-paying clients."

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The Recorder

Fenwick & West Bounces Back With Record-High Revenue

By Xiumei Dong | March 6, 2018

The Am Law 100 firm shrugged off a sluggish 2016 by posting financial gains in several key metrics last year.

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The American Lawyer

The Early Reports: Am Law 100/200 2018

By Gina Passarella Cipriani | March 6, 2018

Here is a compilation of our early reports on Am Law 100 and 200 firm financials. This page will be updated as new reports are published.

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Daily Report Online

King & Spalding Stays in Growth Mode as Partner Profits Top $2.5M

By Meredith Hobbs | March 6, 2018

The firm surpassed the $2.5 million mark in profit per equity partner and racked up a string of notable recruits last year.

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National Law Journal

Covington Posts Double-Digit Growth in Revenue, Head Count

By Ryan Lovelace | March 6, 2018

The firm boosted its revenue by more than $100 million, added more than 100 lawyers and grew partner profits last year.

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Daily Business Review

Akerman's 7-Year Growth Record Stays Alive as Revenue Rises 10 Percent

By Roy Strom | March 6, 2018

The Am Law 100 firm, which has been busy expanding outside the Sunshine State in recent years, saw its gross revenue surge 10.4 percent in 2017.

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The American Lawyer

Jenner & Block Group Jumps to Winston & Strawn as Private Equity Stays Hot

By Miriam Rozen | March 6, 2018

Private equity practice leader Mark Harris joined Winston & Strawn along with six other partners.

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The American Lawyer

Bryan Cave Finances Dip Ahead of Trans-Atlantic Deal

By Roy Strom | March 5, 2018

The St. Louis-based Am Law 100 firm, poised to join the ranks of the global legal giants on March 31 following the completion of a merger with the U.K.'s Berwin Leighton Paisner, saw gross revenue fall in 2017.

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New Jersey Law Journal

Outsourcing Support Services: How About a Freelance Paralegal?

By Melissa Acosta | March 3, 2018

A better work/life balance for the attorney is the greatest advantage to working with a freelance paralegal.

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National Law Journal

Wilmer After Mueller; Advice From Flynn's Lawyer; DC Firms See Green

By Ryan Lovelace | March 2, 2018

In this week's Washington Wrap, we ask Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr to rate the impact of Robert Mueller and his deputies' departure from the firm. Plus: A Covington manual for embattled lawmakers, and more 2017 law firm financial results.

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