Addleshaw Goddard (AG) is looking to establish a flexible resourcing capability by creating a pool of qualified lawyers and paralegals to backfill gaps in services left by lawyers seconded to clients or where extra capacity is needed for discrete assignments.
The firm has already spoken to recruiters about setting up a roster of flexible workers and may expand its use in the future. It is understood that the new flexible resourcing will form part of the client development centre (CDC) headed up by Greg Bott, although after an initial pilot, progress is still in the early stages.
The model is seen as a first step to potentially offering a flexi-working service to clients, similar to those offered by Berwin Leighton Paisner’s Lawyers On Demand (LOD) and Pinsent Masons’ Vario network. A spokesperson for the firm added: ‘This is just one of many initiatives that we are looking at to improve our agility and operational effectiveness.’
The move would be a step up from AG’s current Manchester-based transaction services team, which consists of paralegals mainly carrying out document processing, and high volume end work as an alternative to outsourcing.
The move follows the unveiling of the firm’s new strategy, announced by managing partner John Joyce at the end of 2014. The new strategy seeks to re-establish AG’s place in the market.
Concrete financial targets include the aim of becoming a top 20 firm by 2019, with a profit per equity partner spread of £300,000 to £1m, almost double the £560,000 it is now, as well as a profit margin of 30%.
kathryn.mccann@legalease.co.uk
