Many centuries ago while studying law as an undergraduate, a particularly inspiring corporate law lecturer suggested that I might want to read a book on management theory, as well as immersing myself in case law and precedent. I still have no idea why he suggested it and I believe I was the only one in the company law class who took him up on it.
Comment: The fundamental things – SJ Berwin and the problem with legal conglomerates
At the time that SJ Berwin combined with King & Wood Mallesons there were plenty of reasons to be optimistic. The firm had eyed a global merger for years, KWM was a much-fêted Asia-Pacific giant with a commanding position in China’s fast-growing legal market and the deal was in general welcomed by its partnership (in contrast to the smoke and mirrors surrounding the abortive discussions with Proskauer Rose).
Guest post: Asking the big question – what do clients want?
Engineers and theologians know how to find out. I listened with great interest last week to a presentation about a soon-to-be released survey of client attitudes.
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The fundamental things – SJ Berwin and the problem with legal conglomerates
At the time that SJ Berwin combined with King & Wood Mallesons there were plenty of reasons to be optimistic. The firm had eyed a global merger for years, KWM was a much-fêted Asia-Pacific giant with a commanding position in China’s fast-growing legal market and the deal was in general welcomed by its partnership (in contrast to the smoke and mirrors surrounding the abortive discussions with Proskauer Rose). And yet, as we report this month, the firm has suffered a challenging few years since the deal went live, marked by significant departures.
Part of the problem is the inevitable consequence of the legacy UK firm’s reputation in private equity and funds, areas under siege from US law firms. That is a known quantity and the firm has been proactive in addressing that challenge.
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Profit, delusion and how Big Law became obsessed with the wrong things
K&L’s Tony Griffiths says the father of business theory has lessons Big Law would do well to learn
Many centuries ago while studying law as an undergraduate, a particularly inspiring corporate law lecturer suggested that I might want to read a book on management theory, as well as immersing myself in case law and precedent. I still have no idea why he suggested it and I believe I was the only one in the company law class who took him up on it.
Continue reading “Profit, delusion and how Big Law became obsessed with the wrong things”
Comment: The NYLon law firm – outmoding a Global Elite and Magic Circle firm near you
If there is one big trend in the analysis of Legal Business in recent years it is the encroaching existential threat represented by US-bred law firms.
Guest post: Luxury lawyering and the Bergdorf effect – getting your price right
A week or two ago, we were having drinks here in New York with two senior corporate partners at an AmLaw-25 firm that is quite self-aware enough to know it’s not in the realm of the super-elite, and the topic turned to pricing.
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Guest post: Big data and the linguistics of law – how to win cases and influence judgments
With the hue and cry about big data, artificial intelligence and law being accentuated by all the talk around Watson/Ross, I was interested to see this thoughtful, carefully carried out and documented piece of research into the qualities of brief writing before the US Supreme Court from US political scientist Adam Feldman.
Guest post: Legal project managers – pioneers or homesteaders?
The recruiters are scouring the market for project managers (PM) to work in law firms. But whilst firms can agree on the title, they don’t agree on the role specification and often the real job is different yet again. So what exactly are they looking for, and why are many firms failing to find them?
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Guest post: Why the fuss over Quindell and Slater & Gordon?
OK, the headline is clickbait – kind of. There does, of course, need to be an investigation into Quindell’s financial ‘restatements’, which it admitted earlier this month meant that the 2013 profit after tax of £83m should have been a loss of £68m, and net assets at 31 December 2013 should have been £446m, rather than £668m. That’s a seriously wonky piece of accounting.
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