In a guest post, Aric Press, partner at the legal consultancy Bernero & Press and former editor-in-chief of The American Lawyer argues the path towards a high achieving culture in law firms turns out not to be money driven. It’s human nature, unleashed.
Guest post: ‘More mystery and misinformation’ – welcome to a world without the AmLaw 100
We’re now well into the Am Law 100 season. My former colleagues at The American Lawyer have published their biggest issue of their year, the annual scorecard of the 100 top-grossing US law firms. This much-anticipated report has managed to survive three decades of criticism and consternation and remains the financial benchmark in the US legal market.
Guest post: Law firm mergers – be clear if it’s for your balance sheet or your clients or it won’t go well
The industry standard in tracking US law firm mergers, Altman Weil’s Mergerline, has had this to say about activity in the wake of the Global Financial Reset:
Team moves – Alec Harvey and Richard Nicolle discuss the risks
Team moves in London’s legal market are on the rise, particularly among US law firms establishing new offices or practice groups.
The potential benefits of a team move are not limited to critical mass – the new employer may gain a significant competitive headstart by acquiring a ready-made team, client relationships and increased market credibility.
Even where single partners are targeted, they are frequently asked whether they require support from existing team members and acquiring junior lawyers, who often service the daily needs of clients, can enhance the ability to leverage client relationships. Continue reading “Team moves – Alec Harvey and Richard Nicolle discuss the risks”
Guest post: Warning signs – Who’s to blame when commoditised legal services go wrong?
The recent Court of Appeal decision in Proctor v Raleys [2015] EWCA Civ 400 raises the interesting question as to whether commoditisation of legal services, which may lead to cheaper more accessible justice for consumers, should be held to the same professional standards as lawyers providing services in a more traditional manner.
Guest post: HMRC – Taking stock and keeping public confidence
Back in February Labour announced that it would, if it took power, begin an ‘immediate and independent review into the culture and practices of HMRC with regard to tax avoidance.’ This politicisation of the question whether HMRC retained public confidence diffused the logic of the demand.
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Guest post: An EU referendum Bill – what would it entail?
It is reported that the government’s EU Referendum Bill will be published the day after the Queen’s Speech – see, for example, The Guardian 19 May. This Bill will not be the first Bill to seek a referendum but, this time, it is a government commitment and was a clear manifesto commitment.
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Guest post: Why ‘Big Ideas’ are often wrong and the fallacies of legal myths
Why do ‘big ideas’ or ‘monolithic ideas’ become so accepted when under analysis and the test of time they so often prove to be wrong? It has always seemed especially strange for monolithic thinking to have caught on in the legal sector, an industry whose lifeblood is enthused with the need for careful checking of details and not taking statements at face value.
Continue reading “Guest post: Why ‘Big Ideas’ are often wrong and the fallacies of legal myths”
Guest post: Why the right is losing the argument on tax – and why it matters to all of us
Two weeks ago, Labour pledged to tax as income the performance fees (known as the ‘carried interest’) paid to certain investment managers. This rather than the much lower capital gains tax rate enjoyed hitherto. The pledge followed Labour’s promise, earlier in the week, to remove the centuries old non-dom tax break and, last month, to restrict pension tax relief for high earners.
Guest post: The Conservative Party manifesto and human rights
The Conservative Party manifesto states that the terms of British EU membership will be renegotiated and an in/out referendum held. The Human Rights Act will be ‘scrapped’ and replaced by a British Bill of Rights. As for legal aid, the document merely informs us that they would continue to review our legal aid systems, so they can continue to promote access to justice in an efficient way.
Continue reading “Guest post: The Conservative Party manifesto and human rights”