Law Firm Management

US Top 50/New York: Full steam ahead

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

The development of a top-tier New York-based, US M&A practice is central to the strategy of Clifford Chance (CC). Deals involving a US company accounted for more than 40% of global M&A activity in 2006 and the total value of US M&A transactions grew faster than the rest of the world. Looking ahead to the remainder of 2007, it seems likely that activity will, if anything, escalate as there has already been a significant number of US mega-deals and the increasing cross-border nature of US M&A will continue.

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Management: Riding the M&A wave

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

The resurgence of big-ticket M&A will please many partners because the work runs throughout their entire practices, stimulating demand for several different services. Yet structural change can also have a traumatic effect on cash flow. There can be few events more disruptive than a key client becoming the subject of a merger or acquisition. Longstanding relationships can be lost as senior contacts move or lose out in organisational change; some practices lose lucrative contracts as work is consolidated under suppliers favoured by acquirers; others lose places on client panels.

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Management & IT: Get your house in order

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

When it comes to electronic discovery - the process of producing digital information as part of a legal matter - ignorance is no longer bliss. The massive volume of enterprise data located in file systems, applications, pre-primary storage and archives can be discoverable at any time.

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Management & IT: Simplifying the complex

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

Barristers' chambers have an inherently complex offering. Essentially, chambers are communicating experience, knowledge and people. This raises the question of how best they present that offering.

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Star treatment

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

The legal sector labour market is experiencing the same demographic squeeze as other intellectual capital sectors - and this trend is set to worsen. In addition, employee attrition in some firms is unacceptably high at 20%-25%.

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Management: The bigger picture

By a:1:{i:0;s:1:" ";} | March 28, 2007

With the evenings getting lighter and the days lengthening, this time of year always seems to present things in a fresh light. In the past few weeks we have talked to a number of law firms that want to experience something similar. While they may have great clients, those clients tend to call on their advisers only for certain expertise.

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Deal or no deal?

By a:1:{i:0;s:1:" ";} | March 21, 2007

Obtaining new fee income has become an integral part of legal life for every partner and manager. Not only must one be an expert in a chosen field of law, it is also necessary to develop additional sales skills to guarantee a steady stream of new instructions in an increasingly competitive legal environment.

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The new frontiers of electronic discovery

By a:1:{i:0;s:1:" ";} | March 21, 2007

For those who have never attended LegalTech in New York, it is like so many other things in the US - big. The organisers of this conference, at which lawyers and legal professionals meet the providers of their IT technology, estimated that the 26th annual event, held at the end of January, was attended by more than 11,000 people over the three days, browsing more than 250 exhibitor stands and attending some of the 50 or so presentations.

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Is private really private?

By a:1:{i:0;s:1:" ";} | March 21, 2007

In connection with the 'cash for peerages' scandal, there were a number of mentions in the press about secondary email systems, following rumours about the existence of such a system within Downing Street. Do secondary email systems exist? How do they work and why are they used? And what should lawyers and regulators know about disclosure of evidence from them?

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What students want

By a:1:{i:0;s:1:" ";} | March 14, 2007

Anyone with teenage children will appreciate the problems in understanding exactly what makes them tick - and it seems that graduate recruitment is suffering from a similar syndrome. Since today's graduate recruitment partners were students, the economics and philosophy of higher education have changed radically, which in turn has significantly altered the outlook and priorities of students and graduates. These are the main findings of the inaugural Legal Week Intelligence Student Survey, which questioned more than 2,000 students at the Russell Group of leading UK universities, from which the vast majority of trainees are hired by commercial firms.

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International Edition

Aggressive billing rate rises do pay off, Citi analysis finds

By Miriam Rozen | February 28, 2018

New research by Citi Private Bank's Law Firm Group shows advantage of aggressively raising published billing rates

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Pro Mid Market

The Economic Basis for Greater Diversity in the Legal Profession

By Robert L. Johnson and Steven H. Sholk | February 28, 2018

Law firms should embrace diversity and strive to increase and retain their minority ranks not just as a form of corporate social responsibility, but also because it makes economic sense.

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The American Lawyer

YL Board: This Is What Sexual Harassment in the Legal Industry Looks Like

By The Young Lawyer Editorial Board of The American Lawyer | February 28, 2018

We call for the industry to avoid silence when witnessing harassment and hold perpetrators—no matter how big a book of business—accountable.

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New Jersey Law Journal

Pregnancies Prompt Bias Suit by Lawyer at Family Law Boutique

By Charles Toutant | February 27, 2018

A lawyer has been accused in an Essex County discrimination suit of blurting out a profanity when she learned her associate was pregnant. But the defendant says she's being sued because she resisted allowing an attorney in her firm to work on a part-time basis.

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New York Law Journal

Ex-Bryan Cave Lawyer Convicted of Fraud in Maxim Deal Is Disbarred

By Jason Grant | February 27, 2018

Newkirk's monthlong fraud trial in late 2015 drew headlines across a broad spectrum of New York press and many lawyers followed its twists and turns.

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The American Lawyer

Despite Dip in Head Count, Cahill Posts Profit Highs

By Meghan Tribe | February 27, 2018

Cahill Gordon & Reindel, which saw a rare prominent partner departure in 2017, rode a robust capital market to a second straight year of financial growth.

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Daily Business Review

Lawsuit: Jade Ocean Condo Developer Stole from Project Lenders, Investors

By Lidia Dinkova | February 27, 2018

Developer Fortune International Realty denies allegations that it siphoned off profits by feeding funds to affiliates.

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Pro Mid Market

Connell Foley's McGovern Talks Nonlawyer Chiefs, Collaboration and 'Continuous' Revenue Challenge

By David Gialanella | February 27, 2018

McGovern credits technology, a change of scene and "goal-oriented" nonlawyer staff for a firm he says is well-prepared for the future.

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National Law Journal

Venable Keeps Up Steady Growth as Revenue, Profits Rise

By Ryan Lovelace | February 27, 2018

The firm cracked half-a-billion dollars in gross revenues amid a leadership change last year.

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The American Lawyer

The Death of the Law Firm Partnership Vote?

By Gina Passarella Cipriani | February 27, 2018

With an eye on efficiency, firms are ditching old methods for a more corporate form of governance.

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