Manhattan

 

Two years ago, Atlanta-based Taylor English Duma hired its first remote partner, kicking off a strategic expansion plan premised on a new, “hybrid” business model.

By pairing its brick-and-mortar hub in Atlanta with a network of partners working remotely, the firm promised to offer clients a broader, high-caliber bench at a relative discount.

Kirk Hancock of Taylor English Duma. (Courtesy photo)

How is it working? According to CEO Kirk Hancock, Taylor English now has 20 remote partners across nine cities and eight states. The most recent addition, litigator Chi-Ru Jou, joined Monday from CKR Law in New York, giving the firm a presence in the Northeast for the first time.

Hancock said that, during the first year of its hybrid initiative as the firm was developing its process, it brought on about a half-dozen remote partners. The bulk of them have come aboard this year.

“I think we got better at explaining the model,” Hancock said.

A key architect of that model is Chris Wilson, who was Atlanta managing partner for virtual firm pioneer FisherBroyles before he joined Taylor English in 2017. Wilson styled the compensation approach for remote Taylor English partners after his old firm’s: Keep 80% of what you originate, split what you refer to another partner, work as much as you want or as little as you want. This is the model that Fishe;rBroyles break-off Culhane Meadows also employs. 

Meanwhile, Taylor English’s physical headquarters supplies remote tech and marketing support, as well as a home base for remote lawyers who want to relocate to Georgia. Remote partners also have the same opportunities for advancement as those in Atlanta, including a path toward an equity stake in the firm. Hancock said it’s “too early” to tell whether that will become a common path for its hires.

Taylor English, which was solely based in Atlanta before embracing its quasi-virtual model, now has attorneys in Los Angeles; San Francisco; New York; Jacksonville, Florida; Raleigh, North Carolina; Washington, D.C.; Nashville, Tennessee; Houston; and Chicago. In 2017, the firm had roughly 150 attorneys. Today there are about 180.

The firm is still looking into ways to integrate the remote attorneys into the culture of the partnership without sacrificing their autonomy. It has done lunch-and-learns, virtual meetings and made other efforts, but Hancock says the there’s a plan to have the remote attorneys assemble in Atlanta and let everyone meet in person.

“Just like with your clients,” he said, “relationships happen best face to face.”

Hancock said the firm is always opportunistic when it comes to hiring, but wants to make sure its remote lawyers will be able to succeed.

“We want them to thrive in the model,” he said. “Not just exist.”

That opportunistic approach was evident in the firm’s latest hire. Hancock and the firm knew Jou’s former firm, CKR Law, was dealing with a variety of issues, including a discrimination suit, the departures of several partners and financial issues that resulted in partners not getting paid for months at a time. 

“We wanted to see if we could make hay out of it, so to speak,” Hancock said.

Jou’s practice focuses on blockchain matters, and she advises clients on federal and state securities laws, money transmitter laws and smart contract dispute resolution. According to a firm statement Jou “represents investors, blockchain companies, cryptocurrency traders and advisers to blockchain companies in cryptocurrency-related commercial litigation as well as regulatory enforcement matters.”

Prior to joining Taylor English, Jou was a partner at CKR Law, a partner at Emergent and a partner at JSBarkats. She was of counsel at Abraham, Fruchter & Twersky and an associate at Bickel & Brewer, an associate at Dewey Pegno & Kramarsky and an associate at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison.

A spokesperson for CKR Law said, “We wish her the best in her future endeavors.”

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