Firm's sector approach to be extended to associates and across international offices

SJ Berwin is revamping its sector focus and extending it to associates and across international offices as part of its bid to improve workforce engagement and communication. 

The City firm is in the process of appointing one international partner to jointly lead each of its seven industry sectors alongside a London partner, with final appointments still to be decided. 

The initiative comes as part of a renewed push on sector specialisation and a bid to boost integration and cross-referrals between offices. 

The move will also see associates assigned a sector focus in addition to their practice area for the first time, with junior lawyers selecting their preferred specialisation last year and allocated positions earlier this month. 

To date, only partners have been involved in the firm's sector approach. 

Sector performance will be measured, with the firm introducing a non-chargeable hour time-recording code for the work. At this stage, sector work will not be tied with remuneration, though it could be linked with appraisals in future. 

Private funds partner Simon Witney has been overseeing the revival of the sector approach, with the overall project being spearheaded by business development director William Stancer, who joined in May 2012 from Chinese outsourcing provider Bleum. 

The seven sectors are: real estate; private equity; technology, media and telecoms; consumer; financial institutions; energy and infrastructure; and life sciences and healthcare – with the revived industry emphasis set to be pushed to clients in the coming months.

The renewed focus follows a partner strategy meeting in London last October intended to deal with partner and staff engagement, with the firm acknowledging historic issues with associate morale and communication. 

Other changes intended to improve communication within the partnership include a senior partner surgery with senior partner Stephen Kon. 

Kon (pictured) told Legal Week: "We wanted to reinvigorate our sector programme. The associates are a key part of what we offer as a firm, so to increase their involvement in our sector work is a win-win situation all round. 

"Associates get additional experience and gain further opportunities for career progression, while for the firm it makes sense to fully use all of the talents available from our associates. We are also making opportunities for secondments clearer to associates."