Kevin Dooley Kent, Conrad O'Brien Kevin Dooley Kent Conrad O'Brien Kent has emerged within the firm and legal profession as a leader in developing and regularly using alternative fee arrangements. In the last four to five years, Conrad O'Brien has expanded its use of AFAs as clients' interest in them has increased. But rather than wait for clients to broach the topic, Kent proactively raises it with them, employing AFAs as an effective marketing tool at a time when in-house legal departments are more mindful than ever of their legal spend and the value they're getting from outside counsel. Many of the fee arrangements Kent has adopted use hourly billing as a component, but he frequently uses less conventional arrangements that are highly tailored to meet the needs of a specific client. In many of the arrangements, the firm shares risk with the client, so Kent works closely with the client and the financial department at Conrad O'Brien to ensure the arrangement is optimal for both the client and the firm. Necessity is the mother of invention. What need were you inspired to address with your innovation? Innovation within a law firm requires a strong vision and a lot of coordination internally. How was your firm able to turn a vision into a reality? In an increasingly competitive legal market, what's one of the biggest challenges law firms face today? Conversely, name one opportunity available to law firms in the current climate.