Shout Out to Kirkland

This column is by Janet Stanton, Partner, Adam Smith, Esq. We generally eschew commenting on daily comings-and-goings in Law Land.  We make an exception here, because this is actually huge news. I’m speaking about Kirkland’s decision to stop disclosing financial info... read more +

Mammals & Dinosaurs Co-Existing

Among the AmLaw 200, mergers are in the air.  Like it or not, this seems to be the reality we are facing:  Consolidation. I've addressed the "fact" of this trend before (I think it's safe to say at this point that it's a fact—Hildebrandt...

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“One from Column A,….”

Here are three rankings of top firms, all published this month.  Any ideas on which is what? Ranking A Firm Ranking B Firm Ranking C Firm 1 Wachtell 1 Cravath 1 Wachtel 2 Cahill Gordon 2 Wachtel 2 Cravath 3 Sullivan & Cromwell 3 Sullivan & Cromwell 3...

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The Bay of Pigs vs. The Cuban Missile Crisis: Lessons Learned?

How do you make decisions?  By that I mean, when facing a material strategic (a/k/a "big") decision, who do you involve and what is the process you use to decide?  (Don't pretend to blanche at the word "process"—lawyers are all about process, as you darned well know.)...

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Why is Your Firm Still a Partnership?

Why are law firms partnerships? After all, across the rest of the economy, corporations are more than dominant; they own the landscape.  Ever seen a trucking company, a retail chain, or even your friendly local locksmith shop organized as a partnership? ...

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Where Are The Non-AmLaw 100 Firms?

It takes little discernment to conclude that "Adam Smith, Esq." could be more appropriately subtitled "...an inquiry into the economics of [Big] law firms."*  Not only would this conclusion be correct, but since I know for a fact that you,...

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