by Bruce | October 17, 2004 | Articles, Finance, Globalization, M&A, Strategy
Here’s a thought experiment: What if law firms could become publicly traded companies? In the UK, it’s not going to be a thought experiment much longer. Under a proposal approved by The Law Society (more or less their ABA), non-lawyers will...
by Bruce | October 16, 2004 | Articles, Finance, Marketing, Strategy
"Marketing" a law firm, to many partners (and some burned marketing directors, I can only imagine), remains in too many circles a dirty word. Why is this, and what, if anything, can be done about it? As someone married to a senior marketing and...
by Bruce | October 15, 2004 | Articles, Leadership
This article by Patrick McKenna summarizes the "anecdotal research" undertaken by his consulting firm about the profile of managing partners. Normally, we subscribe to Jack Welch’s famous, strict, and certifiablly correct dictum that "anecdotes...
by Bruce | October 14, 2004 | Articles, Compensation, Cultural Considerations, Finance, Globalization
Can a UK firm crack the New York market without bending its lockstep partner compensation model? No, at least not if you’re Clifford Chance. CC has a global lockstep for its equity partners except some "super-pointers" in New York. This anomaly...
by Bruce | October 13, 2004 | Articles, Cultural Considerations, Knowledge Management, Leadership, Strategy, Technology strategy
"As with most significant changes in a law firm, change is driven by clients." So says the estimable Doug Caddell, CIO of Foley & Lardner. The specific change he has in mind—and which he forecasts with confidence will come...