by Bruce | October 19, 2005 | Articles, Compensation, Cultural Considerations, Finance, Marketing, Strategy
The billable-hour poll results are in, and they look like this: What I find surprising about this is how few people seem to resist (or admit to resisting, anyway) the demise of the billable hour—only 8%. On the other hand, two of the responses are fairly similar...
by Bruce | October 14, 2005 | Articles, Compensation, Cultural Considerations, Finance, Leadership, Partnership Structures, Strategy
Does your firm enjoy effective teamwork at the top? Is the Executive Committee [insert other supreme governing body here] a "high-functioning" group, that is, does it: embody a common set of goals and values?; interact well—productively,...
by Bruce | October 4, 2005 | Articles, Compensation, Cultural Considerations, Finance, Leadership, Partnership Structures, Strategy
The American Lawyer’s annual associate (dis)satisfaction survey is now echoed across the pond, as Allen & Overy reveals its associate ranks suffered a 25% attrition rate last year and, in response, it’s accelerating its exploration of an alternative...
by Bruce | September 28, 2005 | Articles, Compensation, Cultural Considerations, Finance, Globalization, Leadership, Partnership Structures, Strategy
This being an equal opportunity blog in terms of eligibility for criticism or praise, today I offer a heartfelt endorsement of what Clifford Chance is doing right—and add that other firms aspiring to a truly sophisticated approach to their strategic...
by Bruce | September 27, 2005 | Articles, Compensation, Cultural Considerations, Finance, Leadership, Marketing, Partnership Structures, Strategy
Actually, this post is less about hockey players and associates than it is about how the top firms are all able to mysteriously agree on the "going rate" ($125,000 for first year’s) without colluding, and on the dynamics behind the scenes when that...
by Bruce | September 17, 2005 | Articles, Compensation, Cultural Considerations, Finance, Leadership, Partnership Structures, Strategy
The Lawyer (UK) is one of those publications you ignore to your impoverishment: Somewhat like the role the Financial Times has vis-a-vis The Wall Street Journal, or The Economist vis-a-vis Business Week, The Lawyer provides a refreshing, candid, often cheeky,...