by Bruce | September 13, 2008 | Articles, Cultural Considerations, Finance, Leadership, Strategy
This is how the cover story of the current issue of Fortune starts out: It was the second week of October 2006. William King, then J.P. Morgan’s chief of securitized products, was vacationing in Rwanda, visiting remote coffee plantations he was helping to...
by Bruce | September 11, 2008 | Articles, Finance, Technology strategy
"Adam Smith, Esq." is conducting research into the market penetration of e-billing of clients by law firms—as opposed to the old-fashioned paper billing (even if it’s emailed, "pdf"’ed, etc.) and what analysis, if any, is actually...
by Bruce | September 6, 2008 | Articles, Finance, Globalization, Leadership, M&A, Strategy
Best of times or worst of times to make some acquisitions? This is one area where the head/heart divergence may be more radical than usual—and where it could really cost you. Here’s how McKinsey poses the dilemma: "As the credit crunch threatens to...
by Bruce | September 5, 2008 | Articles, Finance
So maybe you can’t save your way into profitability, but you can save money more and less intelligently. And I’ll give you a hint: It’s not about how many meetings are held at times when food should be served. (Think I’m making this up? Firms...
by Bruce | September 1, 2008 | Articles, Cultural Considerations, Finance, Globalization, Innovative Managing Partners, Leadership, Strategy
Time to take stock. This dratted credit crunch has now celebrated, if that’s the word, its first birthday, and there is no clarity about when it may end. What’s a law firm to do? If you believe McKinsey, and if you believe that where investment...
by Bruce | August 29, 2008 | Articles, Finance, Globalization, Practice Group Management, Technology strategy
Apologies for a dearth of columns this week, but I was at ILTA/2008 at the Gaylord Texan outside Dallas. Two comments about the Gaylord, Dallas, and August. First, the Gaylord comes as close as any place I’ve ever been to meriting the word...