by Bruce | June 24, 2006 | Articles, Cultural Considerations, Finance, Globalization, Leadership, M&A, Strategy
"As global law firms begin to take on the size and reach of some of the world’s most notable multinationals, it is not unreasonable to assume that they should be run with a more commercial management structure." —Nigel Knowles, Joint CEO of DLA Piper...
by Bruce | June 21, 2006 | Articles, Cultural Considerations, Finance, Globalization, Leadership, M&A, Practice Group Management, Strategy
Eric Beinhocker, a fellow at the McKinsey Global Institute (a "think tank," in the oddly quaint but apt phrase), is out with what may be one of the most provocative books on economics in several years—though admittedly I haven’t even seen a copy...
by Bruce | June 14, 2006 | Articles, Finance, Globalization, Leadership, M&A, Partnership Structures, Practice Group Management, Strategy
Occasionally an article lies so irresistibly at the core intersection of economic theory and the professional interests of the "Adam Smith, Esq." community that, despite the fact we are not here for a graduate seminar in economics, it simply demands to...
by Bruce | June 11, 2006 | Articles, Compensation, Cultural Considerations, Finance, Globalization, Leadership, Partnership Structures, Strategy
Although this is really by way of an update to the immediately preceding post, I think it’s worthy of standing on its own because, while it raises essentially the same issue, it approaches it from a sufficiently different perspective that it deserves its own...
by Bruce | June 8, 2006 | Articles, Compensation, Cultural Considerations, Finance, Globalization, Leadership, Partnership Structures, Practice Group Management, Strategy
When both David Childs of Clifford Chance and Tony Angel of Linklaters say something’s a serious problem, I pay attention. The issue du jour (or should that be du decade?) is retaining associates who find the time demands and general stress of large law firm...
by Bruce | June 6, 2006 | Articles, Cultural Considerations, Finance, Globalization, Leadership, Partnership Structures, Strategy
In the past 24 hours, I’ve spoken with the managing partner/chairs of two AmLaw 50 firms, and I heard something from each that I hear altogether too rarely: They know what their firms are not going to do, or be. The first put it in these terms (I...
