by Bruce | August 20, 2005 | Articles, Globalization
Update 2: Here’s the Bloomberg News story, in which yours truly is quoted. Update 3: The Wall Street Journal. Update 4: The New York Law Journal. This article implies that one reason a firm-saving merger couldn’t be pulled off at the end was...
by Bruce | August 18, 2005 | Articles, Compensation, Cultural Considerations, Finance, Globalization, Leadership, Partnership Structures, Strategy
We note with great sadness the passing of a 150+ year old firm, a pioneer on the international scene in ways many are still trying to emulate. (Also here.) The firm’s demise strikes me as exceedingly unnecessary—given the long perspective—but...
by Bruce | August 15, 2005 | Articles, Finance, Globalization, Leadership, Strategy
Pop quiz: Q.: How many of the AmLaw 100 have a presence in London? A.: 70. Surprised me as well, but apparently the number is only going to rise. Reportedly on the prowl for merger partners in London are Cooley Godward, Heller Ehrman, Proskauer...
by Bruce | August 10, 2005 | Articles, Compensation, Cultural Considerations, Globalization, Leadership, Partnership Structures, Practice Group Management, Strategy
Is "leadership" a verb or a noun? I’m not trying to be cute—the real question is whether leaders are simply born, or can be made. To step back, leadership is one of those ineffable qualities the intrinsic desirability of which no one...
by Bruce | August 8, 2005 | Articles, Finance, Globalization, Leadership, Strategy
"Historically there have been too many lawyers being made equity partners." If you had to guess, would you surmise those words come from a major league headhunter at the top of his game? Isn’t that akin to poisoning the pond in which you...
by Bruce | August 4, 2005 | Articles, Compensation, Cultural Considerations, Finance, Globalization, Leadership, M&A, Strategy
If "quadrifecta" is a word, then I suppose we have one, although some of the four firms constituting it are, in the immortal words of Orwell’s Animal Farm, "more equal than others." Reed Smith is reported to be eyeing an acquisition of...