by Bruce | March 28, 2017 | Articles, Compensation, Cultural Considerations, Finance, Leadership, Partnership Structures
One of the things we do a lot of here—and seemingly more of in the past 24 months or so—is helping firms sort out, reform, amend, optimize, throw-away-and-start-fresh, their partnership compensation systems. And in every engagement of that sort, we try to keep two...
by Bruce | March 17, 2017 | Articles, Business Models, Compensation, Finance, Partnership Structures
This is a guest column by a very good friend of Adam Smith, Esq., Richard Rapp, who was President and CEO of NERA Economic Consulting for 18 years (1988-2005), during which time the firm grew to global scale. Richard now co-heads Veltro Advisors, a law firm...
by Bruce | March 15, 2017 | Articles
Customarily, albeit not religiously, we share with readers a “Letter From ________” when we return from a plausibly serious trip to another major metropolitan. Herewith our first from Bogota, Colombia. For orientation purposes, Bogota is a 5—6 hour flight...
by Bruce | March 6, 2017 | About the Site, Articles, Cultural Considerations, Globalization
Recently we had the pleasure to announce the arrival of Antonio Leal Holguin as a Director of Adam Smith, Esq., based primarily in Bogota, Colombia. La Republica published an interview with Antonio this morning; it’s one of, if not the, most widely read...
by Bruce | February 22, 2017 | About the Site, Articles, Book Reviews
It’s our great pleasure—you can take this to the bank, as they say—to let you know we have just published our latest book, Tomorrowland: Scenarios for law firms beyond the horizon. It’s the third book from Adam Smith, Esq., following Growth Is Dead: Now What? (2013)...
by Bruce | February 17, 2017 | About the Site, Articles, Publications
With great pleasure, we’d like to officially welcome Antonio Leal Holguin to the Adam Smith, Esq. team. Antonio is a Director of Adam Smith, Esq. based in Bogotá, Colombia. He’s a lawyer and law firm consultant with prior experience working in the...
by Bruce | February 16, 2017 | Articles, Cultural Considerations, Leadership
What do you think this describes? “a set of basic tacit assumptions about how the world is and ought to be that is shared by a set of people and determines their perceptions, thoughts, feelings and, to some degree, their overt behavior.” If you guessed...
by Bruce | February 10, 2017 | About the Site, Articles
Over a year ago, I thought I had put “The Client Seat” series here on Adam Smith, Esq., to bed. But many are the mysterious ways of law firms, and I learned this week I need to report a Coda #2. I have now learned I should never rule out a potential future...
by Bruce | January 30, 2017 | Articles
It may be a reflection on human nature, that such devices [checks and balances] should be necessary to control the abuses of government. But what is government itself, but the greatest of all reflections on human nature? If men were angels, no government would be...
by Bruce | January 30, 2017 | Articles, Strategy, Technology strategy
Well, it was comfortable while it lasted. I’m referring to the widespread attitude towards artificial intelligence in law, to the effect that we don’t have to do anything about it yet because the technology has yet to prove itself. Some day, maybe, and...
