A dynamic law firm growth tactic involves opening an office in a new geographic market. To move a firm into virgin territory requires careful thought about issues that go beyond simply hiring new lawyers. Indeed, expanding a firm’s footprint requires many considerations, including good intelligence about the new market’s practice characteristics, bar personality and mores,
Improving the Odds in Law Firm Merger
Law firm mergers remain popular as law firms everywhere seek an edge. Despite the high interest in merger as a difference maker, law firms considering merger need to be careful-merger can be fraught with risk. Indeed, it is reported that only about half of all law firm mergers succeed. So not only can a merger
Improving the Odds with Law Firm Expansion
Virtually every week brings news about law firm expansion. The news is exciting and of great interest in and out of the legal services industry. Although the firms that report lateral hires, mergers and acquisitions and new office openings are pleased with their news to share, the passage of time proves that not all
Hoping Your Way to Law Firm Improvement
“Hope is not a strategy”
– Various –
Déjà vu
It seems like déjà vu all over again; demand for law firm services is down, but many law firm leaders expect their firm to see an increase in demand. Based on those expectation hiring and purchasing
Law Firm Succession Planning-Things Small Firms Can Do Just Like the Big Firms
Is the grass greener on the other side? Some small firm leaders envy perceived advantages enjoyed by bigger firms. Leadership at big firms likewise can be found yearning for simpler times when their firms were smaller and the issues seemed simpler. Regardless of size, all law firms must work hard to succeed, especially in a
Killing the Golden Law Firm Goose
The general approach to law firm billing rate increases continues to baffle me. The overall demand for law firm services has been flat to declining for more than a decade while the quantity of licensed lawyers continues to grow.
Continue Reading Killing the Golden Law Firm Goose
Scoping Out Future Law Firm Upheaval-Four Places to Look
Law firms perpetually are in transition. In our changing legal environment, transition can arise when business strategy requires adjustment, merger is considered, layoffs are implemented, lateral hiring is pursued, leadership succession is at hand (see Cultivating the Next Generation), crisis arises or firm wind-up is decided and implemented.
In addressing any transitional event
Finding Your Next Law Firm Leader-What to Look for?
The legal services industry is awash with profitability challenges, calls for innovation, and non-traditional entrants. Long-time law firm clients are expecting more from their law firms at the same time they weigh the option of moving work in-house or assigning it to alternative providers. Since 2008 flat demand and financial stress have fueled reactive
No Law Firm Succession Plan? Five Options
A Forbes article entitled Law Firm Leadership Survey: Top Strategic Initiatives of 2017 shared some interesting information about the burning and not so burning issues for today’s law firm leaders. The information was assembled through the work of David J. Parnell (the author of the Forbes article) and noted legal consultant Patrick J. McKenna.
Four Signs Your Law Firm is Not Ready for Leadership Succession
At many law firms that recognize the need for succession planning, preparation for leadership succession receives too little attention. Succession planning can languish for various reasons. In some instances, the press of regular law firm business distracts existing leadership from the issue. In other cases, the topic is an uncomfortable one so discussions are avoided.