Some recent news and commentary drives home the idea that the legal industry and its law firm participants are facing transition. Jennifer Smith of The Wall Street Journal reported that more law firm clients are insourcing-taking in work heretofore performed by outside counsel. That development, by some accounts impacting large law firms in particular, occurs
The Future of Mid -Sized Law Firms
Strength and growth come only through continuous effort and struggle. – Napoleon Hill
Even as the economy improves, we see many law firms of all sizes continuing to struggle. Mid sized firms seem to be having the greatest difficulty adapting in the evolving marketplace.
In a recent Forbes article, Basha Rubin suggested that we might
What Do a Law Firm and a Taco Joint Have in Common?
Start by getting the right people on the bus. Jim Collins
When I ask what a law firm and a taco joint have in common, it is not intended to be another one of those lame lawyer jokes.
The other night my wife and I stopped by Torchy’s Tacos for a quick bite, and
Law Firm Alert-Get Your House in Order
In a recent interview about his advisory work on behalf of Patton Boggs (now a part of Squire Patton Boggs), Zolfo Cooper’s Joff Mitchell recommended that law firms “get your house[s] in order.” While not all law firms today face the challenge that Patton Boggs faced and which Mr. Mitchell helped resolve, there
Is the Purpose For Many Law Firm Mergers the Reason So Many Combinations Fail?
Efforts and courage are not enough without purpose and direction. – John F. Kennedy
It seems not a week passes without an announcement of another law firm merger. A report last week of a rumored combination of Morgan Lewis and Bingham McCutchen caught my attention.
The posting in Above the Law suggests that the partners
For Law Firms Everywhere, These Are Transitional Times
Times of transition are strenuous, but I love them. They are an opportunity to purge, rethink priorities, and be intentional about new habits. We can make our new normal any way we want. – Kristin Armstrong
The recent closing of the Toledo, Ohio law firm of Cooper and Kowalski provides another reminder of the
Law Firms and Big Ten Football-Leadership and Disruption
The Big Ten had a tough go of it last weekend in college football. Both Michigan and Michigan State failed to step up to challenges against non-Big Ten teams. In the Horseshoe, Ohio State lost to Virginia Tech in a contest pitting the Big Ten against the Atlantic Coast Conference. The weekend’s results again raise
Vision and the Law Firm Leader
There’s nothing more demoralizing than a leader who can’t clearly articulate why we’re doing what we’re doing. –James Kouzes and Barry Posner
If conditions were always ideal, if the road ahead was completely predictable, leading would be a piece of cake.
But we all know things are never perfect. Every organization needs that individual
Law Firm Leadership and Merger-Finding the Right Fit
Although this year’s transactions generally are smaller deals, the robust law firm merger market of 2013 has been continued into 2014. Mergers grab headlines, create excitement and almost always provide the merged firm a little boost from the afterglow of positive publicity. Unfortunately, any positive vibe from a merger will not last forever. And more
Successfully Leading a Law Firm
About twelve months ago, in the wake of a number of law firm failures, I reflected on the challenges associated with leadership in an increasingly volatile marketplace. Today not much is different. Our industry continues to experience transitional issues that signal a substantive shift in the way we organize, interact with clients in many instances,