EMBRACE A BOLD VISION TO MEET THE IMPERATIVES OF THE 21ST CENTURY
In my forty six years in law, there’s never been a moment like this.
Firms are preparing to resume normal operations after a period of totally remote working. The phenomenon of “resuming” creates a unique chance for firms to take a fresh look
Ralph Baxter
Three Building Blocks to Make Law Firm Re-Entry the Most it Can Be
RE-ENTRY PRESENTS AN UNPRECEDENTED OPPORTUNITY FOR LAW FIRMS TO ADVANCE
This is my seventh post about law firms in the Coronavirus Crisis.
“Re-entering” from the crisis offers law firms an unprecedented opportunity to improve themselves. Law firm leaders should take it seriously.
The opportunity derives from several elements.
A Chance …
Law Firms Must Look Ahead to a Very Different “New Normal”
THE FUTURE OF LEGAL SERVICES WILL NOT BE BUSINESS AS USUAL
This is my sixth post about law firms in the Coronavirus Crisis.
As governments around the US and the world begin to ease restrictions on social interaction, law firms, like all other business entities, are planning for “re-entry.”
When law firms return from the…
A Time to Learn: Three Questions Law Firms Should Ask to Prepare for the “New Normal”
Thoroughly Examining Lessons from the Coronavirus Crisis Operating Model
This is my fifth post about law firms in the Coronavirus Crisis.
In an earlier post, I suggested law firms pursue three ideas to navigate this crisis: Lead, Manage, and Learn. This week I address the third idea.
There is a lot to learn
Two…
Potential Silver Linings: Making Firms Stronger for the Long Term By Actions During the Crisis
AN OPPORTUNITY TO ENHANCE RELATIONSHIPS, INITIATIVES, AND HUMAN CONNECTION
This is my fourth post on law firms and the Coronavirus Crisis. This week I’ll examine how firms can make themselves stronger in the long term, by actions they take during the crisis.
This post was inspired by a question Bob Ambrogi asked me on his…
Managing a Totally Remote Workforce and Budget Pressures in the Coronavirus Crisis
UNPRECEDENTED CHALLENGES REQUIRE IMAGINATIVE AND THOUGHTFUL APPROACHES
This is my third post about law firms in the Coronavirus Crisis. Last week I addressed leadership. Today I turn to management.
Managing during this crisis will be challenging and mission critical. It will require leaders to draw on their experience and imaginations to adapt pre-existing strategic and…
A Time to Lead
A WORRIED AND FRIGHTENED TEAM NEEDS INSPIRATION FROM THE TOP
The Coronavirus Crisis is unlike any other in our lifetimes. As I wrote last week, how law firm leaders perform their duties will make a big difference in how their firms, and all who depend on them, fare.
What law firm leaders need to…
Leading Your Law Firm Through the Coronavirus Crisis
A Time Like No Other: A Lethal Pandemic Grips the World
We suddenly find ourselves in a dire and unexpected crisis. A lethal, novel virus is spreading like wildfire around the world, leading to…
Four Core Values to Guide the Future of Law
AS LAW MODERNIZES THESE VALUES WILL BE MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER BEFORE
This week I want to examine four core values that I believe enable effective legal service and promote public confidence, and their implications for our future.
In almost all discussions of the future of law we focus on change. What we need to…
Law 2030: Penn Law Opens a New Initiative Dedicated to Improving Legal Service
THE NEW INITIATIVE HOSTED TWO DAYS OF STIMULATING DISCUSSION ON THE FUTURE OF THE LEGAL PROFESSION
Modernization of legal service got an influential new ally last week with the launch of the Future of the Profession Initiative at the University of Pennsylvania Law School. To mark its launch the Initiative hosted Law 2030: A Global Conversation …
Let’s Stop Calling Legal Service Professionals “Non-Lawyers”
WE SHOULD NOT DEFINE THE ROLES OF HALF OUR PEOPLE IN THE NEGATIVE
We really need to stop using the term “non-lawyer” to refer to everyone who works in legal services who has not passed the bar exam.
This issue is much more than a word choice. At best it is careless. At worst it…
It Is High Time to Reform the Rules that Govern the Practice of Law
OUR OUTMODED RULES IMPEDE INNOVATION AND CAUSE OUR JUSTICE SYSTEM TO UNDERSERVE A PUBLIC THAT NEEDS IT MORE THAN EVER
In my first post on Legal Services Today, I wrote that, while we have a great legal system, it can and must do better. Nearly every observer agrees that law has not kept pace with…
Legalweek 2020 In New York Was Outstanding
8500 PROFESSIONALS FROM ACROSS THE LEGAL SERVICE ECOSYSTEM CAME TOGETHER FOR A WEEK OF LEARNING, SHARING, AND NETWORKING
I participated in Legalweek 2020 in New York last week, co-chairing the Legal Business Strategy Program with Gina Passarella, Editor in Chief of the American Lawyer. It was a exceptional experience.
Here is my report:
The …
Innovation Will Change the Law Firm Business Model
THE TRADITIONAL MODEL WILL CHANGE IN FIVE FUNDAMENTAL WAYS
I wrote last week about law firms’ increased focus on innovation, the market forces behind it, and why it is important to the overall modernization of legal services.
I believe this innovation effort will inexorably lead to five fundamental changes in the law firm business model. …
Law Firm Innovation Is Picking Up Steam
Law Firms Are Responding to Market Pressure With Increased Efforts to Innovate
Law firms across the country are taking steps to innovate the way they organize themselves and serve their clients. This trend promises to be more than a passing fancy because it is driven by demands from corporate clients , as well as increasing…
Don’t Miss the Business Strategy Program at Legal Week 2020
THIS YEAR’S PROGRAM PROMISES TO BE THE BEST EVER: TOPICS, SPEAKERS, AND FORMATS
Legal Week 2020 convenes in New York in just two weeks on Tuesday, February 4. One of the most significant events in law each year, it attracts more than 8,000 participants, across the spectrum of stakeholders in contemporary American law.
Gina Passarella…