Career Journal: Across the Pond
September 26, 2007
Law-firm marketing in the UK has witnessed some important developments over the last three years. Firms of all sizes, from large international players to smaller niche firms, have made sizeable investments in their business development departments. U.S. firms with a presence in the UK and Europe have also invested heavily in this key area.
Op Ed: 'Miranda' Rights
September 26, 2007
What I think is that for the most part, women in law have feared being themselves because if they showed their 'feminine side,' they would be perceived as not good enough or smart enough to succeed. I am here to say that's just rubbish."--Elizabeth Anne 'Betiayn' Tursi
Ethics Issues Arising Between the Law Firm and Its Client
August 30, 2007
Jim Roethe, former General Counsel at Bank of America and litigation partner with Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pitman LLP, and I recently taped a Recorder Roundtable CLE program titled 'Professional Relationship and Ethics.' We discussed some ethical issues that may arise between the client and the law firm in billing, staffing, litigation discovery, lawyers' financial interests, and backdating documents. Here is a brief summary of our discussion.
Lessons Learned from Jury Duty
August 30, 2007
When my jury summons arrived in the mailbox, I decided that performing my civic duty could function as professional development for <i>this</i> legal-specific software trainer. The three previous times that I had served (one other time as foreperson), I viewed the experience with different eyes. After eight weeks of active, civil case jury duty, the time spent and lessons learned compel me to reflect on the experience and offer personal insight as it relates to law firm ethics and how a firm may benefit.
Orientation Revisited and Reinvented
August 30, 2007
Many firms have instituted elaborate machinery for their recruiting (entry-level and lateral) and orientation, but there is a long way to go toward stellar results regarding orienting, integrating, and retaining those hard-won recruits. Some of the difficulties are generational; others can be traced to the traditions of partnership culture, which often lacks openness about management and how the firm handles the business of law.
HELP! Communicating During a Crisis
August 30, 2007
With corporate scandals, terrorism and economic chaos appearing regularly in the headlines of major newspapers and on broadcast news, now more than ever it seems that American business is in need of good crisis communications. No company is immune to crisis — so no company should be without some kind of plan to communicate in the midst of that crisis. Organizations that have good plans in place will weather crises far better than those that don't — or those that believe that not communicating will insulate them in some way from the effects of the crisis.
Keane v. Keane
August 29, 2007
The author has spent some considerable time reading and re-reading the Court of Appeals' decision in <i>Keane v. Keane</i>, 3 NY3d 115 (2006), but cannot quite get it. He realizes fully that the court's word on this is the final one ' 'for now.'
Business Development Will Dominate Marketing
August 29, 2007
In the real business world, marketing and business development functions co-exist ' albeit uncomfortably at times ' in a more or less equitable partnership that sees them working toward common objectives but living on separate islands. In the somewhat more surreal world of BigLaw business, the functions tend to live together but, all too often work at cross-purposes. And therein lies a budding tale. Who is best suited to lead the firm, at least until the next, next thing comes along? The answer seems clear. There's a new sheriff in town. Its name is business development.
