Law Firm 3.0: Information Changing Law Firm Models
The standard law firm model that has been in effect for the better part of the last 20 years is becoming less viable and the way law firms are run is undergoing a subtle, yet significant change, driven largely by information.
<i>Sargon</i> Update: Reforming the CA Standard for Expert Testimony
<I>Sargon Enterprises, Inc. v. University of Southern California</I> has been touted as a "game-changer" in California jurisprudence. It was to be a decision ushering in <I>Daubert</I> "gatekeeper" functions, to protect juries against junk science experts. Many California trial courts are now regularly flexing their <I>Sargon</I>-empowered discretion, and scrutiny of expert evidence has become part of California law.
Disruption: Three Forces Shaping the Legal Landscape
From mobile and global work environments to alternative billing models to a perceived crisis in legal education, the legal industry is in the midst of a major transformation. Some changes are evolutionary, yet other developments may feel revolutionary for those unprepared for change. What are the key trends that will disrupt the legal industry and impact practice across the landscape?
Anchoring the Firm Culture In Solid Rock
Over the years of my consulting practice, I have seen many formerly great law firms fail and go under. The reason? They lost the anchor to their core values, and then started drifting into issues and concerns that eventually destroyed them from within. Herein, I try to lay out what can be done to keep the anchor holding.
A Primer on What 'Big Data' Is All About
In May 2015, the streaming music service Pandora acquired the music industry data collection company Next Big Sound, which extensively tracks sales, social and streaming data. In the Internet era, the entertainment and other industries are awash with data, all of it with varying degrees of copyright protection. The Pandora/Next Big Sound deal presents a good moment for a primer on this copyright protection.
Leasing Strategies in a World of Flux
As more and more commercial clients move their legal teams in-house, competition among law firms continues to grow. With the legal industry still feeling negative impacts from the financial crisis, a considerable number of law firms have been pooling expertise and gaining market share through mergers and acquisitions.
Firms Helping Military Employees
Many Am Law 100 firms have done extensive pro bono work for veterans since the start of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan more than a decade ago, and are also helping their military employees.
Cloud-Computing Agreements
Strong agreements are essential for any cloud service that supports critical IT systems. While the circumstances of each cloud implementation are different, this article provides an overview of key areas that need to be considered for any agreement to acquire cloud-based services.
Leading Succession
The majority of law firms faced with generational change do not survive into the next generation after the founders retire. This risk of decline or dissolution can be greatly mitigated if your firm plans ahead of time for succession.
<b><i>At the Intersection:</i></b> Scope-Blindness: Confusing Trees with Forests
As one of its core principles, Legal Project Management (LPM) emphasizes the need for effective project scoping as a crucial first step for delivering legal services efficiently, predictably, on time and on budget. Most experienced lawyers tell us they scope engagements quite well. In our experience, many of them don't.
