tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25859636994725106312011-11-27T15:56:06.441-08:00The one-stop source for managing partners, executive directors, and law firm administrators to gain insight into their real estate and office space needs.Richard Schuchtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258815481684705495noreply@blogger.comBlogger1021100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585963699472510631.post-87445884316997454192009-05-08T10:36:00.000-07:002009-05-08T10:39:08.360-07:00

The new associate mantra: Keep quiet - With layoffs piling up, associates do their best to fly under the radar.With law firms unloading scores of attorneys amid the economic downturn, associates are finding that the balance of power has shifted away from them and into the hands of law firm managers. Gone are the days — as recent as a year ago — when firms had to pile on the perks to keep

Richard Schuchtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258815481684705495noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585963699472510631.post-81051156934763310482009-05-05T10:39:00.000-07:002009-05-08T10:45:55.748-07:00

With the announced retirement of Supreme Court Justice Souter, what lies ahead? As far as the political ramifications for President Obama and the nomination process, a new NLJ article "After Souoter"aims to answer that questions.See also: Seven candidates who could be chosen by President Obama for the Supreme Court.

Richard Schuchtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258815481684705495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585963699472510631.post-59628169907968821912009-05-01T23:44:00.000-07:002009-05-01T23:44:16.732-07:00

New Fee Structure For Law Firms - Forbes.com: "Only in the past 10 years have law firms begun to think about bringing professional managers into parts of the firm which are often run by committee--without an individual responsible for directing any part of the business. The challenge for law firms, he says, is to find a new way to introduce professional lines of responsibility and management

Richard Schuchtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258815481684705495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585963699472510631.post-11561559166623148372009-05-01T23:43:00.000-07:002009-05-01T23:43:52.478-07:00

New Fee Structure For Law Firms - Forbes.com: "unlike a corporation with professional managers, a law firm's shareholders--its partners--are also expected to run the business day to day. 'Therefore, they have great difficulty letting go and allowing other people to take on responsibility for finance or strategy or human relations.' In many firms, he notes, the highest fee-producing lawyer is

Richard Schuchtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258815481684705495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585963699472510631.post-27752770794203041752009-05-01T23:42:00.000-07:002009-05-01T23:42:49.556-07:00

New Fee Structure For Law Firms - Forbes.com: "Law firms also tend to celebrate individual rainmaking partners, but no one individual can supply the kind of comprehensive service today's clients demand, Ryan adds. While 'rainmaking is virtuous,' he says, 'strategic account management is a team game. The question is how do you let the rainmaker continue to grow the business and discover the needs

Richard Schuchtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258815481684705495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585963699472510631.post-59595416660845426652009-05-01T23:40:00.000-07:002009-05-01T23:40:43.094-07:00

New Fee Structure For Law Firms - Forbes.com: "another emerging model is the 'virtual' firm, which acts as an intermediary between clients and lawyers who have left big firms in order to work on a freelance basis. An example is Axiom Legal, a New York-based company that hires lawyers for temporary assignments. Axiom clients include Google ( GOOG - news - people ), Dow Jones, NBC and General

Richard Schuchtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258815481684705495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585963699472510631.post-88119618798592423372009-05-01T23:39:00.000-07:002009-05-01T23:39:31.322-07:00

New Fee Structure For Law Firms - Forbes.com: "law firms in Europe are now undergoing a period of rapid deregulation following passage of Britain's Legal Services Act of 2007, which allows for alternative business structures and non-lawyer ownership of firms, Burbank notes. 'It is quite conceivable that within 10 years, you will have a largely deregulated legal profession in the U.K. and Europe.

Richard Schuchtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258815481684705495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585963699472510631.post-40679579385546542222009-04-07T20:17:00.000-07:002009-04-07T20:17:09.728-07:00

Image via WikipediaWith the Downturn, It’s Time to Rethink the Legal Profession By ADAM COHEN April 1, 2009 The economic downturn is hitting the legal world hard. American Lawyer is calling it “the fire this time” and warning that big firms may be hurtling toward “a paradigm-shifting, blood-in-the-suites” future. The Law Shucks blog has a “layoff tracker,” and it is grim reading. Top firms are

Richard Schuchtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258815481684705495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585963699472510631.post-12483406578310885792009-04-06T06:59:00.000-07:002009-04-06T06:59:05.439-07:00

In lean times, firms measure savings by the square foot - Karen Sloan - April 6, 2009 "One-size-fits-all attorney offices?  The mere idea might prompt a gasp of horror from a law firm partner with a spacious corner office, but real estate experts say the slumping economy is prompting firms to look closely at how they use their space and how they can be more efficient and save money. Adopting

Richard Schuchtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258815481684705495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585963699472510631.post-23991967441237765122009-04-04T22:04:00.001-07:002009-04-04T22:04:48.735-07:00

With the Downturn, It’s Time to Rethink the Legal Profession By ADAM COHEN April 1, 2009The economic downturn is hitting the legal world hard. American Lawyer is calling it “the fire this time” and warning that big firms may be hurtling toward “a paradigm-shifting, blood-in-the-suites” future. The Law Shucks blog has a “layoff tracker,” and it is grim reading. Top firms are rapidly thinning

Richard Schuchtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258815481684705495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585963699472510631.post-50955917881580020652009-03-25T15:44:00.000-07:002009-03-26T20:12:55.277-07:00

Image by Getty Images via DaylifeThe FASB has released a Discussion Paper and Snaphot summary to solicit comments on sweeping changes to the accounting of leases. "According to the World Leasing Yearbook 2009, in 2007 the annual volume of leases amounted to US$760 billion. However, the assets and liabilities arising from many of those contracts cannot be found in entities’ balance sheets. "

Richard Schuchtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258815481684705495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585963699472510631.post-11165203763331327832009-03-24T22:37:00.000-07:002009-03-26T20:14:52.103-07:00

Image via WikipediaSouth Florida Business Journal:: "The partners of Wolf Block voted Monday to dissolve the 106-year-old law firm due to a combination of effects of the recession on the firm’s core real estate practice, the constriction of credit and the anticipated departures of significant partners and practices. The firm said it would remain in business for several months to protect the

Richard Schuchtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258815481684705495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585963699472510631.post-43055538024428983672009-03-20T19:22:00.000-07:002009-03-22T17:57:51.192-07:00

Google Reader : "Nonequity partners, properly applied, are more profitable than associates, notwithstanding their lower production of hours, for a number of reasons. Firstly, they are considerably more experienced and efficient, and thus a higher proportion of their hours worked are billed and collected.Secondly, their billing rates are higher, and every hour worked has a higher margin as against

Richard Schuchtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258815481684705495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585963699472510631.post-39962028116414039432009-03-16T19:59:00.000-07:002009-03-22T18:01:21.520-07:00

Image via WikipediaThe Real Deal South Florida Real Estate News: "'Certain fundamentals were not really looked at over the past few years -- especially in places like Miami that don't have a lot of land. People just expected that property to increase,' said Richard Schuchts, senior vice president at Jones Lang LaSalle who has 12 years experience in the South Florida market. 'Now we're getting

Richard Schuchtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258815481684705495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585963699472510631.post-52611208747149819972009-03-16T07:31:00.000-07:002009-03-26T20:19:01.314-07:00

Image via WikipediaAccording to a survey of 245 companies by Watson Wyatt Worldwide, companies have been reducing workweeks significantly in 2009. According to the findings, 13 percent reduced workweeks in February (up from 2 percent in December). Another 8 percent of companies anticipate reducing the workweek in the next year. Related articles by ZemantaOff the Charts, in the Wrong Direction (

Richard Schuchtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258815481684705495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585963699472510631.post-55708706822915344302009-03-12T12:40:00.000-07:002009-03-25T15:55:28.142-07:00

Image via WikipediaAccording to the National Law Journal, a report last week by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics revealed that the number of individuals employed in legal services shrank by 4,200 in February. The data also shows about 21,000 jobs were lost in the U.S. legal sector in the past year. Related articles by ZemantaThe View From 3L (

Richard Schuchtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258815481684705495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585963699472510631.post-79488420209270377442009-02-17T07:43:00.000-08:002009-02-17T07:43:00.423-08:00

Image by dbking via FlickrIs this the time that the associate pay model gets revamped? Dan DiPietro of the The American Lawyer pointed out in August that it is time to abandon lockstep pay for associates. "The proposal: Abandon the lockstep compensation approach toward associate pay in favor of a system that aligns pay with the performance of the individual associate and the firm, and

Richard Schuchtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258815481684705495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585963699472510631.post-12609669363521807012009-02-16T10:34:00.000-08:002009-02-16T20:43:08.923-08:00

Image via WikipediaDo you work at a law firm and still have a job this week?"Six prominent firms sent packing more than 700 attorneys and legal staffers, in what may well become known as Black Thursday in the legal industry. DLA Piper; Holland & Knight; Goodwin Procter; Bryan Cave; Epstein Becker & Green; and Dechert all confirmed layoffs on Thursday (2/12/09), adding to what has become a brutal

Richard Schuchtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258815481684705495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585963699472510631.post-49757695590911219132009-02-16T10:11:00.000-08:002009-02-16T20:33:28.683-08:00

Image via WikipediaWant a feel good piece to start the week off?  Don't read this one then The Fire This Time: Thoughts on The Coming Law Firm Hiring Crisis.  In it, Arik Press in The American Lawyer wrote today about the paradigm shift in hiring and retention in the big firm market. "If present trends continue in the big firm market, we are heading toward -- you pick the cliche -- a

Richard Schuchtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258815481684705495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585963699472510631.post-23029169336416495622009-02-14T11:36:00.000-08:002009-02-16T20:36:25.860-08:00

Image via WikipediaAmanda Royal in The Recorder writes, as reprinted in Law.com: Almost 800 associates and legal staff nationwide returned home jobless Thursday after eight firms conducted mass layoffs, citing an unprecedented downturn in demand.  And the bloodletting is likely to continue. "There will be more," said consultant Peter Zeughauser. "Materially more. I'm aware of some big ones

Richard Schuchtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258815481684705495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585963699472510631.post-11546641013494790282009-02-11T07:54:00.000-08:002009-02-16T20:39:58.876-08:00

Image by Getty Images via Daylife"[T]he recession will last through 2010. Law firms will use this period to substantially restructure, and beginning in 2011, things will start growing again. While there's a lot of detail and nuance around the form this restructuring will take, it can be described in simple terms. A typical law firm bill in January 2011 will generate the same dollars for partner

Richard Schuchtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258815481684705495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585963699472510631.post-89962522090602121722009-01-28T10:58:00.001-08:002009-02-16T20:42:24.794-08:00

Image via WikipediaMessy legal battles involving investor claims is likely to break new legal ground involving jurisdiction disputes, insurance, bankruptcy and international finance."  Unraveling the complex scheme will produce legal actions or many varieties and impacting many areas of law. A primary issue will be attempts by the bankruptcy court to reclaim improper payouts to early investors,

Richard Schuchtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258815481684705495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585963699472510631.post-14372736692386106062009-01-28T10:40:00.001-08:002009-02-16T20:44:50.306-08:00

Image via WikipediaFrom The National Law Journal - "Third-year students at law schools across the country are about to graduate and enter a brave new legal world of layoffs, pay freezes, and reduced bonuses. So how do these soon-to-be-lawyers feel? Says one: 'Frankly, if you're not nervous, you haven't been paying attention.'"Related articles by ZemantaThe View From 3L (

Richard Schuchtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258815481684705495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585963699472510631.post-56756456429234428872009-01-19T19:27:00.000-08:002009-01-19T19:30:28.673-08:00

Image by Getty Images via DaylifeFT.com / Companies / By region - BofA set for further jobs cuts: "BofA set for further jobs cutsBy Greg Farrell in New YorkImage via WikipediaPublished: January 19 2009 23:44 | Last updated: January 19 2009 23:44Bank of America is expected to make several thousand employees in its capital markets businesses redundant, starting this week, according to executives

Richard Schuchtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258815481684705495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585963699472510631.post-89867410609764673862009-01-06T09:40:00.000-08:002009-01-06T09:46:39.452-08:00

Image via WikipediaAre you wondering how how Madoff's scheme got past the SEC?  Allan Sloan's of Fortune.com. says that regulators routinely miss gargantuan frauds because they're not looking for them. "You're likely to get caught if you run a few inches outside the baseline, because regulators are set up to catch that," wrote Sloan. "But run so far that you're playing on a whole different

Richard Schuchtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258815481684705495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585963699472510631.post-18470283529775264182009-01-05T17:00:00.000-08:002009-01-06T17:02:36.220-08:00

Image via WikipediaOver the last couple decades, high leverage--the practice of having each equity partner supported by three or more associates or income partners--was accepted as a basic tenet of profitability. But is the pyramid an unstable structure? Our report includes a chart ranking the Am Law 100 by leverage.See full article at: From the January Issue of The American Lawyer: Past

Richard Schuchtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258815481684705495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585963699472510631.post-43416062483089926832008-12-30T18:04:00.000-08:002009-01-06T18:06:58.136-08:00

From the Daily Business Review:Though more subtle than mass layoffs in the financial and manufacturing industries, the layoff ax hit some attorneys this year at law firms in South Florida as members of support staffs such as paralegals and legal assistants lost their jobs in greater numbers. The cutbacks, analysts warn, are not likely to abate in the new year.Anyone who thinks law firm

Richard Schuchtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258815481684705495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585963699472510631.post-60351137588089706612008-12-20T17:10:00.000-08:002009-01-06T17:12:15.570-08:00

The National Law Journal's 31st annual survey of the nation's largest law firms found that hiring slowed significantly in 2008."At this time last year, we reported that overall growth had picked up to levels not seen since 2001. These days, of course, are a different story. The current economic crisis is hitting law firms hard — seven large law firms announced layoffs this year, and the

Richard Schuchtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258815481684705495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585963699472510631.post-3400687095527759232008-12-19T10:27:00.000-08:002008-12-19T10:32:53.845-08:00

Image via WikipediaA recently released report by Paris-based Euler Hermes, the world's largest credit insurer, concludes that Europe and the U.S. will experience a significant increase in business failures in 2009.Related articles Euler Hermes: UK set for bankruptcy spike

Richard Schuchtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258815481684705495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585963699472510631.post-71650550954767491442008-12-14T19:04:00.000-08:002008-12-14T19:15:18.186-08:00

Image via WikipediaLarry Bodine Law Marketing Blog: "Failed law firms, like Thelen and Heller Erhman, have three things in common: * Below average financial performance – often including excessive financial leverage, significant deferred obligations, low productivity, and poor realization; * Internal dynamics – primarily involving leadership issues, partners with incompatible goals, differences

Richard Schuchtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258815481684705495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585963699472510631.post-67680299758048498902008-12-14T09:04:00.000-08:002008-12-14T09:21:01.049-08:00

NYTimes.com: "Federal authorities have been tracking what they describe as a brazen swindle of some of New York’s savviest investors by one of New York’s more accomplished lawyers. Mr. Dreier has been charged with multiple frauds in the United States and a related crime in Canada, and is being held without bail in Manhattan.In court last week, prosecutors said their count so far put the money

Richard Schuchtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258815481684705495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585963699472510631.post-58220312148493937382008-12-13T09:14:00.000-08:002008-12-14T09:17:39.234-08:00

Image via WikipediaHildebrandt International : In 2004, Hildebrandt conducted a study of 80 US law firm failures that occurred between 1998 to 2004."Looking back on that study – and extending it forward to the firms that have dissolved since 2004 – we believe that the conclusions we reached in our earlier study remain valid and offer helpful guidance for today’s law firm leaders.In our

Richard Schuchtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258815481684705495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585963699472510631.post-78862195834555762172008-12-12T09:32:00.000-08:002008-12-14T09:37:33.127-08:00

Image via WikipediaNews Detail: "In a recent White Paper titled, “Are the Myths of Space Utilization Costing You More Than You Know,” Jones Lang LaSalle, the leading integrated financial and professional services firm specializing in real estate, reveals that there is oftentimes a significant difference between how much vacancy corporate real estate executives think they have within their

Richard Schuchtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258815481684705495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585963699472510631.post-66648435246288007452008-12-12T07:05:00.000-08:002008-12-14T09:44:36.602-08:00

Image via WikipediaLaw Firm Failures 2008Heller EhrmanThelanDrier LLPRelated articles Report: More firms will failAnatomy Of Dissolution: Heller Ehrman v. Citi and B of A

Richard Schuchtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258815481684705495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585963699472510631.post-32765083294631304632008-12-11T10:04:00.000-08:002008-12-10T10:16:24.977-08:00

Image via WikipediaThe West Peer Monitor Index, a measure of legal market conditions, found large law firms had the lowest productivity in the third quarter.Overall, law firm productivity was down by 4.5 percent overall and 6.5 percent at the 100 largest firms. The report attributes the low productivity level to large firms having too many associates with too little to do.“In spite of the

Richard Schuchtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258815481684705495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585963699472510631.post-90101316896992748702008-12-10T09:45:00.000-08:002008-12-10T09:49:13.964-08:00

Image via WikipediaAbout 75 percent of corporate general counsel nationwide indicated that their law departments are facing budget cuts next year, according to a survey by legal industry consultant Altman Weil. Most of the cuts will be targeted at outside law firms, Newtown Square, Pa.-based Altman Weil said. The average cut will be 11.5 percent. The survey said 15.6 percent reported that

Richard Schuchtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258815481684705495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585963699472510631.post-53839589029119330762008-12-05T13:33:00.000-08:002008-12-08T13:37:09.617-08:00

Image via WikipediaAccording to a Government Accountability Office report released on Tuesday, the two law firms have pulled in about $2.8 million combined in fees from work done on the federal government's $700 billion economic rescue plan.See article on Am Law: Hughes Hubbard, Squire Sanders Pulling in Profits From TARPRelated articles by ZemantaHughes Hubbard and Squire Sanders will get

Richard Schuchtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258815481684705495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585963699472510631.post-63792349201677871772008-12-05T13:30:00.000-08:002008-12-08T13:32:55.549-08:00

Image via WikipediaThe merger, to be completed in early 2009, would create a 2,000-lawyer firm. In an interview, K&L Gates Chairman Peter J. Kalis said Bell Boyd was an especially attractive partner because of its well-known investment management and intellectual property practices.See article at Am Law: K&L Gates, Bell Boyd Consider MergerRelated articles by ZemantaK&L; Gates to

Richard Schuchtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258815481684705495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585963699472510631.post-17173022348919950922008-12-04T08:58:00.000-08:002008-12-04T09:00:55.302-08:00

Image by miss_blackbutterfly via FlickrUnder a new structure put in place this week, power will shift from 35 individual offices to 14 regional groups, with a renewed focus on 16 different global practices. The moves come in the wake of a four-month review by McKinsey. See full article on AmLaw at: EXCLUSIVE: White & Case to Undergo Major ReorganizationRelated articles by ZemantaEXCLUSIVE:

Richard Schuchtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258815481684705495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585963699472510631.post-82427766297481425662008-12-04T08:40:00.000-08:002008-12-14T09:39:05.487-08:00

Citing a "continuing slowdown in the economy," the firm announced on Wednesday the termination of 115 support personnel in its U.S. offices and the elimination of up to seven support staff and 11 associate positions in its London office.See article on AmLaw at: Reed Smith Managing Partner on Layoffs: Capacity Didn't Meet DemandRelated articles by ZemantaNationwide Layoff Watch: Reed Smith

Richard Schuchtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258815481684705495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585963699472510631.post-87552580166212115802008-12-04T08:38:00.000-08:002008-12-08T10:39:30.202-08:00

Image by Getty Images Former White & Case partner Raymond Sullivan Jr. has joined the Washington office of Baker Donelson to lead a global customs practice. Why the move? "The reason was really to move my practice, in these tougher economic times, to a firm that has a friendlier rate structure for my clients," Sullivan says. See full article on AmLaw at: From Legal Times: Baker Donelson's

Richard Schuchtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258815481684705495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585963699472510631.post-24285298203044616332008-12-03T11:52:00.000-08:002008-12-04T08:30:26.876-08:00

Image via WikipediaThanks to Patrick Lamb and his site In Search of Perfect Client Service for pointing this one out. Paul Lippe at Legal On Ramp (legal social networking platform) is opening up the site to assist attorneys who have become the victims of the economic downturn: Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"Cambria Math"; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0;

Richard Schuchtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258815481684705495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585963699472510631.post-57907207663948614212008-11-25T01:50:00.000-08:002008-11-25T07:59:06.935-08:00

Image via WikipediaFollowing Cravath's lead, Simpson Thacher to cut bonuses in halfNate Raymond, The American Lawyer, November 25, 2008Simpson Thacher & Bartlett announced smaller year-end associate bonuses Monday, continuing the slashing seen at other elite law firms.The bonuses, which range from a pro-rated $17,500 for first-year associates to $32,500 for eighth- and ninth-years, matched the

Richard Schuchtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258815481684705495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585963699472510631.post-17639565681425367272008-11-25T01:47:00.000-08:002008-11-25T08:10:26.206-08:00

Image via Wikipedia"Heller Ehrman and Thelen won't be the only firms to fail amid the floundering economy."That prediction comes from the latest report issued by Hildebrandt International, which examines the reasons that law firms fail. 'Recognizing that the legal market is continuing to segment, we expect that we will continue to see a steady number of both mergers and dissolutions, even after

Richard Schuchtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258815481684705495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585963699472510631.post-21643508396476262182008-11-24T23:07:00.000-08:002008-11-24T23:10:30.029-08:00

Image via WikipediaCitigroup deal could be template for other banks: By Pallavi Gogoi, USA TODAYNEW YORK — The latest bailout of Citigroup (C) helped soothe financial markets Monday and could serve as a model for other U.S. banks looking for help with their large portfolios of toxic assets.The U.S. government late Sunday offered $20 billion for Citi preferred stock, on top of the $25 billion it

Richard Schuchtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258815481684705495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585963699472510631.post-13190643680048253112008-11-24T22:40:00.001-08:002008-11-25T08:14:06.377-08:00

Great chart that breaks down what the US government has committed in terms of dollars and what agencies it is using to do it.http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/data?pid=avimage&iid=i0YrUuvkygWsRelated articles by ZemantaELYAC Realty- Paulson: crisis happens once or twice in 100 years

Richard Schuchtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258815481684705495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585963699472510631.post-7802044421169205762008-11-20T22:35:00.000-08:002008-11-25T08:09:17.749-08:00

Image via WikipediaThis economist article refers to firms in the broad buiness sense, but its recomendations and lessons can also be applied to firms in the more targeted, business of law sense:"Firms that remain standing through a brutal recession will be those that have taken the phrase “cash is king” to heart. Yet there is a risk that in a rush to build up their cash mountains, cuts could be

Richard Schuchtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258815481684705495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585963699472510631.post-66303482607872057872008-11-19T01:35:00.000-08:002008-11-25T08:12:54.252-08:00

Image via Wikipedia"'If you don't understand the value of cash right now, your clients do. You have to assume it will take longer to collect, so you have to be more rigorous in your collections. You have to make sure you've got cash coming in,'Full Article: Law firm economics during crisisRelated articles by ZemantaNew Partner Announcements: What Do They Say About the Health of Law Firms?Could

Richard Schuchtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258815481684705495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585963699472510631.post-18583567516671277362008-11-18T01:36:00.000-08:002008-11-25T01:40:24.532-08:00

Image via Wikipedia"There are some firms that would be better credit risks than others," Henderson said. "The thing that makes law firms different from a company that makes products is their ability to offer security for a loan. About all a firm has to offer is their accounts receivable, and a lending institution, particularly in today's market, is going to take a hard look at that."Related

Richard Schuchtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258815481684705495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585963699472510631.post-37385083835221439522008-11-08T10:33:00.000-08:002008-11-10T10:37:53.015-08:00

The legal services sector shed 1,100 jobs in October as contraction in the general economy continued to hit law firm employment, according to figures released Friday by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).Overall, jobs in the legal industry have shrunk 1.1 percent since October 2007, the report says, to 1.16 million employees. Those include not just lawyers but anyone on payroll,

Richard Schuchtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258815481684705495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585963699472510631.post-10918094476202610732008-11-07T10:06:00.000-08:002008-11-10T10:14:41.398-08:00

Image by jetzenpolis via FlickrSome strong words. Read full article here: Are sovereign investment funds the new economic model?"The Western financial system, as we know it, is dead. Not tarnished or cracked. Dead. With its demise go the Anglo laissez-faire financial mechanisms of the Reagan-Thatcher-Kohl era that have held sway for nearly three decades. The American subset, affectionately

Richard Schuchtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258815481684705495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585963699472510631.post-59731373048062270462008-11-05T13:49:00.000-08:002008-11-10T10:06:17.583-08:00

The U.S. Treasury Department chose Squire Sanders & Dempsey as one of two law firms that will help handle the $700 billion bailout program. The firm was awarded a federal contract worth about $5.5 million to assist the department with bailout transactions. Four law firms bid on the bailout project.Related articles by ZemantaUS treasury sells bail-out bondsHughes Hubbard and Squire Sanders

Richard Schuchtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258815481684705495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585963699472510631.post-92145330060939241682008-10-27T10:34:00.000-07:002008-10-27T10:36:40.969-07:00

Many firms are consolidating their use of staff and using less secretarial support.  Instead, they are asking paralegals, whose work firms can bill for, to perform more administrative tasks.

Richard Schuchtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258815481684705495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585963699472510631.post-2319181606562437822008-10-25T13:53:00.000-07:002008-12-08T13:40:34.102-08:00

Briefing Papers Categories: Author: Mitch Frazer Torys - March 02, 2007In its recent decision in Ivaco Inc., Re [2006] O.J. No. 4152, the Ontario Court of Appeal dealt with the challenging interplay between pension law and insolvency law. The decision deals with a restructuring in which one of the dominant issues is the treatment of a debtor's unfunded pension liabilities. Ivaco highlights the

Richard Schuchtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258815481684705495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585963699472510631.post-23474100041721902562008-10-15T23:37:00.000-07:002008-10-15T23:39:07.832-07:00

Law.com - Thelen Looks to Parcel Out Sections, Core Group May Stick Together: "Thelen would not be the first San Francisco law firm to suffer this year. The partnership at Heller Ehrman voted to dissolve that firm on Sept. 26 after a string of departures in recent years led to the firm's banks -- Bank of America and Citibank -- forcing the firm to shut down.More generally, recruiters, consultants

Richard Schuchtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258815481684705495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585963699472510631.post-24924411992607035012008-10-15T06:06:00.000-07:002008-10-15T06:08:22.386-07:00

AmLaw: In-House Counsel Brace for More Litigation: "In tough economic times, law firms have always counted on countercyclical practices like bankruptcy and litigation to pull them through. We've heard endless talk about an increase in litigation activity this year, but will it be enough to offset what's expected to be a dramatic downturn in corporate work? If you don't work at one of the handful

Richard Schuchtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258815481684705495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585963699472510631.post-29288779934304303572008-10-14T19:11:00.000-07:002008-10-15T06:10:07.434-07:00

We are witnessing the rise of the law firm as the most desired office tenant. A few years ago, building owners who wanted to reduce credit risk looked to the financial institutions and would not consider a law firm as a lead tenant. With the changing world we live in, those roles are now flipped. A building with big name law firms has a higher value than a comparable building occupied by big

Richard Schuchtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258815481684705495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585963699472510631.post-47581149295924836192008-10-10T15:01:00.000-07:002008-10-10T17:48:54.048-07:00

Amid a deepening international credit crisis and a rapidly decelerating global economy, global real estate markets are feeling the real-time effects of a tightly interlinked world that remains increasingly vulnerable. The markets have shifted from a virtuous cycle to a vicious cycle. The dramatically changing environment began with the U.S. subprime mortgage meltdown 18 months ago and then spread

Richard Schuchtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258815481684705495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585963699472510631.post-22033435787815012552008-10-10T13:07:00.000-07:002008-10-10T17:46:30.152-07:00

The world is much different today than it was in the economic downturn of 2001/2002. While most companies have been aggressive on delivering cost savings over the years, the unprecedented events in the credit markets make it clear that success goes beyond the ability to reduce costs. The team that is responsible for the commercial real estate of an organization must be prepared to respond

Richard Schuchtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258815481684705495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585963699472510631.post-26714845910341200222008-10-09T14:56:00.000-07:002008-10-09T15:13:18.918-07:00

From Amlaw: Heller: Going, Going, Gone Since Heller announced its dissolution on September 26, their lawyers have been moving on. Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe is the latest beneficiary, picking up 27 partners, one senior counsel, and an undetermined number of associates, as announced today. Most of the lawyers had formed Heller's antitrust group, including former Heller chair Bob Rosenfeld and

Richard Schuchtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258815481684705495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585963699472510631.post-10266825142319958242008-10-06T19:56:00.000-07:002008-10-06T19:59:14.893-07:00

50 yenCurrency Carry Trade: "A strategy in which an investor sells a certain currency with a relatively low interest rate and uses the funds to purchase a different currency yielding a higher interest rate. A trader using this strategy attempts to capture the difference between the rates - which can often be substantial, depending on the amount of leverage the investor chooses to use.Investopedia

Richard Schuchtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258815481684705495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585963699472510631.post-80361890130864086542008-10-05T18:48:00.000-07:002008-10-06T08:28:11.591-07:00

Spin-Off from Major Florida Law Firm to be Called Banker Lopez Gassler, Change Becomes Effective Nov. 1 - CoStar Group: "Spin-Off from Major Florida Law Firm to be Called Banker Lopez Gassler.Three insurance defense practice groups operating within Fowler White Boggs Banker, one of Florida's biggest and best-known law firms, will formally organize as a separate entity called Banker Lopez Gassler.

Richard Schuchtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258815481684705495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585963699472510631.post-19826209164107843132008-10-05T14:00:00.000-07:002008-10-05T18:26:07.191-07:00

TOPWRAP 4-Germany insures savings amid bank rescue talks European banks have been hit hard by the fallout from a crisis which began in the United States when the housing market collapsed and bad mortgage debts multiplied. In Berlin, the fate of German lender Hypo Real Estate (HRXG.DE: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) hung on the outcome of a showdown in continuing talks between the

Richard Schuchtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258815481684705495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585963699472510631.post-4945949803741038712008-10-04T22:36:00.000-07:002008-10-05T18:27:34.028-07:00

Bloomberg.com: Exclusive: From "Libor Mystifies Americans as Mayor Reads `Doomsday' By Peter RobisonLibor, set every morning in London, is what banks pay to borrow money from each other. That in turn determines prices for financial contracts valued at $393 trillion as of Dec. 31, 2007, or $60,000 for every person in the world, and helps set consumer interest rates on everything"In the past week

Richard Schuchtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258815481684705495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585963699472510631.post-90966145093863066692008-10-04T15:08:00.000-07:002008-10-09T15:11:31.902-07:00

Paul Lippe says:"A law firm friend of mine told me many of his peers were "shocked" at the demise of Heller and its failure to find a merger partner. . . . So let me make a prediction: More Am Law 200 firms will Heller-ize over the next 18 months than will merge. Why?"For more, read the article at Welcome to the Future: Heller Shock?

Richard Schuchtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258815481684705495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585963699472510631.post-41450377633939967622008-10-02T06:28:00.001-07:002008-10-02T20:40:01.761-07:00

From Am Law - Is Credit Default Swap Litigation the Next Big Thing?"A credit default swap is a credit derivative contract in which the buyer makes regular payments to the seller in exchange for the right to a payoff if there is a default or "credit event." Basically, these are insurance contracts, which were widely sold as a hedge against declines in the markets for complex securities."What does

Richard Schuchtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258815481684705495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585963699472510631.post-62658614851849564812008-10-02T06:23:00.000-07:002008-10-02T20:37:56.681-07:00

From AmLaw - J.P. Morgan Drops Linklaters Many New York law firms have long believed that suing banks is risky business, even if the defendant is not one of their clients. Now we know why. J.P. Morgan has dropped Linklaters as one its preferred outside firms, and according to The Lawyer, the drastic move was a response to Linklaters' representation of Barclays in a suit against Bear Stearns and

Richard Schuchtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258815481684705495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585963699472510631.post-25134226491533159632008-09-30T21:37:00.000-07:002008-10-02T20:35:58.021-07:00

Image via WikipediaThe dawn of a new day brings news of yet another billion-dollar rescue package for a corporation in credit-crunch-crisis mode. Not surprisingly, law firms - international, regional, local - are rushing to score a piece of the tumultuous transactional work that abounds, for now. Who is to benefit from Dexia bailout in Belgium, Fortis bailout in Netherlands, Hypo in Germany and

Richard Schuchtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258815481684705495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585963699472510631.post-20501630026834212012008-09-28T06:50:00.000-07:002008-10-06T08:27:28.328-07:00

Heller Ehrman was founded in 1890, rode through the 1906 San Francisco earthquake (in the aftermath of which the nascent client Wells Fargo Bank set up a temporary headquarters at the home of founding partner Emanuel Heller), helped arrange financing for the Golden Gate Bridge, the Hoover Dam, and the Oakland Bay Bridge, and in more recent years took a pro bono case to the US Supreme Court that

Richard Schuchtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258815481684705495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585963699472510631.post-37942352973280029052008-09-24T04:14:00.000-07:002008-10-02T20:52:49.315-07:00

AmLaw notes that Wall Street Bailout Could Enhance, Expand Role of Law Firms.While Congress mulls the merits of a proposed $700 billion plan to prevent a wider economic meltdown, many are wondering what the calls for more regulation and increased transparency mean for corporate governance. Alfred Carlton, Jr., a partner at Raleigh's Allen and Pinnix and a past president of the American Bar

Richard Schuchtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258815481684705495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585963699472510631.post-53578952306085144152008-09-22T09:15:00.000-07:002008-11-24T22:25:22.088-08:00

Want a quick way to understand what happened and what people are thinking? There is a summary here of quotes, thoughts, and events:click: Something is Not Right

Richard Schuchtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258815481684705495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585963699472510631.post-47020928152859925512008-09-18T20:00:00.000-07:002008-09-18T20:07:48.922-07:00

Image via WikipediaFortune cover story: It was the second week of October 2006. William King, then J.P. Morgan's chief of securitized products, was vacationing in Rwanda, visiting remote coffee plantations he was helping to finance. One evening CEO Jamie Dimon tracked him down to fire a red alert. "Billy, I really want you to watch out for subprime!" Dimon's voice crackled

Richard Schuchtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258815481684705495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585963699472510631.post-15898743367288309562008-09-16T11:10:00.000-07:002008-09-18T20:10:44.144-07:00

Image by Getty Images via DaylifeI tried to paraphase a bit, but this one is really worth reading in full here. AmLaw Daily - Work, Jobs Drying Up for Firms in Wake of Wall Street Mess, Says Orrick LawyerAlan Pomerantz, partner in charge of the New York real estate practice group at Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe and a former chair of the global property and finance practice group at Weil,

Richard Schuchtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258815481684705495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585963699472510631.post-74041674673209680232008-09-15T15:24:00.000-07:002008-09-18T20:12:15.608-07:00

Image via WikipediaMayer Brown Calls Off Merger Talks with Heller EhrmanDiscussion of a Mayer Brown-Heller merger began days after Heller's talks with Baker & McKenzie ended. Heller has been faced with major partner defections."Heller is a fine firm with outstanding lawyers," Mayer Brown said. "Like us, they have a long heritage of excellence in their work and service to clients. A merger with

Richard Schuchtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258815481684705495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585963699472510631.post-81812633606514416882008-09-10T06:54:00.000-07:002008-09-18T20:18:51.618-07:00

Image via WikipediaHunton & Williams Strengthens Ties to Africa - AmLaw DailyHunton & Williams has signed a memorandum of understanding with Mkono & Co. Advocates, East Africa's largest law firm."Recent events prove there is big money to be made in Africa for dealmaking lawyers. Late last year a series of donors, including the World Bank and the Blackstone Group worked with the Ugandan government

Richard Schuchtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258815481684705495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585963699472510631.post-78761106102281195252008-09-06T22:22:00.000-07:002008-09-18T20:20:38.585-07:00

Image via WikipediaNews Detail: "Jones Lang LaSalle Arranges 20,476 Square Foot, $8 Million Lease at 800 Wilshire in Downtown Los AngelesLaw Firm Signs Long-Term Lease at Newly Renovated Class A BuildingJones Lang LaSalle announced today that Los Angeles-based The Ratkovich Company, has executed a long-term lease agreement with Clark & Trevithick to renew their 20,476 square feet of office space

Richard Schuchtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258815481684705495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585963699472510631.post-22964783673122737272008-09-05T14:47:00.000-07:002008-09-05T14:58:53.279-07:00

"U.S. lawyers are free to outsource legal work, including to lawyers or nonlawyers outside the country, if they adhere to ethics rules requiring competence, supervision, protection of confidential information, reasonable fees and not assisting unauthorized practice of law."Those are the conclusions of the American Bar Association Standing Committee on Ethics and Professional Responsibility.

Richard Schuchtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258815481684705495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585963699472510631.post-77492744307514553312008-09-03T20:47:00.001-07:002008-10-09T14:51:19.347-07:00

The Philadelphia Inquirer reports: A planned merger between Wolf Block and Akerman Senterfitt has been called off, "derailed by a struggling economy and stagnant revenue that raised the risk to unacceptable levels", participants in the negotiations said. INQUIRER STAFF WRITERPhiladelphia law firm calls off merger

Richard Schuchtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258815481684705495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585963699472510631.post-51351145553940319002008-09-02T21:07:00.001-07:002008-10-09T14:52:03.968-07:00

Image via Wikipedia How long does it take to go through the steps involved in order to relocate your business to a new location. It should be pretty easy. One or two months should be enough, right? Just moving a few desk and some boxes.In truth, it involves a good deal more. A tenant must evaluate their needs and perform a search of available properties, before then touring, negotiating,

Richard Schuchtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258815481684705495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585963699472510631.post-789380011907408492008-08-29T07:19:00.000-07:002008-08-29T07:26:16.025-07:00

After talks broker down with Baker & McKenzie, Heller Ehram is pursuing other options, including a merger with Chicago-based Mayer Brown.According to The Am Law Daily, talks between the firms earlier this year broker down doue to Mayer Brown concern about conflicts from Heller's insurance recovery practice, which represents policyholders in coverage disputes with insurance companies. Mayer Brown

Richard Schuchtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258815481684705495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585963699472510631.post-37006626779060233762008-08-28T07:44:00.000-07:002008-08-29T07:54:13.574-07:00

Thanks to Dan Slater in the WSJ Law Blog to draw attention to Wednesday's WSJ article “No Joke: Law Firms Hire More Lawyers Than Needed” “Over the course of the summer, leaders at the country’s biggest law firms have come to an unpleasant realization: They’re about to employ more lawyers than they need.”The article points out that “a strange and rigid hiring process" that requires law firms to

Richard Schuchtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258815481684705495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585963699472510631.post-12772987316148296822008-08-26T21:15:00.000-07:002008-09-21T19:50:26.017-07:00

Image via Wikipedia Each year, American lawyer prodies a summer associate survey of 195 firms. Out of the 10,000 law students at work at these firms last summer, more than 70% responded to the survey. As this summer comes to a close, let's look back to see how firms did last year."While respondents to our Summer Associates Survey liked big firms, they liked life at small to midsize firms even

Richard Schuchtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258815481684705495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585963699472510631.post-38959439624170968152008-08-25T18:30:00.000-07:002008-08-29T08:10:00.522-07:00

Image via Wikipedia In a guest post on Susan Cartier Liebel's "Build A Solo Practice, LLC" blog, writer and speaker Ed Poll provided some insight into fiducuiary relationships, accounting concerns, and banking realities. Here is much of the text, but for valuable insight take a look at her blog and his The Business of Law™ website."Cash Management – The Lawyer’s Fiduciary Responsibility Every

Richard Schuchtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258815481684705495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585963699472510631.post-22345213790196299842008-08-24T19:56:00.000-07:002008-08-28T12:43:08.696-07:00

Image via CrunchBase, source unknown In his blog, Mike Dillon of Sun Microsystems writes about the conflict between law firm profit-per-partner metrics and their clients' focus on efficiency and value. Quick take:1. Law schools (especially in the U.S.) remain primarily focused on theory, rather than practice. As a result, a significant expense for law firms is attributable to providing

Richard Schuchtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258815481684705495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585963699472510631.post-70554079440400998222008-08-22T21:59:00.000-07:002008-08-22T22:34:04.614-07:00

Book cover via Amazon How does the client select their attorney? So asks Charles H. Green, author of Trust-based Selling (McGraw-Hill, 2005), and co-author of The Trusted Advisor in his blog article "Do Clients Buy the Law Firm, or the Lawyer?". It is worth reading it in its full form.A brief synopsis:"The real decision process . . . covers two distinct phases—screening and selection.

Richard Schuchtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258815481684705495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585963699472510631.post-42358035731882776462008-08-21T22:29:00.000-07:002008-08-22T22:49:37.415-07:00

Image via Wikipedia Another good one for Charles H. Green.Write Your Next Proposal Sitting Next to the Client We all know we should write proposals that are less about us. We know we should spend less space on credentials and methodology; we know we should focus more on results, benefits, and adding value in the proposal.But we nearly always miss the biggest proposal opportunity of all—to build

Richard Schuchtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258815481684705495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585963699472510631.post-9833237891374782322008-08-20T12:18:00.000-07:002008-08-28T07:29:16.435-07:00

Foley & Lardner - Recent hire of Donna A. Bucella, litigation, and Dario V. Carnevale, business and real estate. Foley & Lardner's Miami office strarted from a group of nine attorneys previously at Buchanan Ingersoll.

Richard Schuchtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258815481684705495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585963699472510631.post-83236662769512129952008-08-20T06:44:00.000-07:002008-08-22T22:48:24.761-07:00

The authors of the book The Lawyer's Guide to Collaboration have a new blog entitled, not surprisingly, Lawyer Collaboration Tools & Techniques. The had been using their own sites to address issues related to the book (DennisKennedy.Blog and Inter Alia).The Lawyer's Guide to Collaboration Tools and Technologies: Smart Ways to Work Together . (buy it at ABA) (buy it at Amazon)The main feature of

Richard Schuchtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258815481684705495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585963699472510631.post-45945397320360074502008-08-19T18:26:00.000-07:002008-08-19T18:35:22.548-07:00

Press Release: Washington, D.C., Aug. 19, 2008 — Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Christopher Cox today unveiled the successor to the agency’s 1980s-era EDGAR database, which will give investors far faster and easier access to key financial information about public companies and mutual funds. The new system is called IDEA, short for Interactive Data Electronic Applications. Based on

Richard Schuchtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258815481684705495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585963699472510631.post-30404543424917928912008-08-19T10:20:00.000-07:002008-08-19T16:50:42.900-07:00

Book cover via Amazon "Strategy without tactics is the long road to victory; tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat."attributed to Sun TzuIn their new book, The Execution Premium, Robert Kaplan and David Norton emphasize that good tactical execution and process optimization is not enough. Instead, organizations need to focus on whether the tactics and processes themselves are in

Richard Schuchtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258815481684705495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585963699472510631.post-56551599625292785692008-08-18T20:28:00.000-07:002008-08-19T18:36:02.983-07:00

Image via Wikipedia From the Conflicts of Interest Toolkit released by the Canadian Bar AssociationThe CBA Task Force on Conflicts of Interest just released their final report. Several issues are addressed, inlcuding multiple representation situations. The following is from the Toolkit created by the Task Force:Multiple client representation can involve interests which are either divergent from

Richard Schuchtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258815481684705495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585963699472510631.post-62624379936415805662008-08-18T19:49:00.001-07:002008-08-19T11:13:17.284-07:00

Jones Lang LaSalle Real value in a changing world

Richard Schuchtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258815481684705495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585963699472510631.post-20138307596328374622008-08-14T19:37:00.000-07:002008-08-19T21:54:30.636-07:00

Deloitte has released a summary of their recent webcast about the "discovery continuum". Some highlights:Companies face a doubling of data they produce every 18-24 months. Legal cases that produce a terabyte of data (56 million pages) are common.IT Departments: Data and records management has become a key function for all companies.Attorneys: Companies expect their legal counsel to

Richard Schuchtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258815481684705495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585963699472510631.post-54538396159306563632008-08-13T19:00:00.000-07:002008-08-19T20:41:57.157-07:00

The following is a partial list of resources for e-discovery solutions:Starting Points:Law.com Legal DiscoveryDeloitte webcast summary: The Discovery ContinuumThe Sedona Conference - Glossary of E-Discovery TermsThe Electronic Discovery Reference Model (EDRM)E-Discovery Provider RatingsSocha ConsultingLaw Technology News Summary of Socha 2008 RankingsE-Discovery Solution ProvidersClearwell

Richard Schuchtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258815481684705495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585963699472510631.post-53982073149184270842008-08-12T22:38:00.000-07:002008-08-22T22:47:28.892-07:00

Technology Executive Specializing in Technology, Strategy, People and Projects - Eric D. Brown: "Imagine you are a hiring manager trying to find someone to lead a group of IT professionals. What are the things that you would look for in a candidate? For me, it would be someone that has the following profile: * Strong leadership skills * Intelligence * Initiative * Technical knowledge (not

Richard Schuchtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258815481684705495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585963699472510631.post-60598664040602022592008-08-01T21:07:00.000-07:002008-08-19T21:31:26.640-07:00

The Electronic Frontier Foundation has a helpful online legal guide the Legal Guide for Bloggers. This is a very good resource and is broken down into several key topics:Defamation: The Bloggers' FAQ on Online Defamation Law.Intellectual Propery: The Bloggers' FAQ on Intellectual PropertyTrade Secrets: Chilling Effects Clearinghouse's FAQ on trade secret law.Privacy: The Bloggers' FAQ on

Richard Schuchtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258815481684705495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585963699472510631.post-10804527086326715742008-07-05T20:46:00.000-07:002008-08-20T12:19:54.011-07:00

The professional networking site, LinkedIn, has been intergrated into the Martindale-Hubbell website. According to, the Martindale website, the move will enhance its "the position of its Martindale-Hubbell® legal network as a networking destination for attorneys."On his blog titled Real Lawyers Have Blogs, Kevin O'Keefe's explains that LinkedIn is being used to power a social networking

Richard Schuchtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258815481684705495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585963699472510631.post-57152623105741783652008-06-19T09:27:00.000-07:002008-08-19T16:28:00.899-07:00

Image via Wikipedia A recent AmericanLawyer.com article asked the question "Can the pay-to-place model work for legal recruiting newcomers?" Recent legal recruiting newcomers Lateral Link and Legal Recruiting Authority offer $20,000 bonuses to the associates it places.Both firms operate only on the Web. Instead of cold calls, these firms offer its members access to

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According to e-Discovery Analysis & Technology Group at K&L Gates Gates, the following is a list of the states with statutes and court rules regarding the discovery of electronically stored information. For specific information including effective dates and applicable statutes, see the complete article Current Listing of States That Have Enacted E-Discovery Rules.As of July 1, 2008Arizona

Richard Schuchtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12258815481684705495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585963699472510631.post-87816818165692471082008-05-15T13:19:00.000-07:002008-08-29T07:18:45.373-07:00

According to The National Law Journal's Stacy Humphries, something is out of balance when it comes to law firm recruiting. Most firms that spend extensive time and resources recruiting inexperienced law school grads, but they are much less organized when competing for lateral hire talent. According to Humphries, "most law firms have perfected the art of recruiting at the law student level: Send

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