The success or failure of your firm is determined by how your clients and employees view your brand - simple. An effective brand strategy that is clearly understood and supported throughout your firm is crucial if you want to attract and retain profitable clients and sustain a talented workforce. Brand Strategy and Management for Law Firms report provides a comprehensive framework and guidelines for developing a brand strategy tailored to your firm. Packed with key concepts, practical tools, tips and advice this report will give you an understanding of brand and how it can be developed and strengthened as your firm's most invaluable asset. Specifically, this report will help you to: * Understand the key elements of personal brands, firm brand, and the employment brand - and how they relate to each other; * Align your brand strategy with your overall firm strategy, vision and values; * Realise the importance of brand names, icons or logos, design and aesthetics; * Understand the key brand considerations when using online channels - websites, blogs, LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook; * Create a customised brand stress-test and make improvements to strengthen your firm's brand accordingly and ensure its success; * Get partners and staff on board to support and grow your brand; and * Avoid brand mistakes and overcome the common challenges - including recommended steps for managing your brand before, during and following a merger. Brand Strategy and Management for Law Firms features insightful case studies, examples and expert contributions from the likes of Norton Rose South Africa, DLA Phillips Fox, Lex Mundi, Lex Africa and more - They reveal practical tips, lessons learned and mistakes made that will prove invaluable in the development and management of your own brand strategy.

"In this well-written and carefully documented book Professor Gottlieb contends that the conservative direction of this court is so strong that it is impossible for the poor and less fortunate to receive proper consideration and, ultimately, redress."
"--New York Law Journal"

We like to think of judges and justices as making decisions based on the facts and the law. But to what extent do jurists decide cases in accordance with their own preexisting philosophy of law, and what specific ideological assumptions account for their decisions?

Stephen E. Gottlieb adopts a unique perspective on the decision-making of Supreme Court justices, blending and re-characterizing traditional accounts of political philosophy in a way that plausibly explains many of the justices' voting patterns.

A seminal study of the Rehnquist Court, Morality Imposed illustrates how, in contrast to previous courts which took their mandate to be a move toward a freer and/or happier society, the current court evidences little concern for this goal, focusing instead on thinly veiled moral judgments. Delineating a fault line between liberal and conservative justices on the Rehnquist Court, Gottlieb suggests that conservative justices have rejected the basic principles that informed post-New Deal individual rights jurisprudence and have substituted their own conceptions of moral character for these fundamental principles.

Morality Imposed adds substantially to our understanding of the Supreme Court, its most recent cases, and the evolution of judicial philosophy in the U.S.

With legal fees coming under increasing scrutiny, all law firms, whether they charge by the hour or operate alternative fee arrangements (AFAs) will need to negotiate fees; be it a discount to an hourly rate or a year-long fixed retainer. Budgeting and negotiating skills will be needed by all fee earners with responsibility for agreeing any fees or discounts. The more a firm uses AFAs, the more important budgeting and negotiating becomes. Budgeting and Negotiating Fees with Clients: A Lawyer's Guide is a must-have handbook for individual lawyers, firm leaders and directors of support services who are looking to tackle these challenges head on at both an operational and a strategic level. It provides: * Clear analysis of the increasing importance of budgeting and negotiating fees for all firms whether they have adopted AFAs or rely on hourly rates; * A step-by-step guide for improving individual behaviour and firm-wide processes; and * Practical tools for generating consistently profitable fee structures. Supported by case studies from law firms and law firm clients, along with input from other management consultants, this report covers topics including: * Fee models adopted by law firms; * How AFAs are intensifying the need for budgeting and negotiating skills; * Alternative fees - risks and how to avoid them; * Understanding law firm financial data - a prerequisite for successful budgeting and negotiation; * Creating a realistic matter budget; * An introduction to legal project management; * Overcoming obstacles to negotiating fees effectively; * Managing the negotiation process effectively; * Obtaining the desired fees and structures; * Tips, tactics and tricks for negotiating; * Developing a strategy for better budgeting and negotiating; * Implementing change and embedding best practice; * Business tools for budgeting, negotiating and client communication; * How to operate value billing; and * Best practice law firm negotiation from a client's perspective. This invaluable resource also includes supporting checklists and templates to allow readers to start putting the lessons learnt throughout the report into practice immediately.

This critical report provides the most up-to-date and detailed guide to the practical, regulatory and ethical considerations that must be reflected in your partnership agreement. Extensively revised, the second edition features new case studies and real-life examples, including a sample agreement precedent and comprehensive updates to reflect how new legal and regulatory developments will affect your deed. Key subjects covered include: *The impact of the Legal Services Act on partnership agreements; *Discrimination in partnerships, in particular, age discrimination; *Outcomes-focused regulation; *New business structures; *Distressed partnerships; *Current trends in mergers; *Profit-sharing arrangements and management structures: *The equality system *Profit share by capital contribution *Seniority (lockstep) *Merit or performance systems *Hybrid profit sharing systems *Retirement annuities *Performance measurement, supervision and disciplinary measures; *De-equitisation: provisions for expulsion from the partnership; *Expulsion, retirement and dissolution; *Good faith, arbitration and mediation; *Drafting for the future, avoiding early revisions and much more - Ensure you understand the necessary considerations of an agreement that not only fulfils legislative requirement, but ensures the attraction, retention and motivation of the best talent for your firm.

With rising competition putting pressure on law firms to raise their performance levels, Alan Hodgart's much anticipated report on Performance Measurement for Law Firms could not have come at a better time. Hodgart, an acknowledged industry expert, provides practical step-by-step guidance on how to effectively measure the performance of your fee earners, core support functions and overall firm. Hodgart highlights the key challenges many law firms face when measuring performance and provides critical advice on how to tackle them successfully through the development of an effective performance measurement system. Key topics covered include: * Measuring performance in law firms - what it means and what to measure; * The key financial measures of profitability and how to calculate them - cost, profit, revenue; * The data and financial information required at firm and practice-group level; * The effective use, and abuses of financial data; * Aligning the economic structure of your type of work to maximise profitability; * Implementing an effective performance measurement system; * How to measure the performance of your fee earners and support staff - finance, IT, Marketing, HR, KM and other; * Client profitability, project management and much more - The report focuses particularly on profitability and demonstrates how it can be used to monitor and compare the outcomes of working with different clients to project future revenue and profit levels. It also includes a useful appendix - an 'Economic Template' which demonstrates how to assemble the relevant data to manage the financial performance of your firm. Performance Measurement for Law Firms is essential reading for any firm looking to measure and enhance all areas of their performance.

In a highly competitive fee-focused environment, project management can be your law firm's lifeline. Project Management for Lawyers report provides a structured approach to planning, pricing and managing legal work that will boost profitability and deliver superior value to your clients. It aims to: *Demonstrate the value of applying project management to a legal practice; *Explain basic project management principles and how to apply them within your law firm; *Provide a simple legal project management framework; *Describe key tools and techniques to support the framework; *Discuss legal project management as a pricing and business development strategy; *Show how lawyers can manage matter profitability and demonstrate value to clients; *Guide lawyers in overcoming the challenges in managing a matter profitably (time, scope and cost); and, *Share practical advice on how to develop and implement a legal project management programme within your firm. Real-life in-depth case studies provide valuable insight into the successful legal project management programmes of Dechert LLP, Eversheds LLP, Seyfarth Shaw LLP and McCarthy Tetrault. A case study from the Royal Bank of Canada is also included to provide the a client's perspective on the value of legal project management. Project Management for Lawyers also comes with a complimentary CDRom packed with useful forms, templates, checklists and frameworks that can be used immediately in planning and executing your own project management programme. These include: *A generic work plan; *A sample staffing profile; *A sample agenda for a project kick-off meeting; *A sample roles and responsibilities sheet; *A client satisfaction review questionnaire; *A project risk log; *A sample change request form; *A sample monitoring worksheet; *An example of an agenda for a lessons learned session; *An example of how to calculate leverage on matter profitability; *A completed monitoring worksheet; and *A work plan for an asset purchase.

So you AZre in A C or striving to be in A C The Lawyer AZs top 200. But are you being measured on what your clients actually find attractive? With increased demand for efficiency, value added services and effective governance, a ranking based simply on revenue is not sufficiently compelling. Having an effective governance model and the right measures of success in place are now vital to secure sustainable profitability for your firm. AZs report on Law Firm Governance and Measurements of Success provides a vital examination of: New governance models for law firms of different sizes and complexities; Law firm growth stages and the structural changes necessary to succeed; Overcoming the cultural barriers/issues involved with changing your governance and/or measurement systems; Current measurements of success A C internal and external; New medium and long-term success metrics to better support long-term thinking, and payment and reward structures; Attracting clients and external investors through effective reporting of your firm AZs success; and more Peter Blair, former first chief operating officer of Field Fisher Waterhouse provides cutting-edge analysis on The Lawyer AZs top 200 firms by examining what creates their success. Peter evaluates whether the measures used are effective and demonstrates how by using alternative metrics you can boost your rankings. Featuring real-life case studies this invaluable report provides a vital insight into current law firm governance models, examines where they are going wrong and how they can be improved to secure sustainable growth.

If you were to liken your firm to a restaurant, would it be a Rules? A Nobu? A Fat Duck? A Pizza Express? Or a McDonald AZs? All of the above have a successful business strategy based on the needs of their target market. Could you say the same for your firm? In an increasingly competitive and changing legal market, knowing where and how to compete through the implementation of a clear strategy is crucial to ensure a profitable future for your firm. AZs report A C The Strategic Law Firm A C will help you analyse your firm AZs core strengths and capitalise on them by developing a coherent business strategy for success. Specifically this report will help you: Identify your strengths and priorities; Understand and implement the key elements of a successful strategy - value proposition, client segments, client relationships, provision of services, revenue, key resources, key activities, cost structure, partners; Visualise, understand, review and tailor your business model; Build the right focus for your firm (industry, client or transaction based); Align your teams and leaders to target the right clients and industries; Understand disruptive models; and more The report further sets out the practical details of how a strategy planning day should be organised - before, on, and after the day, including: A series of nine potential exercises ranging across values alignment through to market segmentation and scenario analysis; Specific worked examples of ways to calculate team financial and contribution measures; Capturing the outcomes into one page plans, which can be utilised at firm, team and individual level to drive your ongoing agendas; and Useful examples, checklists and templates for immediate implementation. This uniquely practical report will help you devise an effective strategic vision for your firm, and provides the tools to ensure that vision is achieved.

Want to know how to - Successfully market, brand and sell yourself in this digital era? Generate GBP500,000+ of new client work enquiries in a year? Have more choice, change and control in the direction of your career, business or life? And be entertained whilst being informed? If your answer is YES then the naked lawyer is essential reading for you - Packed with examples, case studies and 'to do's' focusing on 10 key elements (with hundreds of proven successful steps, tips, hints and secrets) this inspirational book will show you how to get more clients, sales, referrals, income, value, growth and success. Within the report, author, lawyer and entrepreneur, Chrissie Lightfoot reveals the ROAR (Reach Out And Relate) model, a successful blueprint detailing how, as a trainee solicitor and newly qualified lawyer (during the 2009 recession), she achieved GBP562,000 of new client legal sales generation enquiries and referrals. From start to finish the naked lawyer will provide you with a complete strategy and skills toolkit for brand, career and business development - covering key areas including: Devising an effective personal brand; Using social media to build brand, win business and enhance relationships with clients; Innovation; Getting referrals and winning business; Creating a strategy and mindset for success; Communication; Client relationship management; and much more...

With the introduction of Alternative Business Structures fast approaching and more and more partnerships converting to LLP status to meet the new requirements and remain competitive - now may be the time to start considering the benefits of conversion for your own firm. The conversion process can be a challenging one with wide-reaching implications. But a successful LLP conversion can provide the ideal opportunity to review your core business operations, allowing you to plan positive change and growth in an increasingly competitive and changing market. Managing Partner's new report on LLP Conversion for Law Firms provides a highly practical, step-by-step guide specifically taking into account the unique considerations that are raised by today's economy and evolving legal marketplace. It highlights the key questions that need to be asked during the preparation and transition stages, as well as how to deal with the complications that may arise after conversion has taken place. Key topics covered include: + Converting from a partnership to an LLP - key considerations and trends; + Advantages and disadvantages of converting from a partnership to an LLP; + Preparatory work and practical issues involved; + The default provisions and their drawbacks; + Tailoring the LLP agreement to reflect the needs of your firm; + Transferring the existing partnership business into the LLP - key issues and contractual obligations; + The general tax treatment of limited liability partnerships - possible complications that may arise after the conversion and how they might be handled; + Management and technical resources involved in the conversion - Is outsourcing an option? + The implications of the Legal Services Act 2007 and the introduction of Alternative Business Structures. LLP Conversion for Law Firms includes valuable behind-the-scenes access to existing LLPs and the common pitfalls and successes they encountered through the conversion process. In addition, you will also find a precedent for an LLP agreement within the Appendix. Whats more ...this publication comes complete with a complimentary CDRom containing all the required forms for an LLP agreement in an easy to access format. About the author Nicholas Wright is chief executive of Wright Son & Pepper. He has specialised in LLPs and professional regulation for over 15 years and has been a member of the Solicitors' Assistance Scheme for most of that time. He has acted for a number of substantial firms in dealing with regulatory issues, as well as dealing with drafting, restructuring issues and disputes.

Unique in its use of literature from Dutch, French, and German sources. No other comparable textbook on legal method/ legal science. Interdisciplinary; useful also for those looking to understand the philosophy of science.

With the current economic climate hitting growth potential hard, now may be the time to seriously consider the benefits of a merger. In the past decade it was not unusual for law firms in the buoyant market to experience 15% plus organic fee growth, but in the next five years this figure will be considered exceptional. If you cannot achieve growth from current client baselines, a merger may well be the only way to ensure the increases in turnover and reductions in costs that will prevent the diving economy eating away at fee incomes. The Art of the Law Firm Merger gives you a clear understanding of the merger process from start to finish including how and when to recognise the indicators that the merger is not in the best interests of your firm. It provides templates and methodologies that ensure the success of your chosen merger and that your primary goals are achieved. The report will help you achieve success with cultural change to ensure your law firm works as a business, embracing best practice, technology and new management structures. It explores staff selection, management approaches, in-house training, reward structures and review methods that will make successful change a reality. The Art of the Law Firm Merger defines an effective communication strategy for keeping stakeholders informed and supportive of the process, assists you in setting timelines for all stages of the merger and even discusses methods for measuring the results. The Go-Path template (Goals, Objections, Process, Approval, Timetable, Help) is explained in detail but above all, the merger process in this important new report is always placed exclusively in the context of the very unique considerations relating to law firms.

This practical book shares insights, smart strategies and tips to help you to market yourself and maximise your chances of career success. The book covers: - what marketing actually is - why you must put yourself in your clients' shoes - the importance of having a personal brand - how to make networking work for you - blocks lawyers have about marketing and how to overcome them - how to fit marketing into your hectic schedule - how LinkedIn can help you to create visibility online and build your reputation - how content marketing fits with your overall marketing strategy and plan. Written by an experienced mentor and coach with in-depth knowledge and experience of the legal profession, this book is an essential read for fast changing times with more competition.

Risk management within law firms is a rapidly developing area. In the last year economic changes alone (the term 'credit crunch' was as yet unheard of when the second edition was written) have served to highlight the need for your risk management strategy to be under constant review. The credit crunch raises the game for all firms substantially, bringing to the fore issues involving: People; Clients; Regulatory risk; and Insurance. This report, substantially increased in size to deal with the emerging issues, aims to give you a clear understanding of how they will affect your law firm and how you need to respond, in order to manage them effectively. The third edition covers: Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) monitoring and enforcement of the Solicitor's Code of Conduct 2007; The Legal Services Act 2007 and the risks it presents; and A review of compliance with the Money Laundering Regulations 2007 - a year after their implementation on 15 December 2007. The report guides you through the distinct requirements of a risk management system including: Responsibility at senior management level; A framework for managing risk across all parts of the business; Integration of risk management processes into firm culture; Accountability in each practice area and support function; A risk evaluation process; External assessment; and Business continuity planning. Subjects covered include: Credit crunch risks; People and culture issues; Client engagement; Finance; Protecting partner assets; Compliance; File auditing; Managing your insurance; Office systems; Location and premises issues; Professional indemnity insurance; And more - Risk Management for Law Firms, 3rd Edition provides an in-depth analysis of key risk areas within the firm and aims to help firms meet new and emerging challenges with clear, practical examples.

Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery for Law Firms is a comprehensive step-by-step management guide to devising and implementing an effective business continuity plan for your firm. This vital new resource will provide you with the necessary tools to ensure that your firm is equipped to respond quickly and effectively to any business disruption, thereby preventing far-reaching repercussions on revenue, incoming work and reputation. Case studies and contributions from top law firms including DLA Piper, Allen & Overy, Ashurst, Clifford Chance and more will also provide you with proven business continuity solutions and mechanisms used to respond to crises, overcome disaster and protect your firm. Areas covered include: Examining the risks facing your firm in the current business climate; Evaluating the likelihood and severity of disruption; Establishing an appropriate continuity plan; Refining and strengthening the main components of your plan; Regulatory imperatives; Internal factors to consider in effective BC planning; IT resilience; data security and systems access; Embedding a disaster recovery process into the culture of your firm; Testing and monitoring the plan to ensure ongoing resilience; Process review: ensuring your BCP is in line with your business strategy; Communication strategies in the event of disruption; and Managing reputational risk; reducing damage and handling press;

This book provides a detailed examination of the life and legal legacy of Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, including a discussion of the many legal cases in which he was involved. Thurgood Marshall was the first African American Supreme Court Justice. As a lawyer, he won the Supreme Court Case Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka that integrated all public schools in the United States. But Marshall's contributions extend far beyond significantly advancing the civil rights movement in this nation. Thurgood Marshall: A Biography discusses the life of Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall in a chronological fashion, and then discusses his legacy after death. Students at all grade levels-including undergraduate and graduate college students-as well as historians and general readers interested in African American history , civil rights, or the U.S. legal system will find this book insightful and useful. A chronological timeline of the life of Thurgood Marshall A bibliography provides useful references

There is no denying that the legal profession has been through an unprecedented period of change. Alternatives to the traditional - in terms of service providers, business models, workflow systems, delivery vehicles, pricing strategies, and so on - are becoming normalized. An excellent example of this is business process improvement. For a profession suffering from aggravated clients, shrinking revenues, competitive inertia, archaic business practices, and system waste, the continual implementation of process improvement strategies (Lean/Six Sigma/Project Management) will be the key to future success. It is easy to understand, is inexpensive to implement, lowers costs, improves quality, enhances communication, facilitates lawyer training, makes fixed fees profitable, and makes clients happy. Lean Six Sigma for Law Firms, authored by Catherine Alman MacDonagh, is the first report of its kind to provide in-depth strategic and tactical guidance on the application of Lean and Six Sigma in law firms, the different approaches firms are taking, where to get started, and case studies highlighting the results have been for those who have already implemented it.This report: + Defines Lean and Six Sigma as they relate to the legal profession + Highlights the interdependent relationships between Lean, Six Sigma and Project Management + Demonstrates the different ways in which Lean and Six Sigma may be employed in law firms With contributions, case studies and insight from leading law firms, corporate counsel and a wide range of internationally renowned experts on legal process improvement and project management, it also covers topics including: + The methodologies and toolkits of Lean and Six Sigma + Deciding when and where to start an improvement program + Applications, obstacles, benefits and lessons learned + Building the business case - the drivers for employing process improvement + The use of process improvement to deliver greater value to clients + Developing competitive advantages through Lean and Six Sigma + Structuring a process improvement program + DMAIC - The framework for Lean Sigma in law firms + Creating culture of continuous Improvement This report provides you with the tools and best practices needed to reap the benefits and face the challenges of implementing Lean and Six Sigma strategies in your firm.

This key text brings together a team of leading contributors to address the complex issues of security reconciliation and reconstruction in post conflict societies. Security, Reconstruction and Reconciliation is organized into four main sections: the social, political, and economic dimensions of conflict the impact of conflict on women and children reconstruction and past human rights violations disarmament, demobilization, reintegration, post-war reconstruction and the building of a capable state and the role of the international community in the peace process. The chapters offer a detailed and succinct exposition of the challenges facing post conflict societies by articulating the vision of a new society. With a foreword by Francis Deng, the UN Secretary General's Special Representative on Internally Displaced Persons, the authors discuss the issues in the context of possible solutions and lessons learnt in the field. This new book is a valuable resource for researchers, policy makers and students in the fields of conflict resolution, security studies, law and development.

Life assurance continues to be a topic of great practical significance, given the popularity of endowment mortgages and pensions, which contain an element of insurance, as well as the need for families to protect against the loss of their breadwinners. Since the first edition of this book in 1995 much has changed, with a fundamentally new regulatory structure under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000, changes in divorce and bankruptcy law, as well as continued developments in areas such as insurable interest and utmost good faith. All these developments are covered in this new edition, which at the same time retains the extensive coverage of the well-established principles of this area of law.

Areas dealt with include insurable interest, disclosure, cancellation, intermediaries, marketing, assignment, surrender and pension policies. This new edition has been comprehensively revised and updated to take account of changes since the last edition was published.

This innovative handbook provides a comprehensive, and truly global, overview of the main approaches and themes within law and society scholarship or social-legal studies. A one-volume introduction to academic resources and ideas that are relevant for today's debates on issues from reproductive justice to climate justice, food security, water conflicts, artificial intelligence, and global financial transactions, this handbook is divided into two sections. The first, 'Perspectives and Approaches', accessibly explains a variety of frameworks through which the relationship between law and society is addressed and understood, with emphasis on contemporary perspectives that are relatively new to many socio-legal scholars. Following the book's overall interest in social justice, the entries in this section of the book show how conceptual tools originate in, and help to illuminate, real-world issues. The second and largest section of the book (42 short well-written pieces) presents reflections on topics or areas concerning law, justice, and society that are inherently interdisciplinary and that are relevance to current - but also classical - struggles around justice. Informing readers about the lineage of ideas that are used or could be used today for research and activism, the book attends to the full range of local, national and transnational issues in law and society. The authors were carefully chosen to achieve a diverse and non-Eurocentric view of socio-legal studies. This volume will be invaluable for law students, those in inter-disciplinary programs such as law and society, justice studies and legal studies, and those with interests in law, but based in other social sciences. It will also appeal to general readers interested in questions of justice and rights, including activists and advocates around the world.

The essays in Erotic Justice address the ways in which law has been implicated in contemporary debates dealing with sexuality, culture and `different' subjects - including women, sexual minorities, Muslims and the transnational migrant. Law is analyzed as a discursive terrain, where these different subjects are excluded or included in the postcolonial present on terms that are reminiscent of the colonial encounter and its treatment of difference. Bringing a postcolonial feminist legal analysis to her discussion, Kapur is relentless in her critiques on how colonial discourses, cultural essentialism, and victim rhetoric are reproduced in universal, liberal projects such as human rights and international law, as well as in the legal regulation of sexuality and culture in a postcolonial context. Drawing her examples from postcolonial India, Ratna Kapur demonstrates the theoretical and disruptive possibilities that the postcolonial subject brings to international law, human rights, and domestic law. In the process, challenges are offered to the political and theoretical constructions of the nation, sexuality, cultural authenticity, and women's subjectivity.