Is 2017 the year the fat smoker quits?

Eleven years ago David Maister published a brilliant article on the barriers to strategic change in professional service firms. In Strategy and the Fat Smoker, he stated…

Much of what professional firms do in the name of strategic planning is a complete waste of time, no more effective than individuals making New Year’s resolutions (to lose weight or give up smoking).

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Posted by on Jan 18, 2017 in BigLaw firms | 0 comments

Obstacles to change in law firms: How to navigate them

Obstacles to change in law firms is a very welcome contribution to Dialogue by Nick Jarrett-Kerr. I  value Nick’s practical perspectives for two reasons: [1] they are grounded in his astute observations based on decades of hands-on experience of working in and with law firms, and [2] in using How in the subtitle for Remaking Law Firms: Why & How, Imme Kaschner and I focused on the practicalities of what needs to change in the BigLaw business model. 

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Posted by on Jan 4, 2017 in BigLaw firms, Lawyers | 0 comments

It would have been possible for a law firm to crumble into non-existence, never knowing why

Imagine my delight when I read Brandon Blankenship’s December 17, 2016 review of Remaking Law Firms: Why & How on the American Bar Association page and found this sentence: “Before this book it would have been possible for a law firm to crumble into non-existence, never knowing why”.
 
Brandon Blankenship could not have known that this is precisely the reason why we wrote our book; to alert BigLaw firms to the dangers of doing nothing. And to the many opportunities that remaking their business models offer.
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Posted by on Dec 18, 2016 in Remaking Law Firms book | 0 comments

NewLaw insights. Inside Lawyers On Demand

Lawyers On Demand is one of two large NewLaw firms with a growing international footprint, the other is Axiom Law. I know both passingly well. Their senior executives and, in the case of Lawyers On Demand, their founders have been contributors to my books, NewLaw New Rules (2013) and Remaking Law Firms: Why & How (2016).

Now that Lawyers On Demand (since 2006-2008) and Axiom Law (since 2000-2002) are well established providers of legal services, it’s appropriate to provide insights into their strategic thinking. So, I am pleased to introduce Sandra Gibson, Managing Director of Lawyers On Demand, Australia in this interview.

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Posted by on Dec 6, 2016 in NewLaw business models | 0 comments

Just as I thought! Book review of Remaking Law Firms

I recently remarked to a colleague that just because I’m biased doesn’t mean I’m not right. Double negatives aside (or not), it’s been really interesting to watch the reaction to the remarkable Remaking Law Firms: Why and How by George Beaton and Imme Kaschner.

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Posted by on Nov 29, 2016 in Legal services ecosystem, Remaking Law Firms book | 0 comments