Tomorrowland – another wake-up call to BigLaw

Bruce MacEwen’s (aka Adam Smith Esq) latest book, Tomorrowland, is another wake-up call to BigLaw firms. Subtitled ‘Scenarios for law firms beyond the horizon’, Tomorrowland has clearly caught the attention of some BigLaw leaders, if the early reactions are a gauge.

Peter Kalis, soon to step down after two decades as chairman and global managing partner of K&L Gates writes “Masterful–and not just between the white lines“. Knowing Pete, I interpret these words as ‘BigLaw wake up’. Brad Karp, chair of Paul Weiss calls Tomorrowland “Courageous and audacious“; I hear Brad saying ‘plenty of BigLaw leaders aren’t going to like reading this’. And Mark Rigotti, chief executive officer of Herbert Smith Freehills says it straight out: “[Tomorrowland] tests the edges of what is comfortable“.

Bruce quotes the famous Albert Hirschman writing in 1970: “A model is never defeated by facts, however damaging, but only by another model” in setting the scene for his interpretation of the economic and cultural challenges BigLaw firms face in remaking themselves. BigLaw is my moniker for the business model that contrasts with the NewLaw model.

Tomorrowland: Scenarios for law firms beyond the horizon is is available in hard and soft copy from Amazon.

Tomorrowland