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Knowledge Management in the Legal Profession

Insights, Trends & Predicting the Future: How Law Firm

Business and Practice Strategies Are Changing in the


USA, UK & Canada
Andrew Terrett, National Director of KM, Borden Ladner Gervais LLP Ron Friedmann, Consultant, Fireman & Company Andy Daws, Vice President, North America, Riverview Law

October 16-17, 2013, New York City

Legal Market Conditions by Country


United Kingdom United States Canada

Business and Practice Strategies: Potential Drivers of Change Regulatory regime change Technology (r)evolution Demand down / client bargaining power up Seeking competitive advantage

Do Business and Practice Strategies Vary by Firm Type / Strategy? Global one-stop shop Capital markets focused Boutiques Category Killers "Hollow Middle

With thanks to Bruce MacEwen for his firm taxonomy, 2013.

Do Business and Practice Strategies Vary by Matter Segmentation? Bet the company High stakes Run the company Commodity

What Do New Staff Positions Tell us about Business and Practice Strategies? Pricing Project management Innovation "Strategic initiatives"

But does the advent of these really matter

What Does a Staffing Histogram (Fingerprint) Tell us about Business and Practice Strategies?

Source: Thomson Reuters Peer Monitor, distributed at TRI Hildebrandt CIO Forum, April 2012 8

What Does Staffing Model Tell us about Business and Practice Strategies?

Source: Hypothetical / Illustrative Data 9

Barriers to Change
Tension between individual and institutional incentives and goals Resistance to change The billable hour (with apologies to AFA) Little apparent first mover advantage

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What Will Drive Change?


Skunk works Subsidiaries / affiliates ABS Dissolution of 5 large firms in one year?? Other??

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