Leadership

Is Big Law Running Out of Work? What Excess Capacity Really Tells Us about the Future of Legal Services

Citing the recent annual Altman Weil survey of law firm leaders, some commentators have interpreted the respondents’ complaints about too many lawyers in the marketplace…

June 24, 2015

Making Lawyer Careers Alluring Again

When I was a boy, I dreamed of being a lawyer. I wanted to be Perry Mason—cross examining witnesses until they admitted they were guilty…

Ralph Baxter June 23, 2015

Where Do You Spend Your Leadership Time?

Today, if you are like many law firm leaders, you are caught in a tidal wave of 24/7 communications from your partners and direct reports…

Patrick J. McKenna June 18, 2015

Law Firms Keep Losing Business to In-House Competitors

Even as the legal market begins to improve, law firms are losing out to in-house legal departments, a recent survey has found. The legal consulting…

Casey Sullivan June 18, 2015

In Defense of Efficiency

As we’ve observed on this blog, the anticipated “paradigm shift” in legal service is proceeding much slower than most observers expected. It is proceeding and…

Ralph Baxter June 16, 2015

Enemies at the Gate: The Threat to Law Firm Data Security

The Legal Executive Institute’s 5th Annual Law Firm CFO/CIO/COO Forum in New York last week was devoted entirely to cybersecurity—and for good reason. The risk…

Ralph Baxter June 09, 2015

The AmLaw Data Is In: What Does It Tell Us?

The American Lawyer magazine completed its survey of America’s 200 highest grossing law firms this week. So, what can we glean from this year’s annual…

Ralph Baxter June 02, 2015

De-Listing: Breaking Down the Top Law Firm Lists

With the annual publication of the AmLaw 100 and Second Hundred, it’s rankings season for BigLaw. Think of it as our little industry’s equivalent of…

Bruce MacEwen June 01, 2015

The Trouble with Lawyers: Looking Inward at the Legal Profession

Everyone interested in improving the profession of law should read Deborah Rhode’s latest book, The Trouble with Lawyers (Oxford Press, June 2015). Ms. Rhode is an…

Ralph Baxter May 27, 2015

Mistakes to Avoid as a New Firm Leader

New firm leaders tell me that they are operating in a bewildering and different environment in which little is certain, the tempo is quicker and…

Patrick J. McKenna May 27, 2015

Containing Cyber-Costs: The Legal Industry Needs a Cybersecurity Audit Template

Cybersecurity is both a blessing and a curse. At Quarles & Brady, we have teams of lawyers experienced with this critical issue that help our…

Kimberly Johnson May 26, 2015

Altman Weil Report Shows Link between Strategic Shifts and Firm Performance

The annual Law Firms In Transition report from Altman Weil is always a good barometer for what's eating, ailing or tormenting the law firms of…

David Curle May 20, 2015