The 16 th Annual Law Firm Leaders Forum Finding Strategies for Growth in a Radically Different Market

Transcription

1 The 16 th Annual Law Firm Leaders Forum Finding Strategies for Growth in a Radically Different Market The Jumeirah Essex House Hotel, New York, NY November 16-18, 2011 AGENDA Wednesday, November 16, :30 8:00 pm Welcome Reception & Remarks Co-Chair: Thursday, November 17, :00 8:45 am Continental Breakfast 8:45 9:00 am Welcome and Opening Remarks Co-Chairs: 9:00 10:30 am Overview of the Legal Market Over the past three years, the nature of competition in the legal market has changed substantially. For at least the preceding decade the legal market had been one in which demand exceeded supply, with the predictable result that rates for legal services increased far faster than inflation and firms enjoyed a sustained period of near double digit annual growth in both revenues and profits. It was also a period of a sustained seller s market, in which law firms controlled key decisions about the structure, staffing, and charges for legal services. Within the past three years, all of that has changed. We are now in a period in which supply exceeds demand and when, for the foreseeable future, we will experience a buyer s market for legal services. In this session, a panel of experienced and seasoned observers of the legal market will discuss this fundamental shift in the nature of competition and its implications for law firms across the market. Evan R. Chesler, Presiding Partner, Cravath, Swaine & Moore Robert Dell, Managing Partner, Latham & Watkins 2011, Hildebrandt Institute, Thomson Reuters

2 Peter J. Kalis, Chairman and Global Managing Partner, K&L Gates Aric Press, Vice President and Editor in Chief, American Lawyer Media 10:30 11:00 am Break 11:00 am 12:00 pm Economic Update In this session, three well-recognized experts and observers of the economic ups and downs of the legal market will discuss current and likely future financial trends in law firm performance. Using data from both Citi Private Bank s Law Watch and Hildebrandt Institute s Peer Monitor, the presenters will focus on both the long-term trends impacting the legal market as well as the short-term challenges that will confront law firm leaders over the next year or two. Presenters: Dan Dipietro, Managing Director & Advisory Head, Law Firm Group, Citi Private Bank James W. Jones, Chairman, Hildebrandt Institute Mark Medice, Senior Director, Peer Monitor 12:00 1:30 pm Luncheon and Keynote Presentation Keynote Speaker: Dr. Richard N. Haass, President, Council on Foreign Relations Doing Business in a Global World International business leaders today face more complex risks and opportunities than ever before. They must navigate not only traditional business issues but also political ones, ranging from corporate social responsibility and climate change to political instability and backlashes against globalization. Dr. Haass, president of the country s most influential foreign policy organization and author of an acclaimed book on management, analyzes the environment in which today s business leaders operate, one that is increasingly transparent, demanding, and crowded with a wide array of players. He draws on his experience at the top levels of government and working with business to offer lessons on how business can both meet challenges and seize opportunities in a global world. 1:30 3:00 pm Tailoring the Right Strategy for Your Firm In this rapidly changing market, law firms need effective strategic planning more than ever. There is, of course, no single recipe for success. This firms represented on this panel have very different origins and have adopted quite distinct strategic plans. The panel will discuss how and why they have adopted their strategies, how they have fared, and the lessons learned. Frank B. Burch, Jr., Chairman, DLA Piper Global Board

3 Brad S. Karp, Chairman, Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison Jonathan D. Schiller, Managing Partner, Boies, Schiller & Flexner Marianne D. Short, Managing Partner, Dorsey & Whitney 3:00 3:30 pm Break 3:30 5:00 pm Capitalizing on Competitive Opportunities: New Forms of Legal Service Delivery One of the noticeable results of the shift from a seller s to a buyer s market for legal services has been the emergence of new market segments arising in part from the willingness of clients to disaggregate (or unbundle) the legal services they purchase. This trend has given rise to new opportunities for law firms as well as for new entrants into the legal market. In this program segment, representatives of law firms and non-traditional law firm service providers, as well as an academic observer of legal market trends, will discuss the impact on the market of these new emerging service opportunities. Gregory B. Jordan, Managing Partner, Reed Smith Neville Eisenberg, Managing Partner, Berwin Leighton Paisner Mark Harris, CEO, Axiom Milton C. Regan, Professor of Law, Georgetown University Law Center David Perla, Co-CEO, Pangea3 6:00 8:00 pm Opening Reception Friday, November 18, :00 9:00 am Continental Breakfast Sponsored Breakfast Briefing with Lexis Nexis CultureShift A Whole Firm Approach for Rapidly Growing Revenue for Senior Leaders Developing an internal culture of business development is one of the most important jobs of senior leadership, yet few are trained in the art of effectively integrating people, processes, training and technology to best achieve that goal. During this session, Managing Partners will learn a whole-firm approach, and will be given a practical toolkit of proven leadership techniques, for significantly increasing client development activity throughout their firms. Participants will be introduced to an overall CultureShift Architecture, and will learn how to: Utilize technology to support and accelerate key client development activities

4 9:00 9:15 am Opening Remarks Enhance the business development skills of their lawyers Make business development a sustainable, ongoing part of your culture David Freeman, J.D., CEO, David Freeman Consulting Group Geoff Joynt, VP & Managing Director of Sales, Lexis Nexis 9:15 10:45 am Capitalizing on Competitive Opportunities: Expansion in Global Emerging Markets As severe as the recent recession was in the United States and Europe, it was not felt equally throughout the world. Indeed, in parts of Asia, South America, and elsewhere, the past few years have seen significant growth, and law firms that have successfully invested in these areas have boosted their overall financial performance. In this session, representatives of law firms that have made commitments to these emerging markets, as well as an experienced observer of emerging economies, will discuss the opportunities and challenges of doing business in India, Brazil, and similar markets. Mel N. Immergut, Chairman, Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy Eduardo C. Leite, Chairman of the Executive Committee, Baker & McKenzie Rupert Li, International Managing Partner, King & Wood Laks Ramachandran, Director and Senior Market Strategist, US Trust, a subsidiary of Bank of America 10:45 11:00 am Break 11:00 am 12:30 pm Aligning Your Firm to Compete Effectively in the New Legal Market In the past, law firm strategy focused almost exclusively on market issues i.e., on considerations of clients, practices, and markets served. Going forward, in the new environment, law firm strategies must be far more complex, focusing not just on traditional market concerns but also on factors like legal service delivery systems, technology, training and talent management, evaluation and compensation systems, governance structures, and the like. And all of these various systems must be successfully aligned in support of the firm s overall strategy. In this program segment, chairs and managing partners of highly successful firms, together with a specialist in organization development, will discuss the challenges of keeping your firm properly aligned around a focused strategy, as well as the changing role of partners in this new reality. William J. Perlstein, Co-Managing Partner, Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr

5 12:30 1:00 pm Wrap Up and Closing Remarks Regina Pisa, Chair and Managing Partner, Goodwin Procter Larry R. Richard, Ph.D, Principal Consultant, LawyerBrain Keith C. Wetmore, Chair, Morrison & Foerster. Co-Chairs: