Page 170 - The Handbook - Law Firm Networks 2018
P. 170
The Handbook - Law Firm Networks
name without real integration because of residual fiscal and significant operational autonomy. The reality
is that for the first 5-10 years, the firms will not be organically integrated in any meaningful way except
by a common brand and common systems, policies and procedures.
One of the vereins, is known for proclaiming itself to be the largest law firm in the world. If it is a
network, it would objectively be characterized as mid-size, though it would also be recognized as one of
the most integrated and operationally well-funded networks. The brand obscures the exact status of each
of their operations.439
These claims to be the largest law firm in the world have significant marketing value that results in many
hundreds of published articles. Under current media treatment, if a verein were categorized as a network,
it would not be ranked and recognized. (This is not the case in accounting where networks and
associations are the models.) Even though other networks are many times larger, and their members
provide more legal services, the do not get the recognition as providing more than 20% of all legal
services on earth.
Summary: There is no doubt that legal vereins are world-class organizations. The Big 4 accounting and
consulting organizations proudly state they are networks. In the legal profession the term verein obscures
the fact that members are independent. The preferable term is law firm. One verein has self-conferred
themselves as the “polycentric law firm”. There are implications as the firm has found out related to
conflicts of interest.
This characterization as a firm serves the marketing objective of the organization. It plays into the
traditional elements of a firm, assuring various ranking. However, it confuses the true nature of the
organization. Recruitment becomes a “merger”. The merged firm remains independent financially and
operationally just like in a network.
Transparency is in the best interests of the clients and the legal profession. This can be easily
accomplished using the accounting professions approach to rank all structures and models that facilitate
services. If this is the case, clearly the network would be recognized for their achievements of providing
legal services to virtually every significant business on earth.
Over the last several years, these characterizations has been questioned by many authors. Readers should
judge for themselves. The bibliography sets out virtually all of the articles and videos that have addressed
this subject over the last several years. Table 1 is a summary.
439 See DENTONS, GLOBAL PRESENCE, available at http://www.dentons.com/en/global-presence.aspx (last visited July 16, 2016).
157
name without real integration because of residual fiscal and significant operational autonomy. The reality
is that for the first 5-10 years, the firms will not be organically integrated in any meaningful way except
by a common brand and common systems, policies and procedures.
One of the vereins, is known for proclaiming itself to be the largest law firm in the world. If it is a
network, it would objectively be characterized as mid-size, though it would also be recognized as one of
the most integrated and operationally well-funded networks. The brand obscures the exact status of each
of their operations.439
These claims to be the largest law firm in the world have significant marketing value that results in many
hundreds of published articles. Under current media treatment, if a verein were categorized as a network,
it would not be ranked and recognized. (This is not the case in accounting where networks and
associations are the models.) Even though other networks are many times larger, and their members
provide more legal services, the do not get the recognition as providing more than 20% of all legal
services on earth.
Summary: There is no doubt that legal vereins are world-class organizations. The Big 4 accounting and
consulting organizations proudly state they are networks. In the legal profession the term verein obscures
the fact that members are independent. The preferable term is law firm. One verein has self-conferred
themselves as the “polycentric law firm”. There are implications as the firm has found out related to
conflicts of interest.
This characterization as a firm serves the marketing objective of the organization. It plays into the
traditional elements of a firm, assuring various ranking. However, it confuses the true nature of the
organization. Recruitment becomes a “merger”. The merged firm remains independent financially and
operationally just like in a network.
Transparency is in the best interests of the clients and the legal profession. This can be easily
accomplished using the accounting professions approach to rank all structures and models that facilitate
services. If this is the case, clearly the network would be recognized for their achievements of providing
legal services to virtually every significant business on earth.
Over the last several years, these characterizations has been questioned by many authors. Readers should
judge for themselves. The bibliography sets out virtually all of the articles and videos that have addressed
this subject over the last several years. Table 1 is a summary.
439 See DENTONS, GLOBAL PRESENCE, available at http://www.dentons.com/en/global-presence.aspx (last visited July 16, 2016).
157
