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Law and Accounting Networks and Associations
adopted the network model. This may use a Swiss association versus a U.S. corporation like Lex Mundi or
World Services Group. It may only be a better way to brand the organization as different.
Baker & McKenzie, which was founded in 1949, adopted the verein in 2004. There are now seven Swiss
vereins in the legal profession, the others forming after 2009. Like other networks, the corporation allow the
members to be independent. Strategy, marketing, technology, and other operations can be integrated.142 This
may result in substantial cost savings. The open issue is whether there is a marketable increase the quality of
services beyond those provided by the independent members of non-branded networks.
The Swiss associations have positioned themselves as one firm for statistical purposes in most rankings in
publications such as The American Lawyer, The Lawyer, Law360, etc. Much larger non-branded networks with
more than 15,000 attorneys are not included in these rankings. The vereins make every effort to use these
rankings for the purposes of marketing.143 For example, Dentons has made it a point with the Am Law 100 to
dispute their criteria for rankings, going so far as creating a website devoted to their argument.144 Networks
can also be organized by entrepreneurs that use the network model to provide services. Examples include
TAGLaw,145 ISFIN,146 First Law International,147 and others. In these cases the firms are not member/owners
but pay fees to the organizer who manages the network on behalf of the firms. In some instances this means
that professional services are being provided by the network administration themselves, which appears to be
the case with First Law International. In these types of networks the law firm member may sit on an advisory
board to assist in setting the direction of the network.
THE AMERICAN LAWYER (March 7, 2013); see also Nick Jarrett-Kerr & Ed Wesemann, Enter the Swiss Verein: 21st-Century Global Platform or Just
the Latest Fad?, EDGE INT’L, www.edge.ai/2012/10/enter-swiss-verein/.
142 Edwin B. Reeser, Are Verein-Style Law Firms Ignoring Fee-Splitting Ethics Rules?, ABA J. (Oct. 1, 2013).
143 See Matt Byrne, K&L Gates’ Kalis Renews Attack on Swiss Vereins in Video Interview, THE LAWYER (March 25, 2013), www.thelawyer.com/firms-
and-the-bar/kl-gates-kalis-renews-attack-on-swiss-vereins-in-video-interview/3003318.article; see also Peter Kalis, The Am Law 100: Grand Illusion,
AM LAW DAILY (May 2, 2011).
143 Natasha Bernal, What’s the Deal with Dentons Merging with 21 Firms?, LAWYER 2B (June 22, 2015), l2b.thelawyer.com/whats-the-deal-with-
dentons-merging-with-21-firms/.
144 See Gavin Broady, Dentons Takes Out Anti-AmLaw Ad as Ranking Feud Heats Up, LAW360 (May 11, 2015)
www.law360.com/articles/654458/dentons-takes-out-anti-amlaw-ad-as-ranking-feud-heats-up; see also Brian Dalton, World's Biggest Law Firm Wants
To Blow Up The Whole Am Law 100 Rankings, ABOVE THE LAW, June 17, 2015 abovethelaw.com/2015/06/worlds-biggest-law-firm-wants-to-blow-
up-the-whole-am-law-100-rankings.
145 See TAGLAW, www.taglaw.com.
146 See ISFIN, www.isfin.net.
147 See FIRST LAW INTERNATIONAL, www.first-law.com.
19
adopted the network model. This may use a Swiss association versus a U.S. corporation like Lex Mundi or
World Services Group. It may only be a better way to brand the organization as different.
Baker & McKenzie, which was founded in 1949, adopted the verein in 2004. There are now seven Swiss
vereins in the legal profession, the others forming after 2009. Like other networks, the corporation allow the
members to be independent. Strategy, marketing, technology, and other operations can be integrated.142 This
may result in substantial cost savings. The open issue is whether there is a marketable increase the quality of
services beyond those provided by the independent members of non-branded networks.
The Swiss associations have positioned themselves as one firm for statistical purposes in most rankings in
publications such as The American Lawyer, The Lawyer, Law360, etc. Much larger non-branded networks with
more than 15,000 attorneys are not included in these rankings. The vereins make every effort to use these
rankings for the purposes of marketing.143 For example, Dentons has made it a point with the Am Law 100 to
dispute their criteria for rankings, going so far as creating a website devoted to their argument.144 Networks
can also be organized by entrepreneurs that use the network model to provide services. Examples include
TAGLaw,145 ISFIN,146 First Law International,147 and others. In these cases the firms are not member/owners
but pay fees to the organizer who manages the network on behalf of the firms. In some instances this means
that professional services are being provided by the network administration themselves, which appears to be
the case with First Law International. In these types of networks the law firm member may sit on an advisory
board to assist in setting the direction of the network.
THE AMERICAN LAWYER (March 7, 2013); see also Nick Jarrett-Kerr & Ed Wesemann, Enter the Swiss Verein: 21st-Century Global Platform or Just
the Latest Fad?, EDGE INT’L, www.edge.ai/2012/10/enter-swiss-verein/.
142 Edwin B. Reeser, Are Verein-Style Law Firms Ignoring Fee-Splitting Ethics Rules?, ABA J. (Oct. 1, 2013).
143 See Matt Byrne, K&L Gates’ Kalis Renews Attack on Swiss Vereins in Video Interview, THE LAWYER (March 25, 2013), www.thelawyer.com/firms-
and-the-bar/kl-gates-kalis-renews-attack-on-swiss-vereins-in-video-interview/3003318.article; see also Peter Kalis, The Am Law 100: Grand Illusion,
AM LAW DAILY (May 2, 2011).
143 Natasha Bernal, What’s the Deal with Dentons Merging with 21 Firms?, LAWYER 2B (June 22, 2015), l2b.thelawyer.com/whats-the-deal-with-
dentons-merging-with-21-firms/.
144 See Gavin Broady, Dentons Takes Out Anti-AmLaw Ad as Ranking Feud Heats Up, LAW360 (May 11, 2015)
www.law360.com/articles/654458/dentons-takes-out-anti-amlaw-ad-as-ranking-feud-heats-up; see also Brian Dalton, World's Biggest Law Firm Wants
To Blow Up The Whole Am Law 100 Rankings, ABOVE THE LAW, June 17, 2015 abovethelaw.com/2015/06/worlds-biggest-law-firm-wants-to-blow-
up-the-whole-am-law-100-rankings.
145 See TAGLAW, www.taglaw.com.
146 See ISFIN, www.isfin.net.
147 See FIRST LAW INTERNATIONAL, www.first-law.com.
19
