Page 172 - The Handbook - Law Firm Networks
P. 172
The Handbook - Law Firm Networks
http://ipethicslaw.com/the-mega-firm-swiss-verein-law-firm-structure-provides-more-access-to-legal-
services-good-and-more-conflicts-of-interest-bad/.
Staci Zaretsky, Bow Before the Global 100, the Top-Grossing Law Firms on the Planet, ABOVE THE
LAW, Oct. 1, 2013, abovethelaw.com/2013/10/bow-before-the-global-100-the-top-grossing-law-firms-on-
the-planet/ (DLA Piper and Baker & McKenzie, who are numbers 1 and 2, are vereins).
Videos
Mark A. Cohen Talks Legal Networks | Interview with Lee Pacchia:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1LgmOQBaBrI.
Bruce MacEwen, Big Law Firms are Dead: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEZATwstSyg.
Mark A. Cohen, Is This Malpractice Suit a Warning for Swiss Vereins?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-O8SWjjHLI.
Stephen McGarry, Chapter 2: Law Firm Networks:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcBQeXMbBAE.
Joe Andrew, Dentons Global Strategy: https://vimeo.com/162358214.
Why Did Dentons Get into The Legal Network Business? http://mimesislaw.com/the-business-of-
law/dentons-get-legal-network-business/9983.
Self-Defined – Does a “Network Disclaimer” Always Create a Network?
Networks use a disclaimer to alert clients that the relationship among the firms is an association of
independent firms that are not responsible for the actions of their respective members.
Do the disclaimers of the seven Swiss associations (Dentons, DLA Piper, Hogan Lovells, Norton Rose
Fulbright, Baker & McKenzie, King & Wood Mallesons, and Squire Patton Boggs) make them networks?
Let’s look at some examples of their disclaimers.
DLA Piper: On its website, DLA Piper refers to itself as a law firm but at the same time denies it
is a partnership. “[W]ords or phrases such as ‘firm’, ‘law firm’ or ‘international legal practice’ are
for convenience only and does not imply that all or any of such entities are in partnership together
or accept responsibility for the acts or omissions of each other.” See DLA PIPER,
www.dlapiper.com (last visited July 14, 2015).
Another example is a Google search for Dentons; it describes itself in the search results as a
“global law firm.” In the legal notice on its website, it is a global legal practice providing client
services worldwide through its member firms and affiliates, “each of which is its own Legal
Practice.” Similar disclaimers are found in Hogan Lovells, Norton Rose Fulbright, Baker &
McKenzie, King & Wood Mallesons, and Squire Patton Boggs.
How Do Vereins Describe Themselves – Law Firm or Network?
Are they really firms if they have the following disclaimers?
DLA Piper: “The use of the name ‘DLA Piper’ and words or phrases such as ‘firm,’ ‘law firm’
or ‘international legal practice’ is for convenience only and does not imply that all or any of such
entities are in partnership together or accept responsibility for the acts or omissions of each
other.” DLA PIPER, Legal Notices, www.dlapiper.com/en/us/footer/legalnoticespage/ (last visited
July 14, 2015).
161
http://ipethicslaw.com/the-mega-firm-swiss-verein-law-firm-structure-provides-more-access-to-legal-
services-good-and-more-conflicts-of-interest-bad/.
Staci Zaretsky, Bow Before the Global 100, the Top-Grossing Law Firms on the Planet, ABOVE THE
LAW, Oct. 1, 2013, abovethelaw.com/2013/10/bow-before-the-global-100-the-top-grossing-law-firms-on-
the-planet/ (DLA Piper and Baker & McKenzie, who are numbers 1 and 2, are vereins).
Videos
Mark A. Cohen Talks Legal Networks | Interview with Lee Pacchia:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1LgmOQBaBrI.
Bruce MacEwen, Big Law Firms are Dead: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEZATwstSyg.
Mark A. Cohen, Is This Malpractice Suit a Warning for Swiss Vereins?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-O8SWjjHLI.
Stephen McGarry, Chapter 2: Law Firm Networks:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcBQeXMbBAE.
Joe Andrew, Dentons Global Strategy: https://vimeo.com/162358214.
Why Did Dentons Get into The Legal Network Business? http://mimesislaw.com/the-business-of-
law/dentons-get-legal-network-business/9983.
Self-Defined – Does a “Network Disclaimer” Always Create a Network?
Networks use a disclaimer to alert clients that the relationship among the firms is an association of
independent firms that are not responsible for the actions of their respective members.
Do the disclaimers of the seven Swiss associations (Dentons, DLA Piper, Hogan Lovells, Norton Rose
Fulbright, Baker & McKenzie, King & Wood Mallesons, and Squire Patton Boggs) make them networks?
Let’s look at some examples of their disclaimers.
DLA Piper: On its website, DLA Piper refers to itself as a law firm but at the same time denies it
is a partnership. “[W]ords or phrases such as ‘firm’, ‘law firm’ or ‘international legal practice’ are
for convenience only and does not imply that all or any of such entities are in partnership together
or accept responsibility for the acts or omissions of each other.” See DLA PIPER,
www.dlapiper.com (last visited July 14, 2015).
Another example is a Google search for Dentons; it describes itself in the search results as a
“global law firm.” In the legal notice on its website, it is a global legal practice providing client
services worldwide through its member firms and affiliates, “each of which is its own Legal
Practice.” Similar disclaimers are found in Hogan Lovells, Norton Rose Fulbright, Baker &
McKenzie, King & Wood Mallesons, and Squire Patton Boggs.
How Do Vereins Describe Themselves – Law Firm or Network?
Are they really firms if they have the following disclaimers?
DLA Piper: “The use of the name ‘DLA Piper’ and words or phrases such as ‘firm,’ ‘law firm’
or ‘international legal practice’ is for convenience only and does not imply that all or any of such
entities are in partnership together or accept responsibility for the acts or omissions of each
other.” DLA PIPER, Legal Notices, www.dlapiper.com/en/us/footer/legalnoticespage/ (last visited
July 14, 2015).
161
