Page 20 - The Handbook - Law Firm Networks
P. 20
Law Firm Networks – The Future of the Legal Profession
The following table illustrates the distinguishing elements of each level.
Exhibit 4 – Summary Four Levels of Network Development
Common Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4
description
Examples Club Network or Association Network Accounting Network
Law Verein
Relative size of Club de Abogados PRAC, USLFG, and American TerraLex, Lex Mundi, Big 4. Law firm
firms Mixed Counsel Association GGI, ILN, Multilaw, vereins (Baker
MSI, WSG, TAGlaw McKenzie, DLA)
Website Some with large firms like Mixed (SCGl, TerraLex), Large firms in each
PRAC, World Law Group. members all among country in the case of
Budget Most with small and midsize largest (Lex Mundi and accounting. In law
Staff firms WSG); midsize (Meritas) anchor firms are large
Publications but many members are
No Yes – directory Yes – directory, smaller.
Meetings interactive, member- Yes – directory,
No Yes – up to $500,000 focused interactive, third-party
Professional No – part-time help Yes – usually 1 or 2 Yes – up to $8 mm focused
education Yes – 6 to 30 Yes – $8+ mm
Membership is No Brochure Brochure and member Yes – more than 30+
strategic publications. Publications Brochure and member
Corporation Semi-annual Annual meeting and regional directed to possible publications
meetings meetings clients
Board of directors Annual meetings, Annual meetings,
No No regional meetings, regional meetings,
Executive No practice group meetings practice group
committee No – focus is exclusively or meetings
Staff No primarily internal to network Yes – can be quite Yes
extensive75
Board of General No No Yes – internal and Yes – very strategic
Counsel Advisors external marketing for each firm
Member extranet No Yes – may be called advisory functions
External marketing No board from membership. Yes – independent Yes – potentially
materials Board memberships do not corporation owned by multiple corporations
Brand name use by No change. members.
Members No No Yes – succession plan Yes
No
No Yes – staff operates at the Yes Yes
requests of members.
Yes – staff responsible Yes – staff responsible
No for all operations. CEO for all operations.
leads. CEO leads.
No Some Yes
No Yes – some high Yes
technical
Referenced on website of Yes – considerable in Yes – coordinated
members many different formats. throughout network
Yes – prominently Brand name in firm
displayed on website, name or is firm name
75 Joanne Harris, Law Firm Networks: Distance Learning, THE LAWYER, Sept. 2, 2013, www.thelawyer.com/news/people/education-and-training/law-
firm-networks-distance-learning/3008615.article.
9
The following table illustrates the distinguishing elements of each level.
Exhibit 4 – Summary Four Levels of Network Development
Common Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4
description
Examples Club Network or Association Network Accounting Network
Law Verein
Relative size of Club de Abogados PRAC, USLFG, and American TerraLex, Lex Mundi, Big 4. Law firm
firms Mixed Counsel Association GGI, ILN, Multilaw, vereins (Baker
MSI, WSG, TAGlaw McKenzie, DLA)
Website Some with large firms like Mixed (SCGl, TerraLex), Large firms in each
PRAC, World Law Group. members all among country in the case of
Budget Most with small and midsize largest (Lex Mundi and accounting. In law
Staff firms WSG); midsize (Meritas) anchor firms are large
Publications but many members are
No Yes – directory Yes – directory, smaller.
Meetings interactive, member- Yes – directory,
No Yes – up to $500,000 focused interactive, third-party
Professional No – part-time help Yes – usually 1 or 2 Yes – up to $8 mm focused
education Yes – 6 to 30 Yes – $8+ mm
Membership is No Brochure Brochure and member Yes – more than 30+
strategic publications. Publications Brochure and member
Corporation Semi-annual Annual meeting and regional directed to possible publications
meetings meetings clients
Board of directors Annual meetings, Annual meetings,
No No regional meetings, regional meetings,
Executive No practice group meetings practice group
committee No – focus is exclusively or meetings
Staff No primarily internal to network Yes – can be quite Yes
extensive75
Board of General No No Yes – internal and Yes – very strategic
Counsel Advisors external marketing for each firm
Member extranet No Yes – may be called advisory functions
External marketing No board from membership. Yes – independent Yes – potentially
materials Board memberships do not corporation owned by multiple corporations
Brand name use by No change. members.
Members No No Yes – succession plan Yes
No
No Yes – staff operates at the Yes Yes
requests of members.
Yes – staff responsible Yes – staff responsible
No for all operations. CEO for all operations.
leads. CEO leads.
No Some Yes
No Yes – some high Yes
technical
Referenced on website of Yes – considerable in Yes – coordinated
members many different formats. throughout network
Yes – prominently Brand name in firm
displayed on website, name or is firm name
75 Joanne Harris, Law Firm Networks: Distance Learning, THE LAWYER, Sept. 2, 2013, www.thelawyer.com/news/people/education-and-training/law-
firm-networks-distance-learning/3008615.article.
9
