Page 6 - MDPs - Chapter 14 - Multidisciplinayr Practice and Partnershps
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§ 14.01 Overview
The first chapter discussed the development of multidisciplinary practices and partnerships through 2001.
It did not discuss other alternatives where traditional networking organizations expand to include multiple
professions. Through membership in the multidisciplinary organization (MDO), many different types of
professionals are able to aggregate resources and offer true multidisciplinary services to their individual
clients. The professionals are able to develop new relationships and at the same time resolve all of the
ethical and regulatory issues that have been discussed throughout this treatise.
Is this possible? Let’s jump ahead to the year 2010.
Professional Services, Inc. — John Smith is an attorney in a small office in Wichita, Kansas where his
practice focuses on agricultural law. He has developed a regional and a national reputation in agricultural
financing. His six-attorney office has no branches but does from time to time become involved in complex
transactions.2 These transactions could put a strain on the firm’s resources if not for the fact that his firm
belongs to Professional Services, Inc. (PSI), a subsidiary of Microsoft. John and his partners regularly use
the PSI team members in complex litigation and commercial matters.
PSI brings together on-line many types of professionals in areas of law, accounting, technology,
management consulting, financial planning, real estate, and similar areas. After an extensive interview,
references are checked and the firm or professional can join the group by paying an annual fee based
upon the number of professionals at the firm and a percentage of the previous year’s overhead. As a
member of PSI, John gains instant access to 100,000 screened professionals from small and medium-sized
professional firms across the United States and Canada. With a few clicks on his mouse, he can locate
professionals, review their credentials and run a preliminary check for conflicts. After his review, he can
set up a videoconference, right from his search.
PSI is managed and controlled by Microsoft but does have advisory boards for each profession to assure
compliance with ethical rules. To assure that members benefit, Microsoft spends more than 309a of the
revenue on advertising PSI. This includes advertising at its websites like CNBC and in printed publications
that go to hundreds of thousands of small businesses.
World Services Group — Judy is a lawyer with a very large law firm that has offices in a number of
jurisdictions. Her clients are principally large international companies. She, too, requires many different
professionals to complete the complex transactions on which her firm works. Even though the ABA in
2003 finally passed a recommendation to permit multidisciplinary partnerships, which was adopted by 37
states, her firm believes it has found a better alternative in World Services Group (WSG).
WSG is an organization formed by large service firms themselves. Each member is a leader in a profession,
field or jurisdiction. They include the traditional regulated professional practices such as law, accounting,
and real estate, as well as computer and management consulting, insurance, baulking and other financial
2 Clark, Multidisciplinary Practices: What Will It Mean for the Smaller Law Firm, 72 Wisconsin Lawyer 19 (3) Sep 99.
1
The first chapter discussed the development of multidisciplinary practices and partnerships through 2001.
It did not discuss other alternatives where traditional networking organizations expand to include multiple
professions. Through membership in the multidisciplinary organization (MDO), many different types of
professionals are able to aggregate resources and offer true multidisciplinary services to their individual
clients. The professionals are able to develop new relationships and at the same time resolve all of the
ethical and regulatory issues that have been discussed throughout this treatise.
Is this possible? Let’s jump ahead to the year 2010.
Professional Services, Inc. — John Smith is an attorney in a small office in Wichita, Kansas where his
practice focuses on agricultural law. He has developed a regional and a national reputation in agricultural
financing. His six-attorney office has no branches but does from time to time become involved in complex
transactions.2 These transactions could put a strain on the firm’s resources if not for the fact that his firm
belongs to Professional Services, Inc. (PSI), a subsidiary of Microsoft. John and his partners regularly use
the PSI team members in complex litigation and commercial matters.
PSI brings together on-line many types of professionals in areas of law, accounting, technology,
management consulting, financial planning, real estate, and similar areas. After an extensive interview,
references are checked and the firm or professional can join the group by paying an annual fee based
upon the number of professionals at the firm and a percentage of the previous year’s overhead. As a
member of PSI, John gains instant access to 100,000 screened professionals from small and medium-sized
professional firms across the United States and Canada. With a few clicks on his mouse, he can locate
professionals, review their credentials and run a preliminary check for conflicts. After his review, he can
set up a videoconference, right from his search.
PSI is managed and controlled by Microsoft but does have advisory boards for each profession to assure
compliance with ethical rules. To assure that members benefit, Microsoft spends more than 309a of the
revenue on advertising PSI. This includes advertising at its websites like CNBC and in printed publications
that go to hundreds of thousands of small businesses.
World Services Group — Judy is a lawyer with a very large law firm that has offices in a number of
jurisdictions. Her clients are principally large international companies. She, too, requires many different
professionals to complete the complex transactions on which her firm works. Even though the ABA in
2003 finally passed a recommendation to permit multidisciplinary partnerships, which was adopted by 37
states, her firm believes it has found a better alternative in World Services Group (WSG).
WSG is an organization formed by large service firms themselves. Each member is a leader in a profession,
field or jurisdiction. They include the traditional regulated professional practices such as law, accounting,
and real estate, as well as computer and management consulting, insurance, baulking and other financial
2 Clark, Multidisciplinary Practices: What Will It Mean for the Smaller Law Firm, 72 Wisconsin Lawyer 19 (3) Sep 99.
1
