Permanent shift to home working will boost productivity but may impact mental health, poll finds
25 February 2021
Permanent shift to home working will boost productivity but may impact mental health, poll finds
More than three quarters of respondents to The Global Legal Post survey expect less office-based work once pandemic recedes
Shutterstock; Vera Petrunina More than three quarters of business lawyers are anticipating a permanent shift to home working once lockdown restrictions end, most of whom believe this will improve work life balance and productivity, according to a The Global Legal Post poll. However, there is less agreement over the impact of this change on diversity and particularly mental health with more than a third of respondents worried mental health – already the subject of concern within the profession – will deteriorate.
Avoiding the shiny toy syndrome - law firms urged to focus on the strategy behind tech investment
24 February 2021
Video Q&A underlines the importance of staying level-headed in face of booming legaltech sector Law firms must avoid the shiny toy syndrome when investing in technology, understanding that it will only work if it is being harnessed to achieve a broader strategy, a Global Legal Post video Q&A interview has heard. Stuart Hopper, former director of practice development, knowledge and innovation at Dentons, said new technology purchases should be considered as part of a disciplined process whereby internal or client ‘pain points’ were identified and the right tech to address them sourced, possibly with the help of providers acting as ‘honest brokers’.
Too many lists and brochures - law firms urged to reset relationship between lawyers and BD teams
18 February 2021
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Too many lists and brochures - law firms urged to reset relationship between lawyers and BD teams
Video Q&A hears call for leaders to recognise and accommodate the complexity of the sales process Law firms must reset the relationship between their lawyers and business development professionals if they are to make full use of the BD talent they have in their ranks, a Global Legal Post video Q&A interview has heard. While firms now recognise the importance of attracting top quality BD executives, there remains a tension between lawyers, who are being urged to develop their own practices, and BD teams, whose roles are not being clearly defined and are still being asked to produce “too many lists and too many brochures”, consultants Katie Dignan and Stephen Revell warned.
The Global Legal Post timeline: ESG and the law
30 March 2021
How law firms and their clients are responding to the environmental, social and governance movement
Shutterstock; John Gomez Wall Street M&A powerhouse Wachtell Lipton Rosen & Katz is not known for making senior lateral hires. Last April, however, it made an important exception, bringing on board as a consultant Leo Strine, the former Delaware chief justice and a leading proponent of governance reform. “As a judge, he said, “I thought the importance of corporations in our society could not be measured by their stock price, and that it was critical to our nation’s well-being that powerful businesses treat their workers and consumers well, support the communities in which they operate, and focus on environmentally responsible, sustainable wealth creation.”
Orrick hires ESG expert in recognition of clients heightened sustainability focus
10 February 2021
Orrick hires ESG expert in recognition of clients heightened sustainability focus
Ashley Walter joins as a partner from Fenwick & West as ESG moves swiftly up law firm agendas Orrick has hired an environmental, social and governance (ESG) specialist, becoming the latest firm to recognise the growing influence of the ESG movement. Ashley Walter joins the San Francisco-based firm’s Seattle office as a partner from Fenwick & West, where he headed its corporate social responsibility governance and compliance practice as a counsel. Orrick believes he will be the first partner in the US with a near-exclusive focus on providing ESG advice to clients.