Thomas Rouhette, Partner
What do you see as the main points that differentiate Signature Litigation from your competitors?
After over 25 years in a large international law firm, I moved to a smaller, disputes-only boutique firm. What I see is that we do offer the same type of services, driven by a constant quest for quality and using the same resources, but in a virtually conflict-free and much more flexible environment. Our partners take a hands-on approach and can focus on clients and cases 100%, which is made possible thanks to our rejection of bureaucracy and the very limited involvement of partners in the management of the Firm.
Which practices do you see growing in the next 12 months? What are the drivers behind that?
In the disputes area, I anticipate that regulatory investigations and mass consumer/environmental claims will continue to be on the rise during the next 12 months. This is driven by long-term cultural shifts and by recent reforms aiming at facilitating "access to justice". Plaintiffs' Counsel, NGOs and consumer associations are increasingly making use of the mechanisms developed at EU and national levels and of the increasingly plaintiff-friendly approach taken by the Court system in several European jurisdictions, such as France. The regulators have taken the view that they should play a part in this trend, not least because they want to cover their backs after some resounding scandals. This leads to a very business-unfriendly litigation landscape, in France in particular.
What's the main change you've made in the firm that will benefit clients?
The Paris office of Signature Litigation is still young (as we only opened in 2019). So, we did not have to make changes but adapted to a model, implemented first in our London office, which proves very well suited to our clients' needs. First, the client is at the core of our practice and we need to adapt to clients, while more than often larger international firms see them at the core of the relationship and expect clients to adapt to them. We have also developed a profit-sharing scheme whereby 10% of the annual profit is distributed among the non-partner members of the Firm, irrespective of their role. This model is at the centre of a virtuous circle as it reinforces the feeling of ownership of the firm within all its members, strengthens commitment and induces our members into going the extra mile for the greater good.
Is technology changing the way you interact with your clients, and the services you can provide them?
Technology, especially in times of a pandemic, has changed the way law firms interact with clients, which have become increasingly "virtual". Video conferences have replaced physical meetings, and also to a large extent conference calls. Previously existing trends have accelerated, and clients expect to receive responses which are now much shorter, much more pragmatic and delivered in an even more responsive way. The development of remote working adds the specific challenge of training the younger lawyers, ensuring quality control and spreading the values of the firm without actually meeting physically with one's team.
Can you give us a practical example of how you have helped a client to add value to their business?
The primary role of outside Counsel is to make in-house Counsel look good and bring value to the client. This can take many forms. But it will always require a team-spirited approach and the delivery of legal advice to the client's legal team, which is generally stretched, in a simple and business-oriented form which could be passed on to the client's management as is for decision-making purposes. For instance, we coordinate the defense of a client exposed to multi-jurisdictional mass litigation. To this effect, we monitor the various claims made and the related exposure, develop "master-submissions" which contain the relevant technical and legal arguments and supervise the work of local counsel, through the use of IT platforms, all of which brings both value and savings for the client.
Are clients looking for stability and strategic direction from their law firms - where do you see the firm in three years’ time?
Clients look, rightly so, for loyalty and consistency from their law firms. They want to understand the cost structure of the law firm and to be sure that there will be no unnecessary work resulting in excessive billing. Therefore, clients expect honesty and transparency at all times. In litigation matters, clients are looking for lawyers they trust and can follow in the trenches through difficult times. They are indeed looking for strategic guidance, especially in the context of global disputes where the in-house legal team may not be very familiar with the local procedural specificities. On this basis, I see, and hope, that in three years' time, the firm will have strengthened its position as one of the leaders on the Paris dispute resolution market. This will involve the appointment of additional partners while we make sure that our values and DNA are preserved.