Baker McKenzie: Speed and efficiency

Country spotlight: Sweden

Swedish cityscape image

Anders Fast, managing partner of Baker & McKenzie Advokatbyrå KB

How are you adapting to chaining client demands? We see increased demand for all kind of cross border-work but in particular within the transactional and compliance field. Sweden – and the Nordics – is a very attractive area for foreign investments and Nordic companies are also looking for opportunities abroad. Our clients want us not …

Vinge: Seamless service

Country spotlight: Sweden

Swedish cityscape image

Maria‑Pia Hope, CEO of Vinge

Can you explain how client demands are changing? We find our clients ask for more complex guidance and advice, and that they increasingly demand that we possess good industry knowledge. We have had a significant number of cross-border projects and this puts our well-developed network with the best firms and experts in other jurisdictions to …

Malaysia’s spiritual – and possibly legal – rejuvenation

Editors' views

Following a recent research trip to Malaysia, The Legal 500 reports on a country excited for political change and a legal market waiting to see what the new regime will bring

Since May 2018 much of Malaysia has been undergoing a spiritual rejuvenation brought about by its first genuine change of government in 60 years. From the Vertigo rooftop bar to the esteemed Malaysian Bar, via bus conductors and Grab drivers and bartenders, everyone you speak to lights up when asked about this year’s election. ‘It …

Brad Karp: I don’t sleep much!

Interview with...

Brad Karp explains how he finds the time to bill so many hours, run a top-level law firm and still be meet with firm clients every day

How would you define your firm’s culture? How important is firm culture to you? The Paul, Weiss culture is grounded in our shared values of professionalism, collaboration and deep mutual respect. We value transparency and collegiality, and we share a longstanding and passionate commitment to diversity, pro bono and public service. Our commitment to inclusion …

Mark Kelly: Our culture sets us apart

Interview with...

Vinson & Elkins’ Chairman talks about the ‘V&E family’ and why he believes it makes a huge difference in the firm’s ability to attract and retain talent

How would you define your firm’s culture? How important is firm culture to you? Culture is vitally important to our Firm and to me personally. We often talk about the V&E Family, which I believe is real. Our lawyers and administrative staff become part of that family when they join the firm. We have a …

Rich Gold: every administration brings to Washington its own style and cadence

Interview with...

Rich Gold featured image

Holland & Knight’s managing partner outlines issues clients need to understand regarding the current administration, and where the trend of
government investigations work might be heading

The notion of government work has risen in recent years, with general counsel realizing how critical it is – do you see this trend continuing? Yes, we do. Our country has weathered the Great Recession and now has fully emerged from those historically tough economic times. Even so, our national focus continues to be on …

Malcolm Simpson: Misconceptions don’t hold us back

Interview with...

Walker Morris’ managing partner talks about being pigeonholed as a firm, the largest professional services relocation in Leeds for almost 15 years, and how to stand apart in a crowded market

How would you define your Walker Morris’ culture? How important is firm culture to you? If I had to summarise our culture in one word it would be collaboration. By that I mean not only collaboration internally and with clients, but also with other professionals, including from other law firms. Having all our employees based …

Bridging the gap between independence and management

Interview with...

Luther’s co-managing partners, Elisabeth Lepique and Dr Sebastian Lorenz, discuss Germany’s talent war, nurturing future partners, and the challenge of managing entrepreneurial lawyers

How would you define your Luther’s culture? How important is firm culture to you? At Luther, we are living an open, teamwork-oriented, and business-driven culture with a clear focus on the needs of our clients. We also encourage an environment of continuous learning. The firm culture is very important since it holds us together and …

Think Outside-in

Leadership focus

J Stephen Poor outlines how the interaction of senior leadership with clients leads to more efficient legal advice and solutions still undertakes client-facing work

This spring, together with a couple thousand others, I had the opportunity to attend the CLOC conference in Las Vegas. The conference was all about expectations around service delivery and the changing needs of the legal operations profession. Seems pretty on point in a profession undergoing change. A couple of things struck me, however. First, …

Passing the baton

The big issue

From Mexico to the Southern Cone, Latin America editor Tim Girven talks to managing partners about generational handover in the legal profession

Beyond the US and UK, many legal markets remain heavily populated by law firms established as family businesses, or which – still in their first generation – remain overseen by a founding partner. More sizeable firms, too, even if they have already experienced the process of generational (and managerial) handover on one-or-more occasions, will not …