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Jumping Ship (and Taking the Crew): Can Law Firm Partners Solicit Their Firms' Employees? Image

Jumping Ship (and Taking the Crew): Can Law Firm Partners Solicit Their Firms' Employees?

Wayne N. Outten & Cara E. Greene

Recently, several prominent partners have left their law firms to set up shop with a competing establishment. As was the case in each of these instances, a partner seldom leaves the firm alone — often staff, associates, and even other partners join the new endeavor. May a departing partner solicit others to join him or her without violating fiduciary duty to the original firm? At what point must the departing partner notify the partnership of his or her efforts to recruit firm employees? This article suggests that partners may solicit attorneys and staff of their original partnership without violating their fiduciary duty, as long as the manner of their solicitation conforms to their fiduciary duty.

Features

Where Does All That Associate Money Go? Image

Where Does All That Associate Money Go?

Petra Pasternak

Kathryn Cole, a 25-year-old who earned her J.D. last year from the University of Michigan Law School, accepted a position at Quinn Emanuel Urquhart Oliver & Hedges, LLP in Silicon Valley. Her starting pay was $135,000, but before she even began working she got a $10,000 raise. Then in January, just a few months into the job, her salary went up another $15,000.

Features

Firms Hunting for Stars Re-examine Partner Compensation Image

Firms Hunting for Stars Re-examine Partner Compensation

Andrew Longstreth

Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP managing partner Mark Walker is old school when it comes to partner compensation. He sees no reason to change Cleary's seniority-based lockstep scheme, in which the spread between the highest- and lowest-paid partner is less than 3:1. It's a no-hassle system — no long meetings explaining bonus decisions and no disputes among partners over credit for bringing in business. And it is the foundation of Cleary's culture, Walker says, which emphasizes the collective over the individual. If the firm is not a magnet for hot lateral candidates who want to be paid like A-Rod, that's okay with Walker. 'My view is that if someone says I'm not going to Cleary Gottlieb because [another firm] is guaranteeing me a salary of X, then they don't belong at our firm anyway.'

The RED ZONE - Selecting Outside Firms Image

The RED ZONE - Selecting Outside Firms

Allan Colman, Managing Director, the Closers Group: [email protected]

Red Zone strategies require knowledge of inside counsel's personal considerations in making decisions to retain outside counsel. More than objective data on organizational retention patterns are needed - you need to understand the personal and subjective sensitivity to the man or woman across the table.

The RED ZONE - Selecting Outside Counsel Image

The RED ZONE - Selecting Outside Counsel

Allan Colman, Managing Director, the Closers Group: [email protected]

RELATIONSHIPS AND RETENTION - In the pursuit of maintaining relationships with inside counsel, or developing new ones, law firms need to seek as much information about corporate retention patterns as due dilligence can provide.

The RED ZONE - Selecting Outside Counsel Image

The RED ZONE - Selecting Outside Counsel

Allan Colman, Managing Director, the Closers Group: [email protected]

HIDDEN DECISION MAKING by inside counsel needs to be overcome by law firms. This is one of 4 categories outside counsel and marketing departments must identify. What are the questions to ask?

Features

What's Hot, What's Not Image

What's Hot, What's Not

ALM Staff & Law Journal Newsletters

News about lawyers and law firms in the partnership arena.

Features

Midsize Firms Seek Former Large-Firm Clients Image

Midsize Firms Seek Former Large-Firm Clients

Stephanie Lovett

Being one of a client's go-to law firms used to be a pretty secure situation. But gone are the days of lifelong client loyalties. In fact, disloyalty is increasingly the norm according to the BTI Consulting Group's latest survey of clients ' a situation that creates challenges and opportunities for savvy firms.

Features

Compensating the Rising Star Image

Compensating the Rising Star

James D. Cotterman

A young, dynamic partner is rapidly building a practice. She is active, visible, and well connected in the market. She aggressively pursues business opportunities. She is known for her keen intellect, is highly respected, and her work is first rate. Clients regularly comment on her ability to seamlessly blend pragmatic legal and business advice that advances their agendas in very positive ways. Other firms have periodically made runs at her beginning around her mid- to-senior associate years, but she began her career here and feels much attached to the firm.

Closing in the RED ZONE - How Outside Counsel are Selected Image

Closing in the RED ZONE - How Outside Counsel are Selected

Allan Colman, Managing Director, the Closers Group: [email protected]

What do inside counsel say about law firms? And are you one of the firms described as "dumb" or "spoiled" or "dull" or worse?

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