Profitability Analysis: The First Steps
November 30, 2009
If your firm has a number of legal departments, how does one determine the profitability (or economic contribution) of each? Delving further into a specific department, how do you measure the profitability of a practice area?
The Coming Honest-Services Storm
November 24, 2009
Not since 1987, when the Supreme Court issued its bombshell decision in <i>McNally v. United States</i>, has the honest-services mail fraud doctrine received as much attention as in recent months. When the dust settles, it is possible that one of prosecutors' favorite weapons will have been sharply restricted or taken away.
Changes to Form I-9: Administrative on Their Face; Substantive In Effect
November 24, 2009
As of April 3, 2009, employers were required to use the new Form I-9 for employment eligibility verification for new employees and applicable re-hires. The new form is the latest step in what has been an unsystematic effort by the United States government to create and enforce immigration laws in the workplace.
Ordinary Leaders: An Untapped Resource
November 24, 2009
The kind of leadership that works best is not always the kind of leadership to which a managing partner is most naturally suited. Many organizational issues that a leader must face call for what we call "ordinary leadership."
Collision of Classes and the Training Challenge
November 24, 2009
How will law firms deal with the different class and experience levels that may be joining law firms at the same time? In this new legal world, designating classes for advancement by law school graduation year may no longer be feasible.
Qualified Plan Risk Management
November 24, 2009
You may be generally aware of certain fiduciary duty ERISA risks, and you may think you are protected from them. But odds are, you are not aware of all the risks and you are not protected from them.
When You're All Alone In the Forest
November 17, 2009
In an economic environment in which the larger firms are competing with the smaller firms for the smaller clients, and in which law firms are retrenching and the client pool is diminishing, can the sole practitioner or the smaller firm compete in this arena?
Partnership in Troubled Economic Times
October 29, 2009
It is vitally important that partners examine the culture of their firm before making "blanket" modifications to the partnership structure/admission practices simply to satisfy the current, and perhaps short-term, economic issues.
Pension Funding: A Program to Maximize Pension Growth and Limit Volatility
October 29, 2009
When a Pension is addressing its liabilities and assets, it is important that it present a simple, straightforward way to fund for the future for its participants in a meaningful and effective manner. The volatility of the markets since 2007 has increased demands on the Pensions, as an uneasy balance of influences and the Pension Protection Act of 2006 have required increasing funding levels to meet mandated levels.
