Strategy Implementation

Post-merger integration

Increasingly, clients are instructing us to design and execute strategic action plans to ensure a successful integration at business, client and people level. We have been involved in some of world’s largest post-merger integration projects and have a proven track record in the execution of several client and people initiatives. Our approach and models are based on the leading practices of other professional services firms adapted for the legal sector. Some of our consultants have been in charge of several, global post-merger integration projects.

Restructuring at firm, practice and/or sector level

Our partners have extensive experience with dozens of law firm restructuring projects ranging from amongst the largest in the world to those involving independent national firms. We have experience in the full range of such transitions from restructurings as a consequence of mergers and acquisitions or the onboarding of teams to office closures, execution of sector strategies or office and/or practice divestments.

Our approach to identifying merger candidates is thorough, reaching far beyond superficial desktop studies. We assist with preparations for negotations. We support negotiations, acting either for one party or, preferably, as an independent go-between. Our broad experience enhances due diligence investigations and helps uncovers issues that could cause post-merger difficulties. We also advise the combined firm on developing a powerful joint strategy.

We design and facilitate the post-merger integration of the systems for the combined firm. The broad, in-house experience that several of our partners have had in complex post-merger integrations in some of the world’s leading firms makes us uniquely able to advise clients on alignment of all aspects of the legacy firms, to create a single, coherent business platform that delivers the best possible combined performance.

Strategic sourcing/ Onboarding of teams

The decision to restructure at firm or practice area level, the outcomes of strategic reviews and/or the execution of strategic priorities often make firms to decide to invest in building new capabilities and competences. Our experience with merger consulting experience and post-merger integration projects means that we have a proven track record in the onboarding of lateral partner candidates and their teams. We adopt a rather unique approach and methodology, starting with a comprehensive assessment of the requirements of the particular firm, an analysis  of the organizational “capital” and the firm’s mid- to  long term strategic human capital needs. Our knowledge of the markets in which we operate ensure the onboarding of teams that match in terms of clients, practice, performance and culture.

Individual and team assessments

Assessments are offered to help leaders, partners, associates and entire teams develop awareness about themselves and others, improve communications and relationships, and advance career aspirations and organisational goals.

As Talent Motivation Assessment (TMA) accredited experts, we use individual and team assessments in recruitment strategies, onboarding processes, post-merger integrations and strategy reviews to align individual drivers and competencies with the firm’s objectives.

Project execution and capability building

The ability to implement change relies on partners’ potential to adopt new mindsets and behaviours. We design, in collaboration with some of the leading business school faculties, short leadership programmes, coaching and mentoring frameworks to achieve the behavioural changes required to implement new strategic objectives.

We deliver programs around three learning formats:

• Workshops Facilitation
• Applied Learning
• Individual Development

Our specific experience also includes the establishment of an in-house “university” in a global law firm.

Strategic Business Development & Marketing

Sophisticated business development and marketing programs are central to the success and revenue generating power of mature law firms. We assist law firms with the design and development of modern, state-of-the-art business development functions and strategies. Several of our consultants have more than 25 years of experience with the design and execution of high impact, strategic initiatives such as key account management and client targeting programs, as well as and the introduction of CRM systems and collaborative business planning processes at sector, practice and firm level. In certain jurisdictions we offer services about the use of social media, web reputation and online marketing tools. Checking the positioning of a firm is a matter of analyzing many websites, magazines, trend setters’ blogs and social networks. We provide a full and integrated analysis document that can help the firm to understand its position on the “web” side of the market even in comparison with its own competitors.