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By Shera Dalin
From technology
to acquisitions to diverse personnel, St. Louis-area law firms
embrace change daily as part of their business.
St. Louis
is home to more than 6,500 lawyers and more than 150 law firms.
St. Louis Commerce sat down with a trio of chairs of three
of the region’s top firms to discuss the challenges they face
and how they plan to meet them.
The discussion
includes Thomas Campbell, managing partner of Gallop, Johnson
& Neuman; Tom Minogue, chairman of Thompson Coburn; and
Don Lents, chairman of Bryan Cave.
What is
the biggest issue facing your firm?
Campbell:
The biggest issue facing the firm and law in general is adapting
quickly enough to an exceedingly fast-paced and changing business
environment. The technology has catapulted all professional service
firms and their clients into a 24/7 business mode, which demands
virtually instantaneous access to data and responsiveness. The
firm provides its lawyers and staff with continually changing
upgrades and enhancements so that we can provide the highest quality
service to our clients.
Lents:
We continue to focus on how to position ourselves locally, nationally
and internationally to best serve our clients, and how to continuously
attract and retain the best talent—since that ultimately
allows us to give our clients the service they are seeking. We
have made two important additions to the firm to help attract
and maintain the most talented and skilled lawyers and staff.
Tina L. Harris joined our Kansas City office in October as the
firm's first chief diversity officer to attract and retain diverse
attorneys firm-wide. Thomas A. Grewe joined Bryan Cave in January
as our first chief legal recruiting and development officer. Tom
is working closely with a variety of teams in the firm to ensure
that our recruiting and hiring, training and development strategies
align with the firm's overall strategy.
Minogue:
As you may know, in 2007 we merged with a 40-attorney firm in
Chicago. In less than a year we have grown the office by roughly
20 percent, and we are focused on continuing that track record
of growth. We also will be concentrating on growing our 30-attorney
office in Washington, D.C.
What areas
show the most promise for attracting new clients and how will
you develop those?
Campbell:
First, client matters involving intellectual property are increasing
in number and complexity. The firm has increased the depth and
experience of our Intellectual Property Practice Group. Second,
the immigration law practice has significantly increased in volume
and complexity. Our practice has focused on assisting corporate
clients in bringing highly educated and professional foreign nationals
into the country to conduct business. Third, the firm's Governmental
Law and Relations Practice Group works closely with clients to
understand how government works and how goals can be achieved
without irreparably damaging relationships. As government oversight
and regulation become part of many industries, our governmental
law and relations attorneys have been very successful in achieving
win/win outcomes for corporate clients.
Lents:
Intellectual property, while certainly not a new practice,
continues to grow, reflecting its importance to our clients. As
a result, we recently bolstered both our IP prosecution and litigation
practices in the St. Louis office and plan to continue to grow
in that area. We also are focusing on the expanding international
business needs of our clients. In 2007, for example, we opened
new offices in Hamburg and Milan, strengthened our Shanghai office
and entered into an affiliation with a leading Chinese law firm,
Alpha & Leader. We also opened a new office in San Francisco in
March.
Minogue:
Intellectual property is one of the most rapidly growing areas
of practice on a nationwide basis, and we have enjoyed considerable
success cross-selling our expertise in the area. Clients very
much appreciate a "one-stop shopping" approach for all
of their matters of varying types, and the obvious efficiencies
of that approach. We are also expanding our client base via the
aggressive use of extranets with our clients.
How do
mergers and acquisitions affect the business?
Campbell:
Mergers and acquisitions within the legal community usually provide
a net benefit to our firm in two respects. First, when mergers
and acquisitions occur, they often result in conflicts between
clients of the respective firms. Often clients in a conflicted
situation will seek alternative counsel. We can provide the full
menu of legal services that the client obtained from its prior
firm. Even litigation matters can be transitioned efficiently.
Second, attorneys sometimes seek new firms in the event of a merger
or acquisition because of conflict situations with their clients
and/or to practice in a more manageable environment. Our firm
has a long history of cultivating and maintaining an excellent
work environment that allows attorneys to deliver the highest
quality and yet not become lost in a firm of hundreds of attorneys.
Lents:
Our goal is to be the best global law firm at building substantial
and enduring relationships with our clients. To do that, we need
to grow where our clients want us to be. We continuously look
at opportunities that make the best sense for our ability to serve
our clients. Our competitors presumably are doing the same thing,
and we watch those events carefully.
Minogue:
The legal marketplace has been in a consolidation mode
for some time, and will likely continue. We have accomplished
three mergers of our own in approximately the last decade, which
together repositioned our firm as the largest presence in our
primary marketplace here in St. Louis. We proactively pursue merger
opportunities in other markets to facilitate our growth in those
markets.
What are
the most pressing personnel development concerns your firm has?
Campbell:
The firm has a long history of providing a working environment
that respects the individual and acknowledges that life outside
of the profession is the key to mental and physical well-being.
This is balanced with the passion our firm has to deliver the
highest quality legal work. These two objectives are not mutually
exclusive. The most pressing personnel development concern is
identifying and providing the resources to deliver high quality
legal services and remain an ideal place to work.
Lents:
Our most pressing concern is the same each year—securing
the best people, retaining them and making their talents available
to our clients. We anticipate continued expansion firm-wide this
year and will need skilled attorneys and staff. For example, we
are expanding our Hong Kong office to provide more depth to clients
in Asia's leading financial center. We believe providing broad-ranging
legal services, based on a partnering approach and a passionate,
long-term commitment to our clients, distinguishes Bryan Cave
from our peers.
Minogue:
We recruit on a nationwide basis to attract candidates
to work in our St. Louis office as attorneys and executive staff
members. The continued revitalization of downtown, which has received
very favorable publicity in the national press, and the economic
health of our region are key factors in our ability to bring new,
young, professional talent to our firm.
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