LAWYERSCHILE EL MUNDO INTERNACIONAL DEL ABOGADO

Rodrigo González Fernández y un grupo de egresados de la Facultad de Derecho de la Universidad la Republica en Chile ha decidido poner al alcance de todo el mundo de la profesion legal importantes materias en Ingles para ir practicando el trabajo en materia de Tratados internacionales y que nuestra profesión estará en primera linea. Invitamos a todos a opinar, debatir, participar activamente.Es el primer blog legal en inglés de latinoamerica.

Monday, November 24, 2008

charles darwin: Blawg Review #187 -- Evolution Day Edition

Blawg Review #187 -- Evolution Day Edition

Today is Evolution Day, the anniversary of the publication of Charles Darwin's seminal work, On the Origin of Species, most commonly associated with the principle of "survival of the fittest." And with many law firms struggling to survive, Evolution Day provides an apt theme for Blawg Review #187, hosted at Josh Fruchter's Lawyer Casting.

Unlike Darwin's theory of evolution, you won't find any "missing links" in this Blawg Review, which offers tips from around the legal blogosphere on surviving in this economy. The advice runs the gamut, with obvious ideas such as remembering to focus on clients or registering to use LegalOnRamp if you're recently unemployed. But there are also some suggestions that seem counter-intuitive such as why you shouldn't run out and set up a bankruptcy practice (since clients may not be able to pay your fees) or why firms should not lay off associates to save money, but rather, might consider investing in them.

All in all, in this economy, Blawg Review #187 should come as a natural selection for your reading. And you can also play a role in the next iteration, to be hosted at New York Personal Injury Attorney Blog, where Eric Turkewitz has already put out the casting call.

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Posted by Carolyn Elefant on November 24, 2008

CONSULTEN, OPINEN , ESCRIBAN LIBREMENTE
Saludos
Rodrigo González Fernández
Diplomado en RSE de la ONU
www.consultajuridicachile.blogspot.com
www.el-observatorio-politico.blogspot.com
www.lobbyingchile.blogspot.com
www.biocombustibles.blogspot.com
www.calentamientoglobalchile.blogspot.com
oficina: Renato Sánchez 3586 of. 10
Teléfono: OF .02- 8854223- CEL: 76850061
e-mail: rogofe47@mi.cl
Santiago- Chile
Soliciten nuestros cursos de capacitación y consultoría en LIDERAZGO - RESPONSABILIDAD SOCIAL EMPRESARIAL – LOBBY – BIOCOMBUSTIBLES , y asesorías a nivel internacional y están disponibles para OTEC Y OTIC en Chile

Lawyers Seeking Opportunities Overseas

Chile is a godd alternative

Lawyers Seeking Opportunities Overseas

In a waning economy, lawyers looking for new employment horizons might be advised to look across the horizon -- literally. Because as Legal Blog Watch's own John Bringardner writes in the New York Times, overseas markets are the new land of opportunity for lawyers.

Back in the gold rush days, law firms had a tough time selling lawyers on locales like Dubai, Abu Dhabi or Hong Kong. But now all that's changed, and recruiters are finding plenty of lawyers willing to travel halfway around the world for a job. Because of increased interest in overseas positions, firms can afford to be choosier about who they hire, and also stingier with their incentives. For example:

When Kirkland opened its Hong Kong office in 2006... it was hard to complete its hiring locally. American and British firms there were willing to make candidates the kind of fantastic offers they’d rarely see at home. “Two years ago I saw third-years asking to be made partners,” David Eich [a Kirland partner] says. “With the market crash we immediately felt the inflection of that. These days I see partners happy to take a salary adjustment for their circumstances.”

Still, going overseas isn't just a way to bide time while the economy recovers. Many lawyers are embracing the overseas alternative as an opportunity to build a practice at a time when there's not much going on at the office at home. Seems like a no-brainer to me.

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Posted by Carolyn Elefant on November 24, 2008

Should Firms Cut Bonuses in Response to Clients?

Should Firms Cut Bonuses in Response to Clients?

Slashing associate bonuses isn't making law firm management popular with their subordinates, as the comments at this post at Above the Law make clear. But does it matter what associates think when clients are giving firms kudos for their parsimonious distribution of bonuses?

As today's American Lawyer reports, mega-firms like Cravath and Skadden are reigning in bonuses, either keeping them at the same levels as last year or reducing them by as much as half. And the reaction from clients has been positive; Cravath's head partner, Evan Chesler told American Lawyer that "I've got to tell you, and I don't want to name any names, but I have gotten calls from a half dozen clients this morning thanking me [about cutting bonuses]."

Though some might compliment law firms for taking clients' views into account, others in the blogosphere suggest that clients have no business telling law firms how to run their business. At the Litigation and Trial Blog, Max Kennerly explains that he'd never think to ask his blogging company, Lexblog what it pays its support people because it's none of his business:

LexBlog provides a service. I thought the fee was fair and reasonable and that I got a great service. So I paid the fee and got the service. If the salaries or working conditions LexBlog provide intentionally violate labor, employment or discrimination laws, then we've got a problem. Otherwise, I have better things to do than micromanage my service provider's business.

For Kennerly, the same analogy applies to clients. The reason that clients are complaining about associate bonuses isn't because they're trying to micromanage, but rather, they're questioning the value that the firm is providing. In fact, as Dan Hull suggests at What About Clients, clients should be celebrating, not balking about bonuses, because they provide incentive for firms to retain the cream of the crop. Like Kennerly, Hull agrees that the fact that clients are resenting bonuses is a symptom of greater dissatisfaction with the overall lack of value that many law firms provide.

As for Scott Greenfield, the formula for bonuses for criminal defense lawyers is fairly easy: You get zero, unless and until you prove yourself worthy. At which point, the bonus is more business and more clients.

What's your view? Should firms cut bonuses in response to pressure from clients?

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Posted by Carolyn Elefant on November 24, 2008