REFLECTIONS ON LAWYER PROFESSIONALISM IN THE MODERN ERA

[...]the output from this practice may miss subtle and not so subtle nuances of the current project and, depending on the provenance of the precedent, may concede issues on behalf of the client unintentionally. First is a reduction in time spend on training new lawyers (due to the consequent loss of...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Health Lawyer 2017-02, Vol.29 (3), p.29-38
Main Author: Demetriou, Andrew J
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Attorneys
Bar associations
Law schools
Legal ethics
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:[...]the output from this practice may miss subtle and not so subtle nuances of the current project and, depending on the provenance of the precedent, may concede issues on behalf of the client unintentionally. First is a reduction in time spend on training new lawyers (due to the consequent loss of chargeable time) and traditional mentorship in favor of increasing productivity at the outset of their careers. [...]clients (often advised by former big firm lawyers who have gone in-house) have become savvy in shopping for rates (i.e., demanding discounts) from "preferred" firms and in dividing legal work among a number of firms, thus depriving any one firm of having a holistic view of the client's legal matters. 27 A curious term to have become associated with a profession, since its origins certainly come from salespersons, who would carry books with lists of customers and related information. Since lawyers historically abjured association with the concept of sales in seeking legal engagements, the widespread acceptance of the term as a measure of desirability of lateral partner candidates or rising senior associates represents a departure from the norm that existed well into the 1980s and is still seen at several of the major New York firms, which are highly profitable but do not view individuals as having a book of business, as they view their key client relationships as institutional rather than personal. 28 Brobeck, Phelger & Harrison was a prominent San Francisco firm that invested heavily in building a venture capital and technology practice and expanded very rapidly.
ISSN:0736-3443