mARCH 2012 48 Legal Network
www.lawyer-monthly.com
Legal Networks making local firms global
This month, Lawyer Monthly takes a look at the benefits of legal networks, for both law firms and clients. we speak to the president, Bob Sattin, and the executive director, Joe Farrell, of The Appleton Group, a privately-owned group of networks, also referred to as ‘alliances’, based in Florida, USA. The Appleton Group was established in 1998 and is comprised of an international law firm alliance called TAGLaw®, an international accounting firm alliance called The International Accounting Group, (TIAG®) and an educational entity known as the TAG Academy®. Currently with 153 legal member firms and 115 accountancy member firms, alliances are a growing trend across the world with many benefits, as we discuss here with Bob and Joe.
Q
Can you give me a brief overview of the legal network concept?
Bob: The concept of a legal alliance is to provide a method by which law firms are able to access an international client base. As the business world becomes increasingly global, clients’ needs expand beyond their jurisdiction and so alliances allow firms to service those clients around the world and to compete effectively with multi-national firms when clients’ needs require multi- jurisdictional skills and knowledge.
Q
Can you expand on that a little further and tell me about the benefits of being a network member?
Bob: The main benefit is the ability to comfortably and safely refer clients to known lawyers around the world. Member firms also have the ability to market themselves to new clients, and raise their profile significantly in their own market which in turn allows them to attract and retain a higher quality professional. Being a member also allows firms, depending on the jurisdiction, to fill gaps in their practice areas with
other firms that they now know and have worked with personally.
Q
Keeping within the same theme, what would you say are the benefits for clients looking for legal services, using a legal network?
Bob: I can speak from firsthand experience on this because prior to my current position I was a private practising lawyer with one of the founding firms of the TAGLaw alliance. It was of great benefit to clients to be
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114