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