Lawyer network
A lawyer network (also firm Network ) is a composed of independent lawyers or law firms existing network organization , which is often internationally or at least nationally legal advice.
Lawyer networks are to be distinguished from the large law firms, which also regularly operate globally, as well as the networks of auditing companies .
origin
As a reaction to increasing globalization and the expansion of the first law firms beyond national borders - here Baker McKenzie is to be mentioned as a pioneer - shortly after the Second World War, lawyers and law firms began to join forces in so-called "clubs" and become a global one Exchange frames with each other. The existence of these clubs was initially kept secret in order not to endanger local interests in the individual countries. While most clubs in the 1980s developed more and more in the direction of the official networks as they exist today, others remained as so-called "Best Friends Clubs" ( Slaughter and May or Hengeler Mueller are to be mentioned in this context ).
Mission and goal
Lawyer or law firm networks are to be understood as service networks. The organization in a network offers advantages for the law firms and lawyers involved as well as for their clients. First of all, the clients are entitled to bundled professional and cross-location competence, which they could otherwise only achieve by commissioning several law firms or mandating major international law firms. The latter alternatives are often more expensive than using a smaller law firm organized in a network. In addition, the small lawyers and law firms organized in networks are often highly specialized, in contrast to the large law firms which naturally have a broad base. On the other hand, clients more often trust renowned large law firms, as these generally guarantee a uniformly high quality standard across locations. Many networks respond to this by introducing high admission conditions and quality guidelines.
On the other hand, the lawyers and law firms organized in networks benefit from the mutual mediation of mandates as well as the possibility of looking after mandates whose scope and requirements might exceed their own capacities.
In addition, by joining the network, lawyers and law firms can get their own corporate identity without having to merge with another law firm or being swallowed up by a larger unit.
Demarcation
To large law firms
While a large law firm can also arise or merge through the merger of several or through the inclusion of smaller law firms, but the merged law firms then “merge” into the large law firm, the lawyers and law firms remain as independent companies after joining a lawyer network. The network is therefore not a law firm itself, but only offers the infrastructure and organization necessary for an exchange between law firms.
Due to the self-sufficient organization and financing of the linked law firms, lawyer networks can usually cover significantly more locations and individual lawyers than large law firms.
To accounting firms
Auditing firms are also usually organized in networks, the most important of which are the Big Four . In contrast to law firms, however, auditing firms do not provide legal advice, but advise primarily in business and tax areas. In the meantime, however, many auditing firms have also set up their own legal departments, with which they are penetrating the legal advisory market more strongly.
Breakdown
Globally operating networks
The largest global lawyer and law firm networks include Lex Mundi (more than 21,000 lawyers), WSG - World Services Group (more than 19,000 professionals), TerraLex (19,000 professionals), World Law Group (more than 18,000 professionals).
As global German-speaking networks, CBBL - Cross Border Business Lawyers and ADWA Law are worth mentioning, the latter only being limited to Asia.
Medium-sized networks
A Europe-wide network for medium-sized companies is formed by EUROJURIS International with 6,000 professionals.
In the German-speaking area there are especially the networks DIRO AG (approx. 1500 professionals) and APRAXA eG.
Subject-specific networks
With 1,400 lawyers specializing in labor law, Ius Laboris has established itself as the largest network in the field of law.
Individual evidence
- ^ Firm Facts - Baker McKenzie. Retrieved October 26, 2018 .
- ^ Slaughter and May - The Best Friends group. Retrieved October 26, 2018 .
- ↑ LTO: Lawyer Networks: Better Together, Better Together . In: Legal Tribune Online . ( lto.de [accessed October 26, 2018]).
- ^ Long read: The future of law firm networks | The Lawyer . In: The Lawyer | Legal insight, benchmarking data and jobs . April 26, 2018 ( thelawyer.com [accessed October 26, 2018]).
- ^ Lex Mundi: The World's Leading Network of Independent Law Firms | ESX Inc. http://www.esxinc.com : The World's Leading Network of Independent Law Firms - Lex Mundi: The World's Leading Law Firm Network. Retrieved October 26, 2018 .
- ^ WSG: By the Numbers. Retrieved October 26, 2018 .
- ↑ https://www.terralex.org/. Retrieved October 26, 2018 (American English).
- ↑ Who we Are | World Law Group WLG. Retrieved October 26, 2018 .
- ^ Cross Border Business Layer - CBBL. Retrieved November 22, 2018 .
- ^ ADWA - Alliance of German Business Lawyers in Asia. Retrieved November 22, 2018 .
- ↑ About us | EUROJURIS International. Retrieved October 26, 2018 .
- ↑ DIRO AG. Retrieved October 26, 2018 .
- ↑ APRAXA. Retrieved November 22, 2018 .
- ↑ Ius Laboris - Experts. Retrieved October 26, 2018 .