Ed Wesemann

After the Merger – Hanging Onto Your Clients

Ed Wesemann — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 11:32:17 +0000

Law firm mergers are always sold to the partners of the participating firms on the basis of the new revenues that will be created through client synergies. Unfortunately, most firms spend so much time planning the marketing of the merged firm to potential clients that they put at risk their existing client bases. When advising [...]

Strategic Pricing

Ed Wesemann — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 10:53:44 +0000

One of the most powerful strategies available to any professional service firm is pricing. Regardless of the service, the reputation of the provider, the sophistication of the buyer, the quality of the service or any other aspect of a firm’s position in the marketplace, price plays a significant role in a client’s decision to purchase [...]

Going Global: a 10 Point Checklist for Considering a Foreign Office

Ed Wesemann — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 22:53:38 +0000

Among the highest risk decisions a law firm can make is the opening of an office in another country. But firms can mitigate some of the risk by making an informed decision laced with a healthy dose of skepticism. The explosion of U.S. firms’ overseas offices has reached the point where it is comparatively rare [...]

Ugly Golf Swings and Other Merger Metaphors

Ed Wesemann — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 13:29:09 +0000

As consolidation reduces the universe of available merger partners, waiting for the perfect candidate may take a long time. There are times when a “fixer upper” – a firm without direction or that has profitability problems – may represent an appropriate opportunity for a growth oriented firm that has its act together. I fear that [...]

Aligning capability and practice: Are your lawyers punching below their weight?

Ed Wesemann — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 21:32:08 +0000

An increasing number of law firm leaders find themselves functioning as full-time managers. Unfortunately, in doing so, they may be getting themselves too far from the action to recognize changes in the capabilities their clients are expecting from their lawyers. Worse, managing partners may have lost an accurate assessment of their own partners’ actual capabilities. [...]

The Importance of Romance

Ed Wesemann — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 21:29:15 +0000

Customarily, law firm leaders approach merger discussions with the same detached objectivity that they bring to clients’ transactions. But when it comes to convincing their partners of the value of something that represents massive change to their everyday work style, it can’t just be about numbers and synergies. There has to be some romance. Picture [...]