Growing expectations for practice group performance and profitability have driven the need for Executive Directors, Chief Operating Officers and Chief Financial Officers to understand what it takes to have the most successful practice groups possible in their firms.

This three-hour, in-depth workshop will show COO's, CFO's and Executive Directors how to make their practice groups as effective and profitable as possible. The program will focus on the highest value functions for practice group leaders, practice management professionals and the financial and other staff who contribute to the success of practice groups.

Many law firms have developed sophisticated models for evaluating the profitability of legal work, with the goal of leveraging the profitability information to build and sustain profitable practices and client relationships. They have also developed systems for managing workload, associate development, development of specialized expertise and more. However, the challenges associated with using profitability metrics and other systems have caused some firms to give up or to move very slowly in implementing these systems. For example, worries over the potentially divisive nature of the information and simply the lack of connection and integration between the profitability analysts and the practices present real roadblocks to maximum, effective use of the profitability information.

Attendees will learn:

Opening Remarks

Given the dramatic changes in the economy and the continued turbulence in the markets, how will firms likely end the year? What will 2009 look like? Joined by a seasoned panel of law firm leaders, Brad Hildebrandt and Dan DiPietro, both veteran observers of the legal market, will provide their overview of the financial health of the law firm market.

• How does current performance stack up against performance in prior years?
• How are firms managing expenses?
• How are firms handling the mounting pressures on profitability?
• What is the economy’s likely impact on different practice areas?
  
  

Speakers:
P. Douglas Benson, Chief Operating Officer, Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP
Bradford W. Hildebrandt, Chairman/Founder, Hildebrandt International
Danilo (Dan) DiPietro, Client Head, Managing Director, Citi Private Bank, Law Firm Group
Pamela L. Bernstein, Executive Director, Miller & Chevalier LLP
Preston McKenzie, Vice President, Business of Law, Thomson Reuters

Break and Lunch

Break

How are law firm leaders practically adapting to the changing economic and political landscapes?

Moderator:
Aniello (Neil) Bianco, Vice President, Hildebrandt International

Speaker:
Ralph Baxter, Chairman and CEO, Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP
Francis Milone, Chairman and CEO, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP

Break

Transforming Where and How We Work

Law firms are undergoing a workforce-and workplace-transformation. How well they manage this transformation will impact the law firm's performance and the productivity, engagement and retention of the firm's attorneys and staff for years to come. Hear how leading firms are

• Enhancing revenue through alternative staffing models
• Managing remote attorneys and staff to increase their engagement and retention
• Optimizing law firm space to allow for greater collaboration and teamwork
• Innovating with technology to allow for greater productivity
• Compensating and staffing jobs more efficiently and effectively that both improve client service and enhance revenue

Moderator:

Grace McLaughlin, Director of Operations, Clifford Chance US LLP

Speakers:

Peter Lesser, Director of Global Technology, Skadden, Arps, Meagher, Slate & Flom LLP
Mark Hanson, Chief Administrative Officer, Vinson & Elkins LLP
Stanley Kolodziejczak, Co-Chair, Law Firm Services, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP

Rethinking Associate Compensation Approaches in a Rapidly Changing Environment

Changing law firm economics are pressuring firms to rethink the way they compensate associates to maximize profitability, productivity and retention rates while receiving the highest return on associate compensation dollars. These goals are increasingly at odds with the traditional lockstep compensation system used for associates, which leads firms to explore merit-based compensation systems. This panel will explore case studies from several law firms.

Moderator: 
Michael Short, Vice President, Hildebrandt International

Speakers:
Eileen C. Billinson, Chief Associate Career Management Officer, Howrey LLP
Rochelle Karr, Director of Attorney, Professional Development and Alumni Relations, O’Melveny & Myers LLP

Cocktail Reception

Continental Breakfast

Supporting the Practice of Law: Leveraging Technology and Personnel to Enhance Revenue and Control Cost
This panel will address the many ways that leading firms are optimizing their technology and personnel to enhance their firm's financial performance.

• Leverage technology to help practice leaders generate revenue, control costs and attract and maintain clients
• Manage the practice and litigation support functions as revenue generating functions
• Make up for underused capacity
• Determine the role of the legal assistants and staff attorneys in supporting the practice specific services model
• Market non-attorney and staff attorney services to external clients
• Decide what kind of information firms should provide to practice group leaders
  

Moderator:
Eric J. Sekler, Executive Director, Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP
Speakers:
George Rudoy, Director of Global Practice Technology and Information Services, Shearman & Sterling LLP
Steven Shankroff, Legal Technology Global Operations Manager, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP

Break

What Keeps You Up at Night?

In Part 1 of this session, attendees will break into smaller groups to discuss their most pressing issues and questions on their minds. Reconvening in a general session in Part 2, expert panelists will then attempt to answer the questions, so that no major question should go unaddressed.

Breakouts:  Developing the Questions:

In this session, attendees will discuss their most pressing issues and brainstorm the top questions that keep them up at night.

Reconvene

General Session:  Panel Discussion Answering Your Most Pressing Questions:
Your top questions will be addressed by a group of leading CFOs, Executive Directors and COOs in a lively Q&A.

Moderator
Bradford W. Hildebrandt, Chairman/Founder, Hildebrandt International

Panelists:
Danilo (Dan) DiPietro, Client Head, Managing Director, Citi Private Bank, Law Firm Group
Robert Howard, Chief Financial Officer, Sullivan & Cromwell LLP
Noah Puntus, Chief Financial Officer, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP
Eric J. Sekler, Executive Director, Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP