Morning Briefing: Global expansion may not be good for business says firm chair

The chairman of law firm Seyfarth Shaw says that the profession must change to suit the needs of its clients but that law firms may be missing the key point. Stephen Poor says that although clients say they are wanting to cut spending and have alternative billing arrangements, the heart of what they want it value. Writing for Bloomberg, Poor says that creating larger combinations may not be the answer and that firms will have to question whether global expansion creates the value that clients demand. He points out that while Dentons continues to expand some other Big Law firms are choosing not to, citing Foley & Lardner's recent choice not to enter into talks with Linklaters.

Aussie law firm joins with Dentons
Australian law firm Gadens is to join with global firm Dentons and Singapore's Rodyk to form what they say will be the dominant law firm in the Pacific Rim. The combination will allow the two smaller firms to serve their existing client bases across the world as part of a firm with 7,500 lawyers across 130 locations.
Gadens has 500 lawyers and a further 550 professional services staff across its offices in Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, Melbourne, Adelaide, Singapore and Port Moresby. Rodyk has been in Singapore since 1861 and has a team of around 200 lawyers.
The combined firm will operate under the global Dentons brand except in China where its Chinese name will be used. The combination is expected to take place early in 2016. Dentons says that rates for clients will not change and management at the local firms will remained in place.
 
Paul Hastings hires City of London veteran
US-based international law firm Paul Hastings has hired a respected veteran lawyer for its City of London team. David Ereira spent a quarter of a century at Freshfields before joining Linklaters in 2007. Ereira’s hire as a corporate partner follows news that Paul Severs of Berwin Leighton Paisner is joining Paul Hastings in London.