Michael Trotter Talks to Lawyers Weekly about Why Big-Firm Economics Go Wrong

This article discusses the implosion of Dewey & LeBoeuf LLP and Trotter’s books “Profit and the Practice of Law” and “Declining Prospects,” in which he chronicles the law firm profession changes since 1960 and make some predictions about its future.

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Member Michael Trotter and Author of New Book, “Declining Prospects,” Quoted in Bloomberg BusinessWeek

The Bloomberg BusinessWeek article discusses the turmoil surrounding Dewey & LeBoeuf LLP. Trotter notes, “If their collective top line had increased at the rate of inflation, it would have been the equivalent of $6.9 billion in 2010.” As noted in the article, in Trotter’s book, “Declining Prospects,” he “quotes Robin Sangston, now the general counsel of Cox Communications Inc., on what happened when one specialty partnership merged into a mega-firm: ‘Their rates went up, their hourly requirements went up, and I started getting marketed’ to buy unwanted additional services.”

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Member Michael Trotter and Author of New Book, “Declining Prospects,” Interviewed by Tom Ashbrook, host of NPR’s “On Point,” along with two others

Tom Ashbrook, host of NPR’s show “On Point,” interviews Trotter, author of “Profit and the Practice of Law: What’s Happened to the Legal Profession,” along with Jennifer Smith, legal affairs reporter for the Wall Street Journal and Bill Henderson, professor of Law and Val Nolan Faculty Fellow at Indiana University. They discuss “the business of law, in trouble.”

Click here to listen to the podcast online.

Member Michael Trotter and Author of New Book, “Declining Prospects,” Quoted in Fulton County Daily Report’s ATLaw Blog

The blog post recaps Trotter’s interview with the New York Times. The post states: “He told the Times that the future offers less work for more lawyers, lower compensation and longer hours.” Also recapping Trotter’s new book, “Declining Prospects,” the post says the book “makes the case that the legal profession is reeling from a painful reshaping brought about by changing market forces.”

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Taylor English Attorney Recipient of Louisiana Diversity Council’s 2012 Multicultural Leadership Award

ATLANTA, April 2, 2012 – The Atlanta office of Taylor English Duma LLP is pleased to announce attorney Lacrecia G. Cade as the recipient of the Louisiana Diversity Council’s 2012 Multicultural Leadership Award. On Friday, March 23, at the First Annual Louisiana Diversity & Leadership Conference, Cade was awarded and recognized for her tireless efforts and achievements as the founding president of the Louisiana Association of Black Women Attorneys.

“Lacrecia is an excellent role model not only in our office, but in the community as a whole. We are so proud to have her on the Taylor English team,” stated Ilene W. Berman, Chair of Taylor English’s Employment, Labor & Immigration Group.

The Louisiana Diversity Council (LADC) is a non-profit organization that champions diversity and inclusion throughout Louisiana’s academia, businesses, and communities. The LADC creates a platform for discourse and collaboration around common inclusion issues and provides education, development, and community building opportunities for all. It can be found online at: http://www.ladiversitycouncil.org. Information on the First Annual Louisiana Diversity & Leadership Conference can be found online at: http://www.nationaldiversityconference.com/conferences/Louisiana/founder.php.

Sixteen Taylor English Duma LLP Attorneys Named Georgia Super Lawyers

Atlanta (February 24, 2012) – Taylor English Duma LLP is pleased to announce sixteen attorneys were recognized as Georgia Super Lawyers: nine as Super Lawyers and seven as Rising Stars. The Super Lawyers will be listed in the March 2012 edition of Atlanta magazine and Georgia Super Lawyers.
The named attorneys and their designated areas of specialty are:

Georgia Super Lawyers
William A. Clineburg, Jr.
Business Litigation
Foy R. Devine
Personal Injury: Products Liability
Randy C. Gepp
Employment Litigation: Defense
John D. Hopkins
Mergers & Acquisitions
Jeffrey R. Kuester
Intellectual Property
William G. Leonard
Business Litigation
Henry M. Quillian, III
Construction/Surety
Michael (Mickey) E. Ross
Ross Business Litigation
Marc A. Taylor
Employment & Labor

Georgia Rising Stars
Eric S. Fisher
Business Litigation
Marc Douglas Glenn
Glenn Real Estate
Shay Zeemer Hable
Employment & Labor
Matthew R. Rosenkoff
Business Litigation
Joseph C. Sullivan
Business Litigation
Samantha L. Tzoberi
Bankruptcy & Creditor/Debtor Rights
Samuel B. Zeigler
Bankruptcy & Creditor/Debtor Rights

The Super Lawyers selection process is multi-phased and includes independent research, peer nominations and peer evaluations. Super Lawyers is a rating service of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high-degree of peer recognition and professional achievement in their field.
Only 5 percent of the lawyers in the state are named Super Lawyers and 2.5 percent in the state are named as Rising Stars. Those named as a Rising Star must be under 40 years of age, or have been practicing law for 10 years or less.

Taylor English Expands International Reach As Member Of Alliott Group

Atlanta- February 16, 2012- After a rigorous screening process, Atlanta law firm Taylor English Duma LLP has been selected as the only Georgia firm to be admitted to the prestigious Alliott Group, an international alliance of independent accounting, law and consulting firms. Taylor English’s affiliation with the group will enable the firm to significantly expand its geographic scope both in the United States and throughout the world.

Alliott Group was founded in 1979 as an organization for like-minded professionals to build alliances and network with firms worldwide to expand their scope of service. The group strives to create a culture of collaboration and a network for referrals to enable smaller firms to offer the resources of a larger firm while sustaining their independence and flexibility. The group is made up of over 170 member firms from nearly 60 countries, with representation in every continent.

Before being admitted, each firm must undergo a thorough screening process, and once accepted the member firm is re-evaluated throughout its membership to ensure that it maintains operation standards and meets Alliott Group criteria. As a result of this extensive application process and on-going assessment, Alliott Group members are recognized as among the most respected and forward-thinking firms in their countries. “We are delighted that Taylor English has become a member of the Alliott Group,” said James Hickey, Worldwide Executive Director of Alliott Group. “The profile of our members are firms that are owned or managed by people who have come from big firm backgrounds who provide a client-focused service and are trusted business advisors of their clients. Taylor English will play a pivotal role in helping us develop our presence in North America. More importantly, through their membership, the firm will be better placed to support the business interests of their clients on a national and international level.”

Taylor English founding partner Joseph M. English says of the firm’s new affiliation, “We are honored to be a member of such an original and renowned organization. We recognize that our clients increasingly have business and legal needs that reflect the global economic realities of today and tomorrow, and we have responded. We look forward to providing greater value by expanding our global footprint, while continuing to forge the close partnerships that have made our firm so unique.”

Taylor English Duma LLP Named a Winner in 2012 Client Advisor Awards

Taylor English Duma LLP announced that it has been recognized as a winner for the 2012 Client Advisor Awards (Midsize Firm) during a ceremony on January 31, 2012.

The Client Advisor Awards is the country’s only award program honoring the economic impact of Professional Services Firms, advisor professionalism and ‘clients of choice’. Established in 2005, the program sets the standard for best practice behavior and results in the relationships between professional services firms and their clients.

Taylor English was recognized for its recent work with Undoda, the Atlanta-based company that developed an app, compatible on iPads, iPhones and iPods, for helping dyslexics learn to read. Andrew Dietz, principal at Creative Growth Group, founders of the awards program, said, “We were extremely impressed with the sensitivity Taylor English showed to its client who was relatively new to entrepreneurship. As a firm, they really dedicated themselves to a successful outcome.”

“Taylor English is honored to be recognized as a winner in the 2012 Client Advisor Awards (Midsize Firm) for our work with Undoda,” said Marc Taylor. “Our team appreciates the recognition of Jonathan Wilson’s efforts, who worked on a collaborative basis with the team of Undoda, to achieve a positive result. Wilson used a successful, innovative approach to growing the client-advisor relationship which went beyond fees. Wilson’s efforts helped Undoda complete a transaction with the software developers who were engaged by Undoda to develop the app, compensating the software developers with an ownership stake in Undoda itself while also requiring the software developers to hit specific milestones and deadlines in the application development process.” Undoda was also nominated as a Client of Choice Finalist in the Small Organization Category.

Award recipients were announced during the 2012 Client Advisor Awards dinner on January 31, 2012 at the Cherokee Town Club in Atlanta, GA, featuring a keynote presentation on innovation and creativity in professional services by Todd Henry, author of “The Accidental Creative: How To Be Brilliant At A Moment’s Notice.”

ABOUT CLIENT ADVISOR AWARDS and CREATIVE GROWTH GROUP, INC.

Since 2005, Creative Growth Group, Inc. has held the annual Client Advisor Awards(www.clientadvisorawards.com). 2012 sponsors include Bloomberg Businessweek, Deltek and BCHORD. Look for additional press coverage of the Client Advisor Awards in the May 14, 2012 edition of Bloomberg Businessweek “Clients & Advisors” special section focused on the professional services industry. Based in Atlanta, GA, Creative Growth Group, Inc. (www.creativegrowthgroup.com) is a marketing and business development agency which exclusively helps professional services firms to grow client relationships and revenue. For more information, contact Andrew Dietz at 404-664-7484 or andrew@creativegrowthgroup.com.

Taylor English Named As Finalist For 2012 Client Advisor Awards

Atlanta– December 15, 2011 Atlanta law firm Taylor English Duma LLP has been named as a finalist in the 2012 Client Advisor Awards. The Client Advisor Awards is the country’s only award program honoring the economic impact of Professional Services Firms, advisor professionalism and ‘clients of choice’. The program, which was established in 2005, sets the standard for best practice behavior and results in the relationships between professional services firms and their clients.

Taylor English is nominated for its representation of entrepreneur Bill Allen and his Undoda app, a revolutionary program designed to help students with dyslexia improve reading skills through three-dimensional learning. The Taylor English legal team led by attorney Jonathan B. Wilson, assisted Allen in structuring the transaction with the developers that made the final product possible.

“We’re extremely grateful to be nominated for the Client Advisor Award,” Mr. Wilson says. “It has been a privilege to work so closely with the Undoda team and to contribute in some small way to their success. We hope that any attention we get from the nomination will introduce more people to the Undoda app so that it continues to make a positive difference in the lives of children.”

Each year the Client Advisor Awards evaluates numerous nominations for each category, and three finalists are selected per category. Each finalist is then interviewed individually and evaluated on the basis of creativity, teamwork and client value. Once completed, a small, confidential panel of judges convenes to determine the winner.

Award recipients will be unveiled during the 2012 Client Advisor Awards dinner on January 31, 2012 at the Cherokee Town Club in Atlanta, GA, featuring a keynote presentation on innovation and creativity in professional services by Todd Henry, author of The Accidental Creative:  How to Be Brilliant at a Moment’s Notice.

Ten Taylor English Attorneys Recognized As State’s “Legal Elite”

Atlanta– December 15, 2011 – Georgia Trend magazine named 10 attorneys from Taylor English Duma LLP to its ninth annual listing of the state’s “Legal Elite.” The magazine recognized attorneys from five separate practice areas as among the best in the state, based on votes cast solely by practicing attorneys in Georgia.

“The Taylor English model remains quite simple: attract the area’s best attorneys, give them the flexibility to be efficient about how they structure engagements, and ask everyone to be laser focused on driving client results,” said Al B. Hill, managing partner of Taylor English. “Our growth, combined with the entrepreneurial spirit that we’ve maintained, is a testament to the outstanding group of attorneys that make up the firm. We applaud the 10 Taylor English attorneys recognized to this year’s Legal Elite, as well as our peers from other Atlanta firms that were part of this prestigious group.”

In addition to the recognition by Georgia Trend magazine, the firm was also recognized by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution as one of the Top Work Places for 2011 and by the Atlanta Business Chronicle as one of the Best Places To Work. The firm was also recognized in 2010 by Atlanta Business Chronicle as the fastest-growing law firm in Atlanta.

Taylor English members of the 2011 Legal Elite ranking include:

Ilene W. Berman – Employment, Labor, and Immigration

Scott G. Blews – Employment, Labor, and Immigration

Foy R. Devine – Litigation & Dispute Resolution

Paul G. Durdaller – Creditors’ Rights and Bankruptcy

Joe M. English – Employment, Labor, and Immigration

Randy C. Gepp – Employment, Labor, and Immigration

Aaron J. Kowan – Taxation

John K. Rezac – Creditors’ Rights and Bankruptcy

Marc A. Taylor – Employment, Labor, and Immigration

Jonathan B. Wilson – Corporate & Business Law