Schedule of Selected Consulting Projects
Shareholder Agreements:
Developed a comprehensive Shareholders' Redemption Agreement and a Deferred Compensation Plan for this 14 lawyer firm. The latter incorporated features which allocated work-in-process and account receivable to each shareholder, as well as provided a practical methodology for allocating contingent fee settlements to terminated shareholders.
Automation Study:
Performed strategic automation study which culminated with the installation of a network throughout the firm, which consisted of over 100 lawyers in four offices. Project included developing specifications, preparing Request for Proposal, interviewing and selecting contractors, and assisting in the preparation of the contracts and master scheduling plan.
Compensation:
Prepared completely new partner compensation system, taking firm from an objective, formula-based system, to one with a more subjective emphasis. The project for this 18 lawyer firm included interviews with each partner, development of the compensation plan and recommendations on the decision making and evaluation process. Also completed this project for a four partner firm on West Coast.
Partners' Retreat:
Facilitated partners' retreat which included preparation and analysis of strategic planning questionnaire received from each of the firms' seven partners. Project also included a comprehensive review and analysis of the firm's financial management process and recommendations on improving this process in the next year and beyond. Computer models were provided to enable the firm to prepare its annual budget in a more sophisticated manner and to provide monthly analyses which highlights problem areas and permits corrective action to be taken.
Strategic Planning:
Assisted this two partner, four lawyer firm in developing a strategic plan to include identification of objectives, existing impediments that needed correction and recommendations on how to proceed toward meeting individual and firm goals. Included complete review and analysis of financial management process and system. Also completed this same type of project for 18 lawyer firm in Southeast. Later project involved preparation of extensive written and oral report.
Financial Analysis:
Prepared complete analysis of this 18 lawyer firm on its recently completed year-end financial results. Project included preparation of written and oral report presented at partner retreat, highlighting the effect of each of the various profitability factors on the current year's results, and the steps that needed to be taken to improve profits in the future.
Client Satisfaction Survey:
Completed client satisfaction survey for 20 lawyer firm in Southeast. Project included development of questionnaire, interviews with selected clients, summarization of results and delivery of written and oral presentation.
Executive Director Search:
Conducted search to fill position of Executive Director for 18 lawyer firm in Southeast. Project included developing appropriate advertisements, reviewing resumes from over 100 applicants, performing personal interviews and submitting list of candidates to client for final selection.
Partner Capitalization/Admission Policy:
Provided advice to this 30 lawyer southeast firm on the issues of admission of new equity partners, formalization of non-equity partner position and methodology for developing capital contributions for new and existing partners. Assignment also included advice on financial management issues and partner compensation.
Organizational Change:
Converted partnership to Limited Liability Professional Corporation. This included drafting the firm's Operating Agreement, including a change in its capitalization and compensation structure, and coordinating all of the procedures necessary to effect change to new structure as required from a legal perspective.
Firm Restructure:
Assisted 24 lawyer firm in Southeast in converting two equity partner group to multi-partner group which included revising Partnership Agreements, and Compensation Plan and providing five year pro-forma projections including recommendations on determining capital contributions for new partners. Also included guidance on proper methodology for budgeting and financial management in the future.
Part-time Administrative Management:
Perform or have performed, on an on-going basic, administrative management services for three law firms in Southeast. One is a seven lawyer personal injury firm, one a 20 lawyer general practice firm and the other, a five lawyer general practice firm. These services, which vary with the firm, include all those associated with firm management including, financial management, personnel, technology, mergers, lateral partner hiring, capitalization, compensation and other strategic issues. In addition, services include review and advice concerning shareholder agreements, employment agreements and deferred compensation plans.
Practice Area Profitability Study:
Performed complete profitability analysis of eight major practice areas of this 24 attorney firm located in the Southeast. This study was prepared in conjunction with a major strategic planning exercise in which the firm was seeking to ascertain a direction for the future both as to practice areas, geographical locations, firm size, etc. This analysis was also performed at the billing attorney level, the results of which was used to assist the primary billing attorneys to better manage their client files in a more efficient and profitable manner.
Compensation:
Completely revised compensation plan for this 10 attorney firm located in Southwest. The plan that was adopted contained a combination of subjective and objective criteria and included an incentive portion earned on a month to month basis. The incentive piece was determined from a list of criteria which included billable hours, collections at the individual attorney level and originations applied against budgets prepared from historical data.
1906 Hamilton Street, Suite C ~ Richmond, Virginia 23230