FSU College of Law Research Center Blog

Organizational Structure of Large Law Firms

The Law Blog at the Wall Street Journal, which is viewable without a subscription although its links are not, posted an interview on December 7 with James B. Rebitzer and Lowell J. Taylor, authors of "When Knowledge Is an Asset: Explaining the Organizational Structure of Large Law Firms," an Institute for the Study of Labor Discussion paper available from SSRN.  The authors argue that the knowledge a large law firm has through its employees, “particularly knowledge of the needs and interests of clients,” is its most valuable asset and that a large law firm’s “two most distinctive organization features...the use of ‘up or out’ promotion contests and the practice of having winners become residual claimants in the firm, emerge naturally in this setting.”

Another recent tidbit on the WSJ Law Blog: J.W. Heisman (of the Heisman Trophy) obtained a law degree ( L.L.B., U. Pa. Law School, 1892) before beginning his coaching career at Oberlin College.

Posted by Mary McCormick

DuPont Legal Model

In the early 1990s, the legal department at DuPont launched an initiative to reduce the number of external law firms employed, streamline the management of more than 4,000 legal cases, and meet global litigation challenges. The DuPont experience can teach not only how to manage complex litigation in a global environment but also how to make knowledge management programs succeed in any professional services company. Using electronic document retrieval, knowledge stewards, collaboration, culture change, and leveraging expert know-how, it is possible to realize significant cost savings and to promote revenue generation. See an introduction to the Model and citations to books to guide your organization through the process here.

Posted by Trisha Simonds