2019 Regional Law Firm Management Forum: Singapore

Friday, 18 October 2019 | Mandarin Oriental, Singapore

Practising and non-practising legal professionals all have a role in a firm’s future success. The skills required to compete are more complex and diverse than ever before.

ALPMA in partnership with the Law Council of Australia was proud to bring fourth annual Regional Law Firm Management Forum to Singapore on 18 October 2019.

The role of lawyers and management are inter-twined, particularly those leading entire firms or practice groups. Law firms must now compete on many fronts. 

• No longer competing with only direct competitors – the globalisation of large law firms expanding their footprint into the Asian market, the rise of new competitors in the form of new business models, and the increasing sophistication of technology all provide new options to clients and prospects.
• Operating profitably is more complex than it has ever been – in order to compete, firms must consider project management, process improvement and offer pricing options to get the most from existing resources. Firms must also consider how they can complement their core offering with technology, flexible lawyers and of course, Allied Legal Professionals.
• Recruitment and staff retention is harder than ever – whilst there is no shortage of talent, high-performing and aspirational talent have many more options to choose from than they traditionally have. A growing number of lawyers are opting for alternative career paths including corporate counsel, becoming a contractor, starting their own firm, leaving the law to work in business or even joining a legal-tech startup.

At the 2019 Regional Law Firm Management Forum delegates walked away with: 

• Progressive ideas to implement in your firm, immediately.
• Themes that should be considered as medium-term projects by your firm’s board, practice groups and management team.
• Experiences and stories from law firm leaders and leading consultants on what has worked for their firms and clients.

A Word from Event MC, Eric Chin

1. Continued competitive pressure from incumbents
2. Buyer market now demanding price certainty, global service, and new ways for how they consume legal services
3. The rise of alternatives in the form of NewLaw firms, LegalTech firms and the re-emergence of the Big Four accounting firms.

• How to win work
  • Re-imagining the client experience
  • Pricing strategies
  • Transitioning the innovation and technology functions from internal facing to external facing functions
• How to do work
  • Re-engineering how work is done with emerging LegalTech solutions
  • Re-defining the lawyer experience
• How to make it work
  • Just-in-time strategic insights on practice group and practitioner performances
  • Collaboration at all levels and across all disciplines

In other words the BD&M, IT, Innovation, People and Finance functions will increasingly play a bigger role in future-proofing firms. Not in isolation but together to ensure the right resource for the right opportunity, underpinned by a complementary leadership mindset.

Our program on 18 October will provide unique perspective from people who work across these functions on a daily basis.  I look forward to seeing you for a highly insightful program.

Eric Chin
MC – Regional Law Firm Management Forum 2019
Principal at Alpha Creates
Founding Board at ASEAN LegalTech Association

Thank you to our partners for their support