A Senior Commercial Disputes Partner who led the London office of a national firm sought Ortus Group’s help understand the portion of the legal market relevant to him, his clients and his situation.
The Mission & Challenge
Understanding the key issues causing disquiet as well as exploring potential solutions was essential prior to engaging anyone externally, Ortus Group worked with this person to develop a strategy for research and delivery.
Ortus Group was subsequently tasked with engaging confidentially with persons of suitable authority to explore possibilities that could be articulated back to the partner utilising the team’s expertise. This feedback led to the subsequent strategy of which firms to make introductions to and how business plans would need to be developed for differing scenarios that appeared to fit the brief.
Identifying a suitable firm that was ready to invest
As a senior lawyer with many years of experience working in high-value commercial disputes, this partner was also responsible for managing an office of over sixty fee-earners and a budget of tens of millions of pounds.
Given this seniority , Ortus Group had to find a firm willing to invest in a partner of this calibre, with reasonable expectations ontimes scales for delivery of their client following.
How Ortus Group Approached this Successfully
It is well known that the London legal market, in particular, can be a minefield for an individual partner acting without a well connected and informed agent or advisor. Relying on one’s own contacts severely limits the opportunity universe which risks underwhelming results for themselves, their clients and practice. People tend to have their best contacts in firms that are most like their current one so change can be superficial without exploring ideas outside of the known.
By using industry knowledge and a strong network, Ortus Group was able to identify suitable target firms that would offer alternative platforms and professional development opportunities sought. Today, this partner is leading the dispute resolution practice of a London firm with a very different but altogether, more satisfying remit. clients have embraced this change which in turn, has increased the value of this person, and their legacy.
Individual partners acting without an agent often find themselves joining firms that do not quite hit the mark for their practice. Ortus Group uses industry knowledge and thorough research to identify unmapped opportunities.
The End Result
The Senior Commercial Disputes Partner successfully joined a long-established law firm in Central London. The firm was reputed for providing high quality, individually tailored legal advice with a cross-border aspect to a portfolio of domestic and international clients. Their client base included high net-worth individuals and families, commercial businesses and entrepreneurs which allowed the partner to attract and generate more work for the firm.