A private affair
Clients’ reluctance to air disagreements in public has led to a rise in more confidential methods of settlement, writes Ailsa Dixon
FT Innovative Lawyers 2009
Resources
Innovation in the face of adversity can often be a necessity, rather than a bonus. Yet the past 12 months has seen genuine attempts by the legal profession to react positively to the tough conditions created by the financial crisis. Innovation has become the key to survive and thrive in difficult times.
VIDEO
Emergency calls
The credit crisis gave rise to a historic year as the legal sector scrambled to find ways to stabilise the global financial system and save companies from crumbling, writes Reena SenGupta
Talent spotting
The winner of this year’s award for the most innovative individual is Benedikt Wolfers of Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer. Michael Skapinker explains how the decision was reached
Continental shift
Critical to firms’ innovations in the past year has been their effort to modernise, writes Yasmin Lambert
Structural support
In an extraordinary year, lawyers took a central role in drafting legislation and advising politicians, writes Bob Sherwood
Opportunity knocks
The severe problems caused by the credit crunch also gave legal innovators the chance to show their mettle, writes Sujata Das
Related content and features
DISPUTE RESOLUTION
FRAUD
On the case
Financial crime is a specialised area whose leading lawyers extend well beyond the largest firms, writes Michael Peel
FINANCIAL SERVICES
Picking up the pieces
Law firms’ work with banks has become increasingly complex in the aftermath of the credit crisis, writes Andrew Baxter
CHANGING THE RULES
New frontiers
From medical research to war crimes and the London Olympics, lawyers’ innovation has taken centre-stage, writes Megan Murphy
GENERAL COUNSEL
Beyond the law
In-house legal teams are taking on wider and ever more important company roles, writes Reena SenGupta
US FIRMS
Peak practice
As the financial crisis deepened, US lawyers worked against the clock on deals that had no modern precedent, writes Andrew Baxter
BILLING AND FEES
Time’s up
Fee arrangements that offer better value for money are replacing billing by the hour, writes Rod Newing
RESOURCING
Spreading the cost
Firms are turning to outsourcing and flexible working to boost efficiency, writes Sarah Murray
CLIENT SERVICE
Heads together
Lawyers are generating new business by creating cost-saving initiatives for clients, writes Bob Sherwood
MANAGEMENT
All change?
The changing economic climate means that law firms need to rethink their business models, but few are doing so, writes Laura Empson
