Global Client Development

All large international law firms need to work hard at developing clients which they can service across multiple jurisdictions – it makes sense for the client and it makes sense for the law firm.  Clients benefit through achieving consistent levels of advice and from cost effieciencies whilst law firm benefit from better quality work and margin growth.

So today I’ve been at the Madrid office of Bird & Bird LLP running two separate training sessions.

In the morning I worked with associates and senior associates on building an effective global network – both internally and externally – looking at how to be much more strategic in approach when considering network development.

In the afternoon I was with the Spanish partners (plus one stray Dane) and we focused on the cultural aspects of developing international client relationships with a focus on effective cross-border communication.  There was quite a lot of discussion (as there usually is) about how difficult the British are to understand as a result of their highly complex communication patterns.  This issue arises time and time again when I’m working with European lawyers and yet the British seem completely blind to the fact that they are often confusing – we Brits think we are clear as a bell!

Both sessions seemd to go well and I even had time to fit in a paella before heading home.