"Through the coordination of PBLI
firms, the client can also be sure that
if any firm it selects might not be the
most appropriate to meet its needs, the
law firm of original contact can help
that client find the right firm through
its network partnership. The combined
expertise and resources of the PBLI
group is never more than a phone call
away should it be needed," Bivins said.
According to Bob Weiss, president
and CEO of legal consulting firm
Alyn-Weiss & Associates in Denver,
Colorado, networks such as Primerus
offer smaller firms a competitive edge in
this global marketplace. A smaller firm
offers attributes that can help companies
during times of growth, Weiss added.
"Sensitivities and efficiencies, many of
them intangible, are only found in a small
firm and they contribute to a client's
growth," he said. "That same small firm
sensitivity is what clients need when they
have problems in emerging foreign states
and markets. That's why a network of
independent local and regional law firms
makes business sense."
James Wilber said that in order for a
network such as Primerus to effectively
help corporations with their global needs
and compete with the larger law firms,
it must do three things: ensure that you
are indeed delivering services more
cost effectively than larger law firms,
maintain control of the quality of all
member firms and then get the message
out that you're doing the first two things.
Law firms can help inside counsel
by being open to creative solutions to
their problems, he said. In most cases,
the best strategy for corporate legal
departments includes a mix of inside
and outside lawyers, so firms can help
companies figure out inside staffing in
other parts of the world.
"There are all kinds of possibilities
for how to do that," Wilber said. "Any
client's need for legal work is going to
change over the years based on a number
of factors. Their mix of inside and
outside legal work changes as well. By
the short term view might be that we're
helping them not need us. But in the
future, the mix may change."
By partnering with them now, you're
likely to be establishing a long-term
relationship, he said. "What still, more
than anything, defines the potential for
future work is the relationship between
the lawyer and the client managing the
case. Being seen and believed to be
the trusted advisor is what every lawyer
needs to do. Relationship is everything."
as Primerus also can help corporations
understand the legal environment in
other parts of the world. "The role of a
lawyer in Japan is very different from
the role of a lawyer in Western Europe.
If somebody can help translate those
substantive and cultural differences, that
would be a great benefit."
LiPu Lee, partner at Primerus
member firm Formosan Brothers in
Taipei, Taiwan, said his law firm has seen
more and more demand for international
legal services. Because Taiwan is a small
island, its economy depends heavily on
international trade, and following the
trend of globalization, more Taiwanese
have cross-border investments and
transactions, Lee said.
"We have observed that in recent
years, more and more domestic clients
encounter offshore legal disputes,
including but not limited to the issues
of fair trade, IP infringement, security
law compliance, investment protection,
insolvency, default payment, etc.," he
said. For instance, recent mergers and
acquisition cases usually include various
entities throughout the Asia/Pacific
region or even other continents. "These
kinds of cases were hardly found 10 or
20 years ago in Taiwan," Lee said.
To adjust to this trend, Formosan
Brothers has hired more English-
speaking associates with foreign law
degrees. The firm also joined Primerus
in May to better serve its clients. "Given
that we are entirely based in Taiwan,
foreign law firms in order to provide one-
step service to our clients."
Since May, the firm has worked with
fellow Primerus firms in France and
New Jersey and is discussing several
cases with firms in Germany, the Cayman
Islands, Ohio and India.
"We have found that Primerus law
firms are able to provide prompt and
competent services to meet our clients'
needs with reasonable charges," Lee
said. "It saves us much time that we
don't have to research and find quality
law firms in jurisdictions where we didn't
have a connection before. Our clients are
impressed that we can always suggest
cooperative firms in foreign jurisdictions
in a prompt manner."
Globalization also is pointing out
the limits of what are, in some cases,
antiquated legal regulation structures,
according to a November 2011 article
in the American Bar Association (ABA)
journal titled, "Despite Globalization,
Lawyers Find New Barriers to Practicing
Law Abroad." According to the article,
the ABA's Commission on Ethics 20/20
is studying the impact of technology
and globalization on professional
conduct rules for lawyers in the United
States. The commission plans to submit
proposed revisions to the ABA Model
Rules of Professional Conduct in August
2012. Many other countries also are
reexamining their policies governing
foreign lawyers.
Primerus President and Founder
John C. Buchanan said Primerus offers
the perfect solution to many of these
regulatory concerns because its firms
around the world are local firms that
can practice in local jurisdictions. "We
now have a society of more than 190 law
firms in 33 countries around the world,"
he said. "These are local firms who are
best equipped to handle matters within
their own jurisdictions, and they're
committed to doing it for reasonable fees.
Primerus represents an ideal solution
for middle market companies in a global
marketplace."