Bruce MacEwen, president of Adam Smith, Esq. and Janet Stanton, a partner at the New York-based legal consultancy attended the 23rd annual Thomson Reuters Marketing Partner Forum in Orlando on 21 January. MacEwen chaired and Stanton was on the panel for a session called ‘Invasive Maneuvers: Emerging Markets, Client Demand & the Rise of the Big 4 in Legal Services.’
The agenda? “If the recent formation of the ABA Commission on the Future of Legal Services is any indication, the United States legal system is very much aware of the long term ramifications of the UK Legal Services Act of 2007 on non-US legal engagements. For corporate clients interested in streamlining their legal fees and working with fewer partners, the Big 4’s newly-accredited legal services have acted as de facto siren’s calls away from the dreaded billable hour. This conversation examines the long-term impact of the Big 4 on process-oriented work in the legal market and considers how these firms are bolstering their proximity to a larger slice of the proverbial pie.”
Discuss.
Whither the Big 4?