الجمعة، 10 مايو 2013

Perkins Coie's Double Identity

Perkins Coie's Double Identity

Robert Giles
Perkins Coie managing partner Robert Giles

What does it take to become a national company? Robert Giles, Assistant Administrator for a long period of Perkins and Will, nods and raises his eyebrows when discussing the subject. It responds to statements made chips that have the tone of the questions at the end of each phrase: "To be able to deal with more complex questions and the importance of ... the existence of office space in major markets across the country ... including the number of income that make partners attractive legally significant side ... bench in a mixture of practices. "While he was talking, Giles sits on a small balcony at the Baltimore Hotel in Montecito, California, where he participates new pension partner company based in Seattle.

It's a sunny afternoon in March in the southern coastal city of California. The background is filled with palm trees in the breeze and the boats cruising across the Pacific. But Giles, with hard-soled moccasins, and beige pants and blue button down shirt with a pocket full of folded paper and a couple of pens, and seems a little out of place.

The same can be said about his work. Perkins and Will has more than 800 lawyers in 16 offices of local and foreign three, as well as management technology enviable and the company's customers large public, such as Amazon.com, Intel Corp. and Boeing Co. But the legal market nationalization of all, it is not entirely clear that Perkins and Will has escaped the label As a business the Pacific Northwest. This is due to duplication of work long turn Laura Neebling, the Chairman of the Executive Committee, described as a "super-regional" in the local company, part of the increase. "There were fears of losing and us [if we have expanded," says Neebling, during an interview in the lobby of the Biltmore. Sporting jeans, sandals, and earrings, and oversized statue of birds, and matching necklace, so cut the figure of the "business leaders in the future of America," Giles look of glee club members. He adds Neebling. "It was feared that one day we may look back and I think we have given up something important" This is something important, that the Court of Appeal that the judge of the ninth circuit and Margaret former partner McCune United States describes as "magic Perkins," is the environment in which they estimated the fellowship, transparency and consensus .

But the expansion (and trying to go national) finally seemed the best course of action, and the company paid in 2002 and 2005, to the adoption of successive strategic plans for this purpose. In "either get swallowed two options for the top or to take our destiny in our hands and growth," says Seattle-based partner, Steve Koh. This is a harsh assessment seemed validated when the hometown rival Preston Gates & Ellis merged with Kirkpatrick & Lockhart in 2007.

, But in many ways still firm Perkins and Will central Seattle. In spite of the hundreds of lawyers new, especially in California, Chicago, Washington, DC (two-year-old New York office), it is still heavily dependent on customers based in the Pacific Northwest and Starbucks Coffee Company, Costco Wholesale Corp. and Puget Sound Energy Inc. (see lawyer U.S. firm Perkins and Will in Seattle because more than 45 percent of its lawyers are based on the West Coast and Seattle is the largest office in this market.) abroad came opacity of the strategic value of this growth are some of the expansion of partners fleeing from the pressure rate of other companies. While the error was overwhelming lawyers ego deflating quantifiable often hear the commandment of Seattle is always pronounced "ku". The correct pronunciation is "Koo-E".

Which is not subject to any ambiguity acceleration growth census Perkins and a testament to a large extent out of the Pacific Northwest. The company has grown from 527 lawyers in 2002-823 companies in 2012. Its workforce by 2012, an increase of 10 percent compared to 2011, the year in which the average number of Am Law 100 essentially flat head. (During the past few years were not only a history of legal additives. During 2005, the company closed an office in Hong Kong. In 2009 during the economic downturn, it has developed, the company off 12 associates and 26 staff members.)

Perkins and Will performance of key financial indicators have also improved as the company grew. In 2011, and increased its workforce helped push total revenues amounted to 14.8 percent compared to the previous year, to $ 547.5 million. And, with profits per partner to 1.03 million, breaking the barrier of PPP million for the first time. In 2012, increased the gross income of Perkins and Will at 11 percent compared to 2011, reaching a record level of 608 million dollars, while the PPP increased 1 percent and revenue per lawyer only 0 and 7 percent after it took 32 partners profile. Decline: since 2007, the company opened five new offices and increased its workforce by 30 percent. RPL has increased an average of 3.4 percent per year ($ 740,000 in 2012), while the PPP increased on average by 6.2 percent per year (1.02 million in 2012). These averages show that the company can hold its own against the law, pp. 100, including during the recession and recovery. Since 2007, p 100 law RPL increase at an annual rate of 0.4 percent and PPP rate of 2.2 percent.

Seven digits of the benefits of Perkins and Will and current perch as the largest law firm in the state of Washington (there are more than 250 attorneys in Seattle and Bellevue offices) a far cry from its beginnings in 1912 as a process two men Donworth and Todd. Four years later, the company landed a major customer relationship remains when built what would become Boeing. In recent decades, there have been technology companies as the engine is important for the economy of Seattle, and includes a list of client companies video game like Nintendo of America Inc., and software companies such as Aldous (which I got at a later time by Adobe Systems), and ultimately, Internet companies like Amazon and RealNetworks Inc. (both public and Perkins 1997). "We rely heavily on technology and start," says David Burman, a Seattle-based company a 33-year veteran, has served on the Executive Committee to whom Perkins and Will and management committees. Directed by McKeown, his first partner women, Perkins strengthened its position as a company focused on the technology industry (and its relations with customers Technology) diving in the area so it does not bud of computing, software and intellectual property disputes related to the Internet. "We wanted specifically to complement the company's global technology practical business side," says McKeown, who was a partner in 1981.

But relations with customers the most interesting was with Microsoft Corporation. For years, Perkins avoid looking for a job now, because of the close relationship with the software giant Seattle-based rival Preston Gates Foundation (William Gates Sr. Associate company name is the common father - Microsoft founder and President a long time ago). "It is believed that the company that it will not get a large part of this work," Giles said, "so it makes sense to be available to oppose Microsoft." But Perkins command did not expect any major conflict of Microsoft, and that's when the company came calling in 2003 with a few things at work, and the company accepted this position. In the following year, Perkins has earned a place in the commandment program provider favorite of Microsoft today 'Today has been involved senior adviser outside the software giant in a variety of areas. Perkins and Will in licensing agreements, one with Nokia and acquisitions, such as Microsoft's $ 1.2 billion to buy social networking company Yammer Inc. in 2012. It is his office in Los Angeles, the firm handles matters of the American tradition. "Perkins is definitely among the top three or four companies outside lawyers," said Microsoft General Counsel Brad Smith, Microsoft depends on. "These relate largely to a wide range of things that we do throughout the company, including the development of new products and services, and to meet regulatory requirements, and address issues of compliance and patent litigation litigation," even before the implementation of its strategic plan in 2002, Perkins and Will has shown and a willingness to enter into new markets, but without breaking its ties to his hometown. During the late 1990s, the company was before the established sites, some as a result of the acquisition of small local businesses, and Denver, Boise, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Washington, DC, and Silicon Valley. However, the vast majority of lawyers based in the Pacific Northwest Bank (including an office in Portland, Oregon, dating back to 1983.) In addition, it can be described as some of the movements for the development of key business most appropriate retro, limited, or both. For years, Washington, DC, office of the company in the first place to serve customers based in Seattle. And Perkins and Will opened an office in Chicago in 2002, the same year in which it adopted the first strategic plan targeted guidance and motivated by Boeing's decision to move its head.

Was launched the largest expansion of Perkins and Will, a combination 70 2004 MP Brown & Bain, by a company based in Phoenix. The Brown & Payne gained a national reputation for dealing with the issues of antitrust and intellectual property high-risk at the beginning of IBM, Apple, and later, Intel Corporation, and went looking for a merger partner. Conducted Hildebrandt, legal advice, industry, and research on the name of Brown & Bain, which led to several potential merger partners. Perkins and Will met all eight criteria that Brown and described as priorities, including the exercise of strong patent prosecution and Silicon Valley presence. , "Said some of our partners to me that they did not know the Phoenix office was part of our strategic plan," said Giles of the merger. "It was not, but it was the growth of our practice IP, and has doubled the number of our IP attorneys immediately."

 

In the years that followed a combination of Brown & Bain, Perkins and Will became more attached to the idea of ​​becoming a national company. According Neebling, the Strategic Plan for 2005, much more than its predecessor in 2002, "Perkins was pushing the envelope to become a national company in every sense of the word." He was one of the key elements of this strategy over the company's presence in key legal markets, which has offices, such as the Washington, DC, Chicago, and San Francisco. To explain the plan, said Robert Bauer, who founded the 28 lawyer Washington, DC policy group at the moment,: "We had an appetite with lawyers to work at the highest level, and such work] to be so much more probable and possible if the company built national identity. " Repeating litigation President Joseph corn this point: "The big companies will allow you to achieve financial success and enthusiasm lawyers to come to work."

In recent years, and included cases "erotic" which represents Craigslist company in the field of corporate governance and competition cases against eBay Inc. and managers outside the former Washington Mutual Inc. in Securities Litigation class action, Zillow company in the initial public offering, and two acquisitions Intel portfolio patents invention, valued at approximately $ 500 million. Received the national identity of the company also has a strong boost in 2008 when he was elected one of his clients, Barack Obama, President of the United States. Perkins dealt commandment financial information from President Obama, and in 2011 he was a partner in the Washington, DC, Judith Corley, who traveled to Hawaii to pick up a copy of the book "long form" birth certificate. (From November 2009 he returned to the company in June 2011, Bauer has served as a consultant to the White House.)

, Washington, DC, office, which was established in 1979, and the key to the recent growth of the company. Office is now home to more than 80 lawyers, and partly due to the additions IP group Proskauer Rose partners of Dickstein Shapiro coverage insurance and Howrey, and government contracts lawyers. In recent years, Perkins has added to the Chicago office with microphones in a variety of practices, including real estate, private equity, corporate, IP, and litigation. In San Francisco and Silicon Valley, and included additions in recent years, IP litigation, and the use of land, labor and employment, environmental, energy, and emerging business partners. Perkins and testament not only to grow in major legal markets. In 2008, the company has added 13 lawyers, and lawyers, most of which consists IP Office Madison, Wisconsin, sought Heller Ehrman strongly. Giles was in Chicago when I learned that the Madison station would be receptive to join Perkins and Will, when he went to Wisconsin, and has taken a step of three hours for the whole office. And March 2011, ending more than a decade of debate on and off, the company opened an office in New York bankruptcy partner with Arent Fox Schuyler Carroll. In 2012 Perkins added three lawyers commandment IP and business lawyer at Chadbourne & Park office.

Perkins explain the appeal of the commandment of the candidates, farm leaders refers to the high morale and commitment to the integration. Part stems from the teamwork of emphasis by the company in a collective work environment. Fortune magazine, who admitted Perkins and guardian of the "100 Best Companies to Work for" list has proven the past 11 years the use of company aircraft "happiness committees." Yale Law Women has chosen the company as a top ten family friendly company in 2012 on the basis of family-friendly policies. According to the partners, and is based on the morale of the company also has all hands on deck approach to the management of the company. And headed by the vast majority of national practice groups 10 by Perkins and Will side additions, and more than half of the partners applaud the Executive Committee from outside Seattle. While known as the Executive Committee of the company's policy, in power is very diffuse, with a long list of committees of the company. "We are proud that we have a culture of acceptance," says Neebling, "a transparent culture, a culture that tolerates diversity of opinions."

More specifically, it also shed light on the business in improving the financial performance of Perkins and Will. (Added bonus is the absence of the company's debt and prudent financial management). "We know that we have to get our numbers up income," Giles said, referring to the thinking in the company as part of the preparations for the 2005 strategic plan. In 2005, Perkins was the commandment of RPL 575,000 $ PPP him was $ 610,000, which ranked 81 and 85, respectively, of the 100 companies with the highest law of the United States, by the American Ranked attorney. For fiscal year 2012 company ranked RPL is 66 and ranked PPP is 67.

Several years ago, Giles said, "We had difficulty getting the partners are interested in talking to us because we were not going to compete with offers from other companies that are considering." Itself has become the first business success side part of the solution to this problem, because the proportion of lawyers in the high billing rates cities like Chicago, Silicon Valley and Washington, DC, has increased, benefits and recognition of steadily improving, says Giles.

The structure of compensation from Perkins and Will also attractive to many ramifications. There are two main aspects: the bonus pool in recent years, more than a third of net income and business partnership on four levels. The views of the Office of premiums, which are set by the Remuneration Committee of 18 members and ranged between 2.500 million and $ 2.7, as a great equalizer. Relatively large bonus pool provides Perkins and Will with the flexibility needed to make the partners in a timely and appropriate for their contributions, says Giles. The ratio between the highest paid and the financial partner partner with the exception of low-paid shares can reach evening 11:01.

Partnership structure is set at several levels of Perkins will also be flexible. Partners in the lower level categories either have 100 percent or 80 percent of their compensation guaranteed. Partners at the highest levels are something of their compensation guaranteed. Since 2005, the increase in shareholders' equity class a little less than 9 percent, to 165, while during the same period, the level of stocks with the exception of about 73 percent, to 240. The practical result is that currently 59 per cent of the 405 partners fall into the classification of shares excluded from the U.S. Attorney for the year 2012. Somewhat complex structure Perkins and Will partnership also allows partners to provide the Board of Directors in practices that faced pricing pressures, such as labor, employment and land use. , "Has made some companies made a conscious decision to get out of some practices, but we want to be able to provide a full range of services," said Giles, who put an end to what will be for 28 years and managing partner when his current term of four years at the end of 2014.

A decade later, the geographical expansion in the first place and practice, and I can honestly say the commandment Perkins that it stacks well when measured by these standards four chips Giles mentioned on the terrace in Montecito. Company, and there is less than a decade seen in the first place in the world from its offices in Seattle, a place to get lost now sees the value of a broader perspective.

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