1. Law Firms’ Value Proposition
LAZ AGM Conference
5 May 2017

2. ‘MAGIC CIRCLE’ ENTRIES INTO AFRICA
1995 : White & Case
2000 : Dewey & LeBoeuf (now defunct)
2014 : Allen & Overy, Clyde & Co, Dentons
2016 : Herbert Smith Freehills, DLA Piper
2017 : Pinsent Masons
Horizon Targets : Tanzania/Nigeria (Bowmans & Griffith), Kenya (Norton Rose Fulbright), Zambia?

3. WHAT DRAWETH THE MNF to AFRICA?
Africa’s Economic Growth Projectile
Zambia GDP growth forecast average of 4% and 4.2 % (2016, 2017) compared with 2.2% average of West
Underserviced Population
LCR (Lawyer-client ratio) roughly ! (population 16.2 million, advocates 1026) [slightly better for adult population]

4. WHAT DRAWETH THE MNF to AFRICA?
Change in Capping of Legal Fees :
Compare criminal negligence capping up to £ 25, 000 in England and Wales with recent LAZ Costs Orders revision
East [China] v West fight for Africa
Non traditional estimate of Chinese commitment of $ 73 billion from 2000 to 2011

5. 3 PRONG ENTRY APPROACH OF MNF’s
1. Alliances (early approach) eg Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr & DLA Piper ( ), Deneys Reitz & Norton Rose (2011), Webber Wentzel & Linklaters (2013)

6. 3 PRONG ENTRY APPROACH OF MNF’s
2. Integration (current approach) Poaching local market leaders and setting up of fully financially integrated firms eg Allen & Overy (2014); Baker & McKenzie integrating Rudolph Bersntein & Associates/Dewey & LeBoeuf (2012); Clydes; Herbert Smithe Freehills, Pinsents, DLA Piper 3. Independents (fringe firms) Domestic firms eg ENSafrica

7. INTEGRATION AND ITS FEATURES
Information Communication Technologies
Business Development
Permanent Staff : salaried associates, support staff, junior [salaried] partners
True Partnership Structure : shared approach to the material elements of the firm i.e clients, salaries, expenses, profits

8. INTEGRATION AND ITS FEATURES
Business/succession planning : Partner shadowing, ‘tournament to partnership’, tiering of partnership
Full Legal Service value chain  
Brand champion
Leveraged networks

9. AFRICA’s LEGAL TERRAIN
Uncertainty in legal documentation : save for Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, [Mozambique]
Enforceability issues of State/Foreign counterparties
Boom in oil, gas, mining, telecoms, energy, financial sectors
Cross jurisdictional legal de-linkages, regulatory nuances

10. RECOMMENDATIONS
Maintain Licensing to Practice Requirements : ss 41, 42 LPA
Revisit definition of “suitability” of a Practitioner’s office : Rule 13 (1), (2) LPR’s. Should cater for minimum features of a firm when licensing
Value Add Services/Resources : up-to-date precedents, law cases, legal journals, commentary, legislation etc.

11. RECOMMENDATIONS
Practice Advice Services : free and confidential helpline on practice and procedure
Accreditation Services : LAZ driven accreditation service with pre-qualification categorisation criteria according to the specialities of law firms
Revisit LAZ Strategy : refocus on deliberate and sustainable interventions to upskill members with sui generis, be-spoke and trending legal skills

12. Q & A