Addleshaw-Goddard (AG), the 15th largest law firm in the UK, is looking for ways to serve large customers to the more important legal issues. Part of this strategy is due to its "Customer Development Centre (CDC)," an innovative idea and a set of services, launched Dr Jim Hever who has a doctorate in strategic leadership development. CDC's mission is to improve the capacity of clients in house legal departments such as by making them more partners with business units and improve their leadership skills. CDC took an innovative pricing structure. Rather than charging direct fees for these consulting services, he suggested to the client that the contract with the firm five times that amount in legal fees, that could have gone to another law firm. It is in this way that AG expects to increase its position in the larger customers. AG has also developed a very systematic program to identify and serve its key customers, developed in collaboration with Cranfield School of Management. These clients which will be the focus of efforts to CDC. Moreover, the company jointly developed a training program with Cranfield to improve the skills of its partners. matter examined whether these initiatives will lead to long-term competitive advantage. Company believes that actually will produce competitive advantage is his "Me-To-You-Thinking" initiative that encourages partners to look at the world through the eyes of its customers. At the end of the case Hever reflects on the proposal he submitted for CDC services of one of the UK's largest companies. general counsel wants to pay for these services cash, if he decides to accept the offer, and not hiring AG for a legal job. Hever wondering if this is a good way to take advantage of recent reforms allow law firms to provide other professional services such as counseling, or if it is "not a strategy" mission for CDC. «Hide
by Robert G. Eccles, Amy C. Edmondson, James Weber Source: Harvard Business School 18 pages. Publication Date: March 2, 2009. Prod. #: 409056-PDF-ENG
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