The 15th major law firm in the UK, Addleshaw-Goddard (AG), is seeking methods to serve bigger clients on more important legal issues. Part of this strategy calls for its "Client Development Centre (CDC)," an advanced idea and set of services launched by Dr. Jim Hever who holds a Ph.D. in Strategic Leadership Development. The assignment of the CDC will be to improve the capacities of customers' in house legal departments by making them better partners with the business units and improving their leadership abilities. The CDC has adopted an innovative pricing structure. It is in this way, AG expects to increase its position with its bigger customers. AG has also urbanized a very regular agenda for identifying and helping its key customers, developed in collaboration with Cranfield School of Management.
It's these customers that may be the focus of the attempts for the CDC. Additionally, the firm has co-developed a training program with Cranfield to improve the skills of its own associates. The case explores whether these initiatives will lead to a long-term competitive advantage. The company believes what actually will produce competitive advantage is its "Me-To-You Mindset" initiative that supports associates to look in the whole world through their customers' eyes. For supplying CDC services to one of the largest UK companies at the conclusion of the case Hever is representing on a proposal he submitted. The general counsel wants to pay for all these services in cash should he determine to accept the proposal, rather than hiring AG for more legal work. Hever is wondering if this is really a great solution to take good advantage of recent reforms enabling law firms to supply other professional services, like consulting, or if this is "off-strategy" for the assignment of the CDC.
PUBLICATION DATE: September 19, 2012 PRODUCT #: 413064-PDF-ENG
This is just an excerpt. This case is about ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
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