Addleshaw Goddard (AG), the 15th principal law firm in the U.K., is seeking means to serve larger clients on more significant legal issues. Part of this approach calls for its "Client Development Centre (CDC)," an innovative thought and set of services established by Dr. Jim Hever who holds a Ph.D. in Strategic Leadership Development. The mission of the CDC is to improve the abilities of customers' in-house legal departments, for example by making them better partners with the business units and improving their leadership skills. The CDC has adopted an innovative pricing structure. It's in this way that AG hopes to increase its standing in its larger customers.
AG has also developed an extremely systematic program for identifying and serving its key clients, developed in collaboration with Cranfield School of Management. It is these clients that will be the focus of the attempts for the CDC. Additionally, the business has co-developed a training program with Cranfield to improve the abilities of its own associates. The case explores whether these initiatives will result in a long term competitive advantage. The company considers what really will create competitive advantage is its "Me-To-You-Mindset" initiative that supports partners to look at the world through their clients' eyes. At the ending of the case Hever is reflecting on a proposal he submitted for supplying CDC services to one of many largest U.K. companies. The general counsel desires to pay for 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 a good method to benefit from recent reforms allowing law firms to provide other professional services, like consulting, or if this is "away-strategy" for the mission of the CDC.
PUBLICATION DATE: March 02, 2009 PRODUCT #: 410C08-PDF-CHI
This is just an excerpt. This case is about LEADERSHIP & MANAGING PEOPLE
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