JD Journal » Maine

Maine Law Firms Grabbing Clients from Corporate Firms

jim — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 02:44:41 +0000

As the recession of 2008 hit, there were not a lot of industry leaders saying the recession was good for business. On the other side of things, quite a few middle-market law firms saw the down economy as an opportunity to pick-up some business from struggling corporations.

“[These corporations] began asking why they were spending $800 an hour for a New York firm if there were other middle-market firms in Portland or Cleveland, for example, who had the same specialized expertise [at a lower fee],” says Scot Draeger, an attorney with Bernstein Shur, “The bad economy facilitated the trajectory of our practice and our success in courting big business.”

Bernstein Shur and other law firms throughout the state of Maine have been marketing their expertise and value to clients out of state. The law firms in Maine have been using social media more so now than ever before in an effort to acquire new ways to bill clients.

“I think as the economy shifted, law firms switched gears and moved from thinking ‘clients will find us when they need us’ … to a more client-focused approach to identifying and keeping clients,” says Gretchen Johnson, director of marketing at Verrill Dana.

One of the best advantages for these middle-market law firms from Maine and other surrounding New England states is that they charge hourly fees that are half the amount charged by larger firms.

“We’re expanding into southern New England in part because we have a good value proposition,” says James Matsoukas, director of marketing and business development at Pierce Atwood. “We can provide the same quality of service at a lower rate and we are more nimble. The smaller you are, there’s not a lot of overhead and you can move more quickly.”

The smaller firms have less overhead because of fewer offices and employees to take care of on their payroll and in their budget. Fees will be remain low if the law firm’s offices are based in low-cost areas such as New Hampshire and Maine, even when the head attorney is based in Boston.

“A lot of large firms got that big by acquiring other firms and not only do they have more offices and employees to maintain, but there also tends to be more cultural tension stemming from merger integrations,” he says.

Some of these middle-market law firms are even allowing their clients the chance to set the legal fees that they will pay.

“There are five to 10 legal components of such a project and we have an excellent understanding of the scope of our efforts on each element,” says Draeger. “Businesses need certainty in expenses and legal is no different. A fixed fee is something they can plug right into their balance sheet.”

If a fixed fee is agreed upon, the law firm will want to resolve the case as quickly and efficiently as possible.

“We’re far ahead of this trend and many firms in New York and D.C. have not shown a willingness to take that risk, but that’s the trend and that’s been a major piece of our business,” Draeger says.

Morning Roundup

joshua — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 00:29:31 +0000

Good morning everyone! Today is Monday, October 25th. Here’s a quick look back at Friday’s stories.

According to a new study conducted by the University of Maine Center, a relatively high percentage of elderly residents of Maine will require legal intervention at some point in their lives….

A survey by law school admissions consulting firm Veritas Prep showed 81% of law school applicants would still apply even if a significant number of graduates were unable to find jobs in their desired field…

The University of California, Irvine School of Law will provide scholarships of at least one-third of tuition to each member of its next class of students…

John Frankenheimer of Loeb & Loeb will be stepping down as the firm’s co-chair…

Lawyers for SAP AG, a German software company, requested that a federal judge issue a gag order during a forthcoming trial for an intellectual property theft case…

Sam Baxter of McKool Smith has been named by The Best Lawyers in America the 2011 Dallas Intellectual Property “Lawyer of the Year…

Whistle-blower website Wikileaks published classified documents related to the Iraqi war last Friday…

Low-Income Elderly In Maine In Need Of Legal Services

todd — Sun, 24 Oct 2010 18:42:51 +0000

According to a new study conducted by the University of Maine Center, a relatively high percentage of elderly residents of Maine will require legal intervention at some point in their lives.

The study, which was commissioned by Legal Services for the Elderly and the Maine Office of Elder Services, found that anywhere from 45 to 86 percent of low-income Maine residents in their 60s will need a lawyer at some point.

The study also suggests that the demand for legal services will likely outweigh the supply available to them.

The study hopes to direct the resources to those citizens who require it the most.

Maine Bar Foundation Announces Grants

Erik Even — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 22:48:26 +0000

The Maine Bar Foundation, an organization of 3,100 lawyers licensed to practice in Maine, announced the recipients of its 2009 discretionary grants. The grants total $203,950, and are dedicated to providing legal services to the poor and supporting the administration of justice programs, the organization says.
The recipients of this year’s grants are: Coastal Enterprises Inc.; Juvenile Justice Clinic at University of Maine School of Law’s Cumberland Legal Aid Clinic; KIDS Legal-Medical Collaborative; Legal Services for the Elderly; Maine Administration Office of the Courts; Maine Equal Justice Partners; University of Maine School of Social Work Center on Aging; and the York County Shelter.
According to M. Calien Lewis, the foundation’s executive director, the foundation is Maine’s only statewide nonprofit devoted exclusively to law-related charitable work. The MBF get 96 percent of its funding from the IOLTA Program it manages.
Realizing that people in Maine are in greater need in terms of finding help with foreclosures, heating assistance, education, health care and protection from domestic abuse, the foundation has made a commitment to use its reserve funds to keep funding level for the next two years, according to a press release.

Pierce Atwood Lets Go 7 Attorneys, 14 Staff

Erik Even — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 22:20:23 +0000

Pierce Atwood, the largest law firm in Maine, laid off 21 employees last week, including seven attorneys and 14 staff members, according to Gloria Pinza, the law firm’s managing partner.

The laid-off attorneys were based in the firm’s Portland, Maine and Portsmouth, New Hampshire offices. The 14 staff members were in its Portland, Portsmouth and Augusta, Maine offices.

Pinza said the law firm is hiring three new attorneys at its Boston office in February, and that in March it will open a new office in Providence, Rhode Island, with two new attorneys. Despite the economic climate, Pinza said the law firm sees some opportunities to grow in those markets.

Pierce Atwood also maintains offices in Concord, New Hampshire; Stockholm, Sweden; and Washington, DC.