An exclusive report by US-based international law firm K&L Gates on its Asia-Pacific Strategy are among the highlights of a new book by this author, namely “A Comprehensive Guide to the Asia-Pacific Legal Markets“. Integral to the book was the participation of the region’s lawyers in Asia and legal services sector professionals. They provide commentary and analysis of the issues and trends currently impacting Asia-Pacific’s legal markets.
Over the course of the next weeks and months we are highlighting those contributions and those authors. As a follow-up to our first three posts in this series, we turn to the exclusive case study from K&L Gates. Here’s a preview of that study:
Asia/Australia key to K&L Gates’ growth strategy
“Over the past decade,” [K&L Gates explains], “has expanded from 800 lawyers based in 10 offices located in the US. It’s to its present size of more than 2,000 lawyers in four dozen offices located in 17 countries globally. A significant part of the firm’s five-continent strategy has been its continued growth in Asia and Australia, a regional presence that currently includes 11 offices and more than 400 lawyers. Indeed, the recent FT Asia-Pacific Innovative Lawyers 2014 report describes K&L Gates the Financial Times as being the largest U.S. law firm in the Asia-Pacific region.”
K&L Gates utilizes a fully integrated business model
K&L Gates outlines that: “In Law360’s 2013 “Global 20” report, the publication states that each expansion is “underscored by a guiding philosophy of borderless firm integration.” He notes that “For K&L Gates,[as the firm outlines], integration means attorneys with the firm aren’t hindered by interior firewalls. Moreover, they aren’t forced to negotiate against internal profit borders to serve clients globally.” “The firm’s integration approach and vision is as evident within Asia-Pacific region as in other regions where the firm operates.”
K&L Gates Asia-Pacific strategy distinguishes by both a domestic as well as cross-border focus
K&L Gates also explains: “Hong Kong’s office opening in 1996, K&L Gates has steadily built its Asia-Pacific practice. It is distinct from other international law firms in three respects:
1) All of the firm’s lawyers in Asia-Pacific are based in their respective markets and do not simply rotate through their offices periodically
2) The firm competes within each market to represent both local and cross-border clients in Asia-Pacific and
3) The firm has a regional practice in Asia, where over 40% of its revenue derives from cross-office work
Market-specific analysis
K&L Gates also outlines in detail its key strategic approaches in each Asia-Pacific economy in which it operates. As well as he also outlines its overall vision for the region into the future.
