dla Flashcards
my experiences
- DLA dinner
- Pro bono and XLP
- DLA open day
- vac scheme assessment centre
- vac scheme
advantages/disadvantages of sector vs. practice area
- Sector = industry focused
- Practice area = type of legal work
- Advantages of sector approach
○ More commercially aware - can work in same sector and yet cover various practice areas. More comprehensive knowledge of business as well as law
§ E.g. clients will prefer firm with technology sector than full-service firm
○ Better for broad client advice - can tailor to industry
§ Better for targeting clients
○ Develop broader skill set - different tasks within single sector - Disadvantages
○ Not as full service - cannot cover all sectors
○ Limits clients outside of sectors
vision
○ Aim = to be the leading global business law firm
○ Progressive approach to law - want to redefine structure and approach of traditional law firm
□ Leading firm: measure = recognition by industry magazines, awards etc. or fact that DLA do more deals than any law firm (clients continue to trust firm more than others) □ Global: output is similar across world, global brand □ Business law: not just big ticket deals like with London firms, but also smaller tasks needed by businesses - full service § E.g. General Electric - didn't do big disposal but helped transfer assets etc. § Contracts for Pfizer vaccine
strategy
○ Anti there being a ‘DLA Piper’ person - prioritisation of difference
○ Anti the idea of traditional law firm - progressive
○ Innovative and pragmatic legal solutions
○ Client trust, cross-border and sector knowledge
○ International
4 values
mark franklin, overview of sectors and sector strategy (open day)
- Managing and growing clients
○ Stranger
○ Supplier
○ Preferred supplier
- Advising on business opportunities beyond deal in discussion
- What do clients want?
○ Expertise - they want u to understand the jargon/chain
- How do we deliver this?
□ Differentiate - sectors are key differentiator
□ Industry knowledge - sector knowledge remains most influential driver of favourability towards a firm (Acritas)
□ Reputation = Band 1 by Chambers & Partners in 2020 TMT global category
□ Clients - our clients operate in industries, and think in markets. Selling the full ranger of legal services in a sector generates growth
values
○ Be supportive
○ Be collaborative
○ Be bold
Be exceptional
firm structure
○ Flat hierarchy - prioritisation of voice
○ All they want is people to enjoy their work
Want to redefine structure of traditional law firm
□ Full service □ Multi practice □ Multi jurisdictional □ Want to be there not just for big ticket deals, but also general business advisory □ DLA is there for businesses when they are doing well and when they are doing less well ○ 8 global groups = matric structure □ Group focused □ From a revenue/budgeting perspective ○ Corporate group ○ Employment group ○ Real estate group etc. □ They run down group lines rather than building budget by country basis ○ Financial reportings = down group lines rather than geography ○ One UK approach - Sandra
business leaders awards
○ 195 of DLA lawyers included in Acritas Stars 2019 analysis
○ 2016 - FT ranks them among most innovative firms, 5 consecutive years
locations
○ 40 countries, locally connected through prioritisation of culture
○ 90 offices
○ Africa: Johannesburg and Casablanca
But also has regional focus
practice areas
corporate employment finance, projects and restructuring intellectual property and technology litigation and regulatory real estate tax
sectors
Consumer goods, food and retail Energy and resources Financial services Industrials Infrastructure, construction, transport and logistics insurance life sciences media, sport, entertainment real estate technology
corporate
§ M&A, private equity, public offerings
§ Involved in every stage of deal
§ Acted on more global m&a transactions since 2005 than any other firm
§ First globally in mergermarket in overall m&a deal volume for ninth consecutive year in 2018
§ Award winning PE team - first for EU Buyouts and Exits by volume for second year in 2018
§ Growing equity capital markets practoce
employment
§ Work force challenges, pension law
§ Work with clients on risk and consistency
§ Genie - employment website, advice for 60 countries
§ Compliance focused lawyers
finance, projects and restructuring
§ Financing, asset recovery and political risks of major infrastructure projects
§ Renewable energy, ships and aircraft
§ Only firm with top-tier global defence and security practice
§ Want clients to find ‘commercially sound solutions’ that are tailored to their environment
§ Restructuring: underperforming situations, contentious issues from insolvencies etc.
□ Advise on investigation, enforcement, litigation and asset receovery
□ Clients include shareholders, directors, lenders, debtors
ip and tech
§ Could advise client on trademark portfolio, digital transformation for competitive advantage, cyber security incidents, IP disputes
§ Notify tool - streamlines every aspect of data breach reporting, offers methodology to inform regulators. Commended by FT innovative lawyers awards 2019
§ Strategic sourcing practice - outsourcing advising
§ 130 patent litigators
litigation and regulatory
§ Regulatory, compliance and disputes law
§ Rapid Response global crisis management service - 24 hrs, 365 days for legal advice and crisis assistance
§ Won regulatory and investigations team of year at legal week commercial lit and arb awards 2019
§ Part of firm’s ‘Radical Change’ programme
§ Top 5 firms globally for litigation by Lawyers’ Global Litigation report
§ Globalisation of business = more cross-border disputes. Can do international advising
real estate
§ Real estate investments, planning, financing, development, disposals
§ Real estate team of year in 2018 legal business journal
§ Nearly every client has real estate needs
tax
§ International tax services as well as national advice
§ Transfer Pricing = viewed as strategic and not just compliance exercise
§ Approach has led them to win awards in Transfer Pricing internationally
energy and resourcs
○ Energy and resources - gas and oil companies and alternative energy
§ We are entering an era of unprecedented demand for power generation and transmission, especially within emerging economies. This dynamic, together with the challenges we all face from climate change, is creating new opportunities for alternative energies and new technologies.
§ Focus areas: commodities marketing and trading, mining, oil and gas, power, renewables, water, waste
financial services
○ Financial services - large banking and commercial transactions. Regulatory, public policy and enforcement areas
§ Uncertain economies demand legal strategies that address regulatory and enforcement risks and the costs of compliance.
§ Our clients include asset managers, building societies, capital markets and their participants, investment banks, national regulators, private banks, private equity firms, professional services organizations engaged principally in financial services and retail banks.
tech
○ Technology - IP protection, IPOs. Start ups, bigger companies etc.
§ Fintech, IT and outsourcing, telecommunications, cleantech, AI, blockchain
§ Help startups get organised
§ International tax planning, regulation etc. as businesses grow
§ Related services: data protection, private equity, patent litigation
§ We advise technology companies throughout the business life cycle. We help startups get organized and funded and assist both growing and established technology companies in employment matters, commercial and technology transactions and IP patent protection strategies.
§ Technology’s legal edge (global tech sector blog), techlaw video series, techlaw podcast series, techlaw event series
business services
change and client solutions finance hr information tech legal, risk and compliance marketing and business development property and workplace secretarial services
change and client solutions
§ Want firm and clients to achieve radical change
§ Digital solutions, exceptional solutions
§ New establishment of law firms
§ Radical change = firm-wide initiative, creates new products, insights, revenue streams
§ Legal technology team
§ Legal process improvement team - streamlining processes using Lean Six Sigma methodology
§ Multi-talented teams beyond process improvement and tech teams
general stats on awards
○ #1 for M&A deal volume according to mergermarket 2020
○ #2 for law firm providing value - one of best firms for client service by BTI Consulting Group
○ #3 for global reach - Law 360’s annual global 20
areas of law covered by litigation
○ Antitrust and competition ○ Banking and finance litigation ○ Cybersecurity ○ Investigations ○ IT and Telecoms Disputes ○ Real Estate Litigations ○ Merger control
areas of law covered by corporate
○ Capital markets - public equity and debt capital transactions inc. initial public offerings (IPOs), rights offerings, listings in international markets
○ Emerging growth and venture capital - emerging growth companies and venture capital
○ M&a
○ Private equity - has market knowledge and exposure to help you achieve goals
areas of law covered by IP
○ Advertising, marketing and promotions ○ Cybersecurity ○ Data protection, privacy and security ○ Franchise ○ Patent litigation ○ Tech transactions ○ Trademark and copyright
deals
- DLA Piper and Aldersgate DLS launch TOKO, a fast, secure and cost effective solution for buying and selling high value assets using blockchain technology
- DLA Piper advises Lufthansa Group as main creditor in ZIM Flugsitz insolvency proceedings
- DLA Piper advises Big Four accountancy firm on synthetic corporate PPA
- DLA Piper sponsors 2020 UK Technology Fast 50
○ UK technology fast 50 - programme by Deloitte - DLA Piper launches Real Estate AI/automation platform Release
○ Online portal for real estate clients - manages stages of transaction
○ Dedicated dashboard
○ Reduces document processing time by 90%
DLA Piper advises Mothercare Global Brand Ltd. on relocation of headquarters
DLA Piper and Aldersgate DLS launch TOKO, a fast, secure and cost effective solution for buying and selling high value assets using blockchain technology
toko = a unique tokenisation engine and vital component in the digital asset ecosystem. Developed with Aldersgate DLS, TOKO provides smart contract functionality and digital asset creation functionality and assurance.
TOKO can be used to create fractions of any asset, whether that be a fund, or a multimillion dollar property. It can help asset owners create unique product offerings, improve asset liquidity and provide clients with access to a wider group of investors, and the creation of unique product structures
DLA Piper advises Lufthansa Group as main creditor in ZIM Flugsitz insolvency proceedings
DLA Piper has successfully advised the Lufthansa Group with its entities Deutsche Lufthansa AG, Lufthansa Technik AG and SWISS as main client and main creditor in the insolvency proceedings of ZIM Flugsitz GmbH.
All Creditors have unanimously approved the insolvency plan for ZIM Flugsitz GmbH
DLA Piper advises Big Four accountancy firm on synthetic corporate PPA
DLA Piper has advised a Big Four accountancy firm on their first synthetic Power Purchase Agreements (PPA), with LightsourceBP as the developer. This is milestone in the cPPA world as it marks the first professional services corporate PPA to be signed outside of the US, demonstrating the development in the use of cPPAs by a more diverse group of businesses
DLA Piper sponsors 2020 UK Technology Fast 50
DLA Piper is pleased to sponsor the 2020 Deloitte UK Technology Fast 50, for the fourth year running, As one of the UK’s foremost technology award programmes and now in its 23rd year, it ranks the country’s 50 fastest-growing technology companies, based on revenue growth.
DLA Piper launches Real Estate AI/automation platform Release
DLA Piper today announces the launch of Release, an online, secure portal and platform for real estate clients which can be used to view and manage each step of a standard transaction and all the legal elements of a deal in one place – resulting in considerable time savings.
DLA Piper advises Mothercare Global Brand Ltd. on relocation of headquarters
DLA Piper has advised Mothercare Global Brand Ltd on exiting its lease agreement of the former Mothercare Headquarters in Watford, Hertfordshire together with advising on the acquisition of the Company’s new headquarters in Apsley.
training contract structure
○ Offers trainees to try different things so you can figure out what you like
○ 4 x 6 month rotations across 8 practice groups
○ Breadth of knowledge
- Tom Herbert and Astrid Leonhard
Large trainee intake = social
secondments
○ Experience of global conference ○ Meet people around the world ○ Share knowledge ○ Work collaboratively across borders ○ 6 months
trainee/future trainee programmes
○ International Induction in London - inspiring key note speakers, networking events
○ Buddy-mentor scheme
○ Formal training courses - business, skills training
○ International Career Academies
post-tc learning and development
○ Alumni network
Career progression = prioritised
training awards
international graduate programme won 4 awards at the All About Law Awards in 2018
§ DLA TC = best out of 50 firms
○ Internationally acclaimed - German training programme wins Azur 100 award in 2018
○ Top 100 graduate employers, The Times 2020
○ 2019 winner of best on-boarding experience (target jobs)
diversity strategy
○ Every voice counts and every success is recognised
○ Don’t want ‘DLA’ person - everyone is different
○ Values: collaborative, bold, supportive, exceptional
○ Want to reflect real world and attract diverse, talented people
Personal and professional growth - full potential, tailored approach to helping you with your individual career
® Better business = diverse ® Want to represent different opinions/backgrounds etc ® Aims: enable excellence, develop capability, drive efficiencies ® Goals: celebrate, empower, commit ® Employee networks: iris, mosaic
networks
○ International Career Academies - leaders brought together, meet new people, gain commercial/managerial skills in collaborative environment
○ International programmes - grow career, professional coaching, mentoring etc.
initatives for diversity and inclusion
○ WorkSmart - agile working. Different stages of life/career, prioritisation of family. Unified approach across jurisdictions
○ Law (Gender Balance)
○ PACT (Family & Carers)
- D&I strategy Reverse mentoring
d&i awards
○ Best Gender Diversity Initiative by International Law Firm at Euromoney Europe Women in Business Law Awards 2018
○ Mansfield Certified Plus status for encouraging diversity
○ Named in top 50 law firms of Working Mother magazine and Flex-Time Lawyers, 2017
technology strategy and products
- Strategy
○ Challenge status quo- Client tech tools/products
○ Legal tech team - innovative tech. focus = legal tech tools e.g. collaborative platforms, machine assisted contract analysis tools and document automation software - Lawyer tech tools/products
○ Notify tool - streamlines every aspect of data breach reporting, offers methodology to inform regulators. Commended by FT innovative lawyers awards 2019
○ Strategic sourcing practice - outsourcing advising
- Client tech tools/products
tech resources
- Resources
○ Technology’s legal edge (global tech sector blog)
§ Articles inc. on public scrutiny of Big Tech, esp. due to Social Dilemma doc
§ 5g supply chain diversification strategy - wants to make it more secure to threats
○ techlaw video series on Youtube
○ techlaw podcast series
§ Shifting the workplace in a post pandemic world - motivation, virtual working, inspiring staff
○ techlaw event series
techlaw video series on youtube
techlaw video series
○ Brexit and fintech - 2018
§ Free movement of people = important for Fintech
§ Difficult for London to maintain pre-eminence in innovation scene
○ Opportunities and challenges in fintech - 2019
§ AI and machine learning - changes how we use and understand data
§ Impact on workforce - restructuring. Decline of some jobs but also new jobs that are more interesting
○ Innovation with m&a - 2019
§ You can either: buy, build or collaborate
§ M&a uses acquisitions for growth
§ Need to develop market sensing capabilities due to the amount of private companies
§ You also need regulatory precautions
○ Diversity and inclusion on global scale - 2020
§ There is an inherent value in difference
§ Diversity - how do you define what that means globally? How do you track success?
§ Need to feel like we can thrive
○ Gender imbalance in fintech in africa - 2020
§ Men have confidence to assert themselves
sophie lessar on tech (open day)
- Done secondment with banks and fintech
- Businesses need help with real estate, IP, employment
- Tech index - looks at development from financial services perspective
- Payments no longer require bank account - fintechs are working on this especially in foreign exchange area
○ Can also come within established infrastructure
- Technology can move faster than regulatory law
○ Need to innovate within regulatory framework
- Value of data = increasingly important
- Flexibility in lending in time of COVID
§ FCA has consumer protection at core
§ But scrutiny continues
pro bono with 2 examples
○ 200,000 pro bono hours in 2019
○ New perimeter = DLA”s non-profit affiliate, long term pro bono work
○ Examples
§ Access to justice - pro bono clinics
□ Know your rights programme - legal education and mentoring to asylum seekers and refugees
§ Empowering civil society - work with charities and NGOs through providing legal advice
responsible business, olivia clark (open day)
§ Know your rights project: legal training for refugees and asylum seekers
○ Sessions inc. improving CV, accessing housing
§ Helping asylum seekers and migrants with housing, healthcare and accessing benefits
○ Working with Deighton Pierce Glynn (social justice law firm)
○ Work with Hackney Migrant Centre and Project 17 - charity that supports migrant women with children/are pregnant who are destitute
§ Work with Reprieve - UK NGO that uses law to fight human rights abuses like death penalty
○ Working on project to support number of prisoners on death row whose confessions were extracted through torture
○ Drafting individual complaints to UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention - lawyers from UK, Germany, Belgium and Amsterdam
§ Gave example of father wanting to be reunited with children in Iraq
pro bono communities
○ Head Start - social mobility programme in UK, Australia, China, Kenya
○ Global scholarships - helps law students from less developed countries
pro bono and environment
○ One of first firms subscribing to UN Global Compact’s 10 universal principles re. HR, labour etc.
§ Annual communication on progress against the principles and UN broader development goals
○ Tackling illegal wildlife trade
○ DLA Piper commits to reduce greenhouse gas emissions as part of sustainability strategy
○ Energy and climate change ○ Direct emissions: fuel and gas, fridges (1%) ○ Indirect emissions: electricity (3%) ○ Value chain emissions: capital goods, energy, business travel (96%) ○ Can encourage clients/suppliers to act more sustainably
pro bono and partnerships
○ UNICEF
§ 2 mill in cash and 6 mill in pro bono advice
covid resources
○ Interactive website
○ Coronavirus resource center - insights, events and contacts
○ Coronavirus regulatory monitoring team - monitoring service
○ Up Again - programme to help business get back into business
- webinars, articles
covid interactive website
○ Can filter by corporate transactions/corporate governance, workplace relations, financial instruments and transactions, supply chain resilience, disputes and regulatory problems , property, tax
○ When you click on sub-section it will tailor advice to your country
○ E.g. school closures = sub-section of workplace relations
§ Recognises childcare obligations of many staff
E.g. data protection - need to comply with GDPR but can process data if there are vital or legitimate interests. Knowing if someone has COVID comes under this, esp. due to medicinal subclause
covd publications
○ How will the UK construction supply chain reset and reinvent itself as it emerges from the ravages of COVID-19?
○ UK redundancy-related payments: Common areas of tax difficulty and risk
○ Vlog series: How to raise equity capital during the Coronavirus pandemic (UK)
broader services summarised
WIN (what in house lawyers need)
law& - aldersgate 4 businesses
dla piper intelligence
design thinking
WIN
- WIN (what in house lawyers need)
○ In-house insights
○ Events and training
○ Publications to gain knowledge
○ Forums
○ Report on the in house lawyers role in covid
Looks at various concerns for in house lawyers - changes to legal objectives, treatment to work force. Are organisations well set up to support their legal teams?
law&
○ Litigating funding - Aldersgate Litigation Funding
○ Funds corporate litigation for clients
○ Allows for different conversation with clients who are litigating - USP
○ But also allows for better reputation overall even if they don’t sell litigation
○ AI - Aiscencion
○ Can review 2 mill docs a day and detect cartel behaviour e.g. price fixing
○ 1 mill docs in 13 mins with errors picked up
○ DLA Piper Business Advisory - consulting business that works with law firm
○ Used design thinking to identify things that are difficult for clients to do
○ Integrated solutions with law firm and consulting
○ 2 solutions
§ Sustainability & ESG
□ Change and management
§ Integrated mergers and acquisition process
□ Over 70% of m&a does not deliver what expected
□ Process goes all the way through due diligence to completion and then does post-merger process
□ No one in world does this properly
○ Toko - an asset tokenisation programme run out of Hong Kong
○ Can mit tokens
○ Tokenisation = way of future
dla piper intelligence
○ Corporate Power Purchase Agreements ○ Global trademark guide ○ Global litigation guide § Interactive - pick topic and country for tailored advice ○ Dispute resolution in the middle east ○ Contract laws ○ Investment rules of the world ○ Global expansion ○ Mergers and acquisitions ○ Patent laws ○ Telecommunications ○ Real estate ○ Data protection ○ Legal professional privilege
How to link commercial awareness to the firm
- Is the opportunity right for DLA?
○ Right client?
○ Right work?
○ Can it be carried out in profitable way- Fee proposals
- Negotiation of fee structure - Marriage of business professionals and commercial business professionals in negotiation process (not only partners but other members)
- Winning clients and turning revenue into profitable revenue
vac scheme interview day
group exercise
- my idea is to introduce a DLA Piper Business Technology Consulting service
○ Brings together DLA’s expertise in tech e.g. in their Kira technology and experience in AI
- Also allows DLA to reach their pre-existing sectors
liam cowell interview
international
○ American firms are not full-service outside the US
○ There is no international magic circle firm with big foothold in US
Magic circle doesn’t work in US, US doesn’t work outside US
○ International - DLA = a partnership □ 650 partners across countries □ But you cant have all partners make decisions □ Hence why there is managing board with Simon as CEO
sector approach general
□ International sector head for each sector
□ Immerse oneself in sector so we can understand
Reflected in marketing strategy
recent work - pfizer
○ DLA has been helping Pfizer with vaccine rollout
§ But they had been working with them for 10 years
§ They turned to DLA as natural choice with vaccine
§ Strategy = cultivating long term relationships on international level
profit structure
○ Generate revenue through billing - sell time we spend
○ Costs
○ Fixed: people and premises i.e. rent
○ Profit = divided across partners
○ alternative fee arrangements inc. fixed bill/structured fee and scope
○ Pure hourly bill is in decline
london office building
- International
○ Farringdon station will have direct line to heathrow every 6 mins
○ Important for global law firm and travel- Cultural hub
Cultural mile - smithfield market until barbican
- London fashion week etc. will happen close
- Puts DLA at heart of area that is very vibrant - great place to work and socialise
○ Important because law is also about relationships - Collaboration
- london office is based on footprint of everyone having own desk
○ 500 lawyers in london offices
○ Full service law firm unlike magic circle which is weak in IP etc.
- london office is based on footprint of everyone having own desk
- Creativity
- Filled with amazing art by emerging artists (art committee)
- Culture club - encourage staff to get involved in artistic endeavours
○ Photography competitions
○ Drawing classes - Gym, canteen, bicycle storage
- Client areas on 7th and 8th floors
Roof terraces
- Cultural hub
areas of growth for london office
- Finance, restructuring team
- Growth in corporate
- Will magic circle change emphasis away from corporate?
- Wants to do less low value stuff
- Leverage finance
- Growing sectors
○ Digital
○ Gdpr
future for dla
- DLA has made good progress in being seen as global rather than national firm
- Increase in UK work but also larger increase in asking UK staff to engage internationally
- Doesn’t want to just do big ticket work, but support in all aspects of business life e.g. real estate, employment
- Greater degree of integration financially with US offices
○ DLA international lacks financial integration with US - US market is biggest for legal spend
- Asia but particularly china - huge opportunity as few international firms have cracked it
- DLA piper group from africa - strongest among any law firm in africa
○ Morocco and south africa offices
○ And then networks across other countries
challenges for dla
- US law firms and magic circles - loss of talent for DLA
- Flexible working is the future
- Need new way of rewarding people noting that people are more flexible about how they work
Regional approach allows people to be flexible about where they live (i.e. not just London) and still have community that comes from office work
gender targets
○ 30% partners women in 2025, 40% by 2030
s&esg and suppliers
○ Living wage
○ Responsible procurement
○ Human rights and modern slavery
○ Supplier diversity
○ Ensure that own supply chain = sustainable
○ Bringing all suppliers into science based targets
Mitigating risks and maximising positive impacts
why pro bono matters
○ Client demand - diversity of thought, skills and experience brings creativity and better client solutions
○ Profitability
○ Innovation, engagement and wellbeing
Our brand
