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Changing faces

04 September 2015 / Gary Carrington
Issue: 7666 / Categories: Features , Profession
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Gary Carrington considers how non-lawyer senior managers & non-executive directors can bring something new to the board

Over the past few years we’ve witnessed a rise in the number of UK law firms and partnerships appointing non-lawyer managers and non-executive directors (NEDs) to the board and this trend looks set to continue.

Non-lawyers can bring a whole host of business expertise and insight to help grow a firm that are not within the skill sets of a lawyer. For example, they could provide expert assistance with finance, marketing, training, or even strategic direction and growth.

Acquisition

If a law firm decides on a new strategy to grow through acquisition, for example, it is vital that a senior decision maker has experience of raising acquisition finance, due diligence and post integration strategy in making the decision to acquire another law firm. They will have a practical understanding of how a law firm runs in a given legal sector but not necessarily experience in that wider context. This is where the benefits of a non-lawyer come into his

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Muckle LLP—Rachael Chapman

Muckle LLP—Rachael Chapman

Sports, education and charities practice welcomes senior associate

Ellisons—Carla Jones

Ellisons—Carla Jones

Partner and head of commercial litigation joins in Chelmsford

Freeths—Louise Mahon

Freeths—Louise Mahon

Firm strengthens Glasgow corporate practice with partner hire

NEWS
One in five in-house lawyers suffer ‘high’ or ‘severe’ work-related stress, according to a report by global legal body, the Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC)
The Legal Ombudsman’s (LeO’s) plea for a budget increase has been rejected by the Law Society and accepted only ‘with reluctance’ by conveyancers
Overcrowded prisons, mental health hospitals and immigration centres are failing to meet international and domestic human rights standards, the National Preventive Mechanism (NPM) has warned
Two speedier and more streamlined qualification routes have been launched for probate and conveyancing professionals
Workplace stress was a contributing factor in almost one in eight cases before the employment tribunal last year, indicating its endemic grip on the UK workplace
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