Clay Horner’s Post

Let me explain to you what Best Lawyers and other awards are about. I know some people feel bad about them but I think if you hear me out you will understand. There are two kinds of lawyers: those who go after the large public corporate clients and those who don't. The large public corporate clients have in-house legal departments and boards that have fiduciary duties to the company. These departments and boards have to choose outside counsel. They must use some commonly recognized evidence to make those choices. These awards are the industry's answer to this need. These large companies won't hire a lawyer who is just a good lawyer. They will hire only lawyers where they can show that they did their due diligence in hiring that lawyer. It's easier for the large firms and it's harder for the multitude of boutiques that are aspiring to serve the public corporations. The boutiques are particularly interested in large, well-recognized awards as well as in hiring former partners from large firms and clerks of appellate courts. These markers satisfy public corporations' due diligence requirements in selecting outside counsel, at least partly. For the rest of us, these awards are completely neutral. They don't do much. Clients probably don't notice or understand them. And lawyers obviously judge each other in more sophisticated ways than awards. It's about different target clients. And I am sure most lawyers would not want to have public corporations as clients as it's hard as hell. I am quite happy with my client base of people who are not corporations but who own or run corporations and who have personal problems that require a dedicated personal litigator without the inherent conflicts or astronomical fees of traditional firms. But I always root for my friends at large firms or boutiques when they go for Olympic-size matters and clients and I always cheer for them when they get their awards. They are well-deserved.

Stop bashing other law firms/advisors! As someone who has dedicated over a decade to the legal profession and now serves as General Counsel, I have had the privilege of working with many talented people. However, there is a recurring issue that I find particularly frustrating: the tendency of some advisors to belittle their peers. I was interviewed as an associate for a position and the partner said that they only count 50% of my years as lawyer because based on their experience only they know how it is done and other firms aren't as good... It is getting even worse as GC. Too often, I hear statements like, "That firm is not Champions League", or "They are not as good as we are". Similarly, when discussing pricing, it's common to hear why the other offer must be incorrect because "only we know what’s really happening." This approach is not only unprofessional but also unproductive and I am getting annoyed by it to be honest. It undermines the spirit of collaboration and mutual respect that should be at the heart of our industry. 🔹 Focus on the value that you bring, rather than the perceived shortcomings of others. If I ask for a pricing, focus on you. I do not want you to make yourself bigger and better by telling me how everyone else does not know what they are doing. 🔹 Yes, you might have drafted it better. But you do not know what happened. Maybe you can dedicated an entire day to the task while others were given one hour to just come up with something. 🔹 Please stick to a minimum of mutual respect and professional courtesy. What are your experiences? Have you heard that your firm is the only one that actually knows how it is done?

See Sophie's post below for full details of our next Senior Counsel session - great tips and advice on how to become an NED.

Never assume youth or lack of perceived experience = inability. One of the first big cases I worked on as a newly licensed attorney went into arbitration. The amount in controversy? $5 million. My firm was the defense team. It was a huge case. For months I researched, consulted experts, met with the client, and drafted arbitration summaries with the managing partner of my firm overseeing. I felt honored that I was asked to even be involved considering I was only sworn in a month prior. On the way to the arbitration, the managing partner informed me that I wasn't going to be second chair - I'd be leading the entire thing. Suddenly it got real - the entire weight of this case was resting on my shoulders. Immediately I was flooded with thoughts of fear and insecurity - what if I made my firm/ the client /myself look bad? What if I lost? Sure I knew the case, but was that enough? Walking in, I overheard opposing counsel say on the phone "Oh they have the associate on it and it's her first time." I could tell by the tone what was implied. To say I felt infuriated was an understatement. What was the result of the two day, 8 hours each day, arbitration? The amount in controversy was knocked down to $1.2 million. Roughly 20% of what was originally alleged. Walking out, the client said to my boss "I want to hire her for my house counsel!" To which my boss quickly (and jokingly) declined. Often times, people assume that because someone is younger or doesn't have decades of experience that they will lack the intuition, ambition, and skills to succeed compared to someone that does. This is a mistake. Those who are hungry and dedicated can pick up these skills in a shorter time frame and then spend the next few years honing their craft. I tell my business clients all the time that it's not about how long you've been doing something, but how you are doing it. Don't allow those limiting factors - time, age, experience - to hold you back. And appreciate those who recognize what you have and help elevate you to the next level, even if you yourself can't always see it right away. That's something that the managing partner did for me that day and I am forever thankful for it. #businessattorney #litigation #smallbusinessowner #mindsetmatters

𝗖𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 "𝗕𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗟𝗮𝘄𝘆𝗲𝗿𝘀": 𝗔 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗳𝗲𝗹𝘁 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 It’s that time of year again when the air is filled with the scent of freshly printed certificates, and the echoes of self-congratulatory speeches reverberate through law firms everywhere. Yes, it’s the season of the "Best Lawyer" awards! Knowing countless best lawyers personally, I find myself in a unique position to celebrate this inflationary marvel with appropriate reverence. First, let me express my profound admiration for each "Best Lawyer" who has managed to secure this prestigious title. Truly, it is no small feat to rise above the tens of thousands of your peers, who are also apparently the "best." Your finely honed ability to both practice law and receive awards is nothing short of miraculous. "I am truly honored and humbled to be recognized as the best," they declare, as the audience of fellow best lawyers nods in mutual recognition. One can only marvel at the diversity within the ranks of the best lawyers: environmental, corporate, tax, and even award-fixing specialists. It’s a rainbow of legal talent, each color more vibrant and self-assured than the last. Let’s not forget the arduous path each of these best lawyers has taken to achieve this pinnacle of success. The late nights, the missed family dinners, the relentless pursuit of billable hours—all culminating in this shining moment of recognition. Your resilience and dedication to receiving awards are inspiring to us all. So, dear best lawyers, bask in the glow of your collective brilliance. Revel in the knowledge that you are, each and every one of you, the absolute pinnacle of legal excellence. Reflect on the improbability of so many bests coexisting in the same professional universe, and give yourselves a well-deserved pat on the back. In closing, while it is impossible to personally congratulate each of you due to the sheer volume of best-ness, know that my admiration is vast and boundless. Here’s to another year of being the best, and may the number of best lawyers continue to grow exponentially. Cheers! 😉

⚖ UK Law Firms: Need help with your Chambers submissions? I'm here! 🙋♀️ With the Chambers UK 2025 results recently released, now’s not the time to sit back and relax. If you want to improve or maintain your rankings, you need to be on top of the upcoming November submission deadlines. 😤 Not happy with your results? I can help by: - Conducting a detailed audit of your previous submission. - Offering actionable feedback to improve your next entry. - Identifying missed opportunities or gaps that could have impacted your outcome. 🎉 Even if you’re thrilled with your current ranking, staying on top is a continuous effort. I can help you: - Build on your existing success. - Refine your submission for next year. - Ensure no opportunities are overlooked for even better results. 💼 With the November deadline fast approaching, I still have some availability to support you! Whether you need a full submission written or just a fresh set of eyes to enhance what you’ve got, just shout - I'd be delighted to help elevate your ranking potential. 📣

Over 260 PEOPLE ATTENDING on Thursday morning (so far). ARE YOU? 'Effective partner reward and incentive options' webinar, with Jonathan Blair, Andy Harris and Glyn Morris, hosted by Andy Poole. 9.30-10.30a.m. 14 March. The 9th webinar in our popular Law Firm of Tomorrow series. #incentives #remunerationschemes #lockstep #teamwork #solicitor #lawfirm #makingiteasier #webinar #makingiteasier

As we approach the end of the 2024 calendar year, individual employees and employers may wonder about what is or is not unconscionable or severable with respect to arbitration agreements. Based on the California Supreme Court's opinion in Ramirez v. Charter Communications, Inc., California employers who require their employees to sign mandatory arbitration agreements should do their best to ensure mutuality and that the agreement (1) applies equally to claims which both employer and employee are likely to bring; (2) provides a reasonable time period to file a claim; and (3) requires a finding that a party’s claim was frivolous or groundless before awarding attorney’s fees. They should also know that including a severability clause does not guarantee that a court will sever clauses which it finds unconscionable; instead, the court will conduct a qualitative analysis as to whether severance will cure the unconscionable provisions. Best wishes for a happy holiday season and a Happy New Year! https://lnkd.in/gAN56pZY

Harbour is a wealth of information.

#LawyersofLinkedIn, tune into this Toronto Lawyers Association (TLA) webinar, and watch as Shalabh Gupta, CA, CBV, CFE and Kinjal Shah deliver a primer on business valuations. Shalabh Gupta and Kinjal Shah give a refresher on the concept of value in the context of business valuations, explaining how it reflects an asset's earning potential, market perception, and associated investment risks. The presenters discuss standards of value, the contexts in which they are applied, and highlight the distinction between price and value, illustrating these differences with practical case scenarios. Shalabh Gupta and Kinjal Shah emphasize the importance of expert-prepared business valuations in various legal contexts, such as tax strategies, shareholder disputes, and family law matters. The pair provide guidance on commonly used business valuation methods and their applications, they offer case studies, to depict how each valuation method is applied in specific situations, and stress that valuation is both a science and an art. You can watch the full program on-demand at CPDonline.ca when you get a low cost subscription! Save 50% on your 2024 CPD when you enter the code '2YEAROFF'! https://lnkd.in/exhBsx5a #Law #lawstudents #lawyers #lawfirmmarketing #lawyerlife #lawyering #lawsuits #lawandlegislation #legalissues #legalprofession #paralegals