SCG Legal December 2023 Newsletter

December 26, 2023
scglegal

With 2023 just days away from its inevitable end, I am happy to offer a summary of how active our network was this year while looking forward to the many (many!) opportunities that lie ahead in 2024 and beyond.

SCG Legal continues to grow its reach, influence, and impact through a community that today stands strong at 122 firms strategically allied across 62 countries. (Click HERE for a downloadable brochure with a member directory.) Our unique collective of the right people connecting at the right time for the right reason is an unparalleled competitive advantage in the legal industry, ensuring member firms are well equipped to support their colleagues and clients as events around the world affect us all personally, professionally, and politically.

I encourage you and your firm colleagues to take advantage of every benefit, program, and meeting SCG Legal offers. My promise to you is that I will always seek out and execute on input that increases the value of your firm’s involvement and investment in our network.

Wishing you peace, health, and happiness this holiday season.

Best,
Alina Gorokhovsky, CEO
agorokhovsky@scglegal.com
Cell: 442-928-4039

*DECEMBER HIGHLIGHTS*

New Website. Some of you may have noticed that SCG debuted a new website (same URL: scglegal.com) this month. We are in the ‘soft launch’ period so the website team can work through any functionality and/or formatting challenges that only evidence themselves once a site is out of test mode. In January, we will announce the new site, including current and coming features, and send an email directly to member firm Voting Representatives asking for an update of their firm’s details if/as necessary. Stay tuned!

New Staff Member. SCG Legal has expanded its team to strengthen the support and value offered to our member firms. Michele Bisceglie, a veteran of professional services industry including legal, will start on January 1 as Director, Business Development and Strategic Initiatives. You may have already had an opportunity to work with Michele or meet her at our Annual and Midyear meetings, she has worked with SCG Legal since April 2020 as a consultant.

Timely Industry Report. As you continued preparing for the new year, the 2024 Citi Bank Client Advisory may be of interest. It includes a 2023 legal market industry performance overview as well as a detailed report on growth opportunities and challenges for 2024.

2023: A LOOK BACK

Six New Member Firms. SCG continues to expand strategically through key countries and regions. Please reach out to each new Voting Representative (VR) to explore ways you can work together.

New Chambers Ranking. SCG was once again recognized by Chambers and Partners in the Leading Law Firm Networks: Global Market Leaders (Band 1) category, and this year marks the network’s debut in The Elite ranking. Additionally, the network maintained its rankings for Leading Law Firm Networks: Highly Regarded – Nationwide – Canada and Leading Law Firm Networks: Asia-Pacific Region. For the press release, click HERE.

New Certification Program. SCG has developed a proprietary Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Advocate Certification Program™ in collaboration with Coston Consulting, a leading business advisory firm with DEI expertise in the legal industry. The program, which requires meeting key core competencies to earn the certification, has been designed to support SCG’s members in the strategic and thoughtful progression of internal, firmwide DEI efforts. Six firms are participating in the pilot year. For the press release, click HERE.

New Partner Institute (NPI) Nears 100 Graduates. Included as a ‘no extra cost’ benefit for each member firm, NPI is an exclusively SCG program designed to springboard the careers of newly promoted partners who want to establish a competitive advantage through the resources, tools, networking techniques, and insights that enable them to drive a proactive, productive, and profitable practice. Firms are encouraged to nominate 2024 program candidates by sending attorney name and a link to their firm profile to SCG Legal CEO Alina Gorokhovsky at agorokhovsky@scglegal.com. 

Meetings for Practice & Affinity Groups. SCG hosts a robust schedule of recurring meetings for the following groups: Asia and Pacific Rim; Bankruptcy and Insolvency​; Canada; Employment; Europe; Government Procurement​; Government Relations Taskforce; Latin America and Caribbean; International Arbitration; Technology & Digital Economy/Cyber; U.S. Regions; and Women in Law.

Member-Only ‘Best Practices’ Trainings. At no cost to members, SCG provides a number of training programs for firms including but not limited to Tips for LinkedIn; Creating, Leveraging, and Sustaining Your Professional Identity; Business Development Presentations; Business Planning; Best Practices for Writing Bios; Guest Speakers at Regional Calls; Building a High Performance Alternative Free Arrangement Culture; and Networking for Lawyers. If your firm is interested in one of these training programs or has another specific need, please email SCG Legal CEO Alina Gorokhovsky at agorokhovsky@scglegal.com and SCG will find the best resource to support the request.

Mobile App Accessible to All. SCG’s mobile app continues to gain strength and usability as a global connection tool for business development, referral, and cross-selling opportunities. All member firm Voting Representatives as well as attorneys attending our in-person meetings have a profile available through the Members tab. We encourage you to download and use the app yourself as well as sharing its availability with your firm colleagues. For directions on how to download the app and access the Members tab, click HERE. In addition to the member directory profiles, SCG also uses the app for in person events, including Midyear and Annual meetings.

Global Spin. At no cost and inclusive of full production support, SCG continues to support member firms with pod/webcast opportunities through its Global Spin platform. Please contact Membership Coordinator Erin Kane at ekane@scglegal.com if you would like to schedule a recording.

Regional Meetings. In March, 43 participants met in Singapore – representing every local member firm and including attendees from Australia, China, Cyprus, India, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, UK, U.S., and Vietnam – for a two-day agenda focused on significantly relevant client matters [healthcare/bio convergence; dispute resolution and international arbitration strategies; cybersecurity and GDPR; fintech/crypto and NFTs; telecom and tech; family trusts; and cross border M&A, including public offerings/variable capital companies (VCC) and special purpose acquisition companies (SPAC)] as well as timely law firm management topics [environmental, social, and governance (ESG); talent recruitment; diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI)] and best practices for business development. In June, 27 members met in Halifax – including at least one representative from each Canadian member firm – for exceptional thought leadership, the highlight of which was a lively discussion with special guest Halifax Mayor Mike Savage; significant knowledge and idea sharing; critical business development opportunities; and great fellowship.

Midyear Meeting Best Attended in Organization’s History. With 120 attendees (68 member firms representing 37 countries), SCG’s 2023 Midyear Meeting in Berlin May 11-12 was not only a win in participation (previous recordholder was London in 2018 with 89 attendees), the agenda also garnered praise thanks to the efforts of local member/host firm GvW Graf von Westphalen, which secured as keynote Dr. Theo Waigel, the longest-serving Minister of Finance for the Federal Republic of Germany, and the man responsible for selecting Euro as the name of the single currency for the European Union. To access the Meeting’s portal that includes session recordings and presentation slides, click HERE.

Annual Meeting Draws 86 Member Firms. With 180 attendees (representing 42 countries and most U.S. states), SCG’s 2023 Annual Meeting in New Orleans was a visible display of SCG’s global reach, influence, and impact. The agenda focused on timely topics – from the keynote by Samantha Jordan of Future Today Institute on ‘The Future of AI And How Emerging Technologies Will Change the World’ to the various breakouts on pressing issues such as cross-border M&A, supply chain trends shaping international trade, climate change, healthcare, digital currency, and immigration – while also ensuring there was ample time for members to connect, develop, and strength relationships for business development, cross-selling, and referral opportunities. To access the Meeting’s portal that includes session recordings and presentation slides, click HERE.

This year, the Annual Meeting also featured a pre-event workshop entitled ‘Business Development for Women Lawyers: Strategies for Success’ focused on actionable advice for female lawyers interested in customizing their business development style to achieve success. It was coordinated by SCG’s Women in Law Task Force and local member/host firm Adams and Reese LLP’s Women in Law affinity group.

#SCGTHRIVE Webinar. SCG hosted ‘How Does Trust Shape and Influence Every Aspect of Our Lives, A Special Presentation of the 2023 Edelman Trust Barometer (Global Report),’ which shed light on today’s biggest challenges to identify opportunities for building trust, unity, and common purpose, and provided a guide for law firm leaders and their clients on how to build cooperation in today’s complex, polarized, and fragmented world. The survey for this Report canvassed 28 countries and covers four forces that lead to polarization: Economic Anxieties, Institutional Imbalance, Mass-Class divide, and The Battle for Truth. To view the webinar recording, click HERE. To read the 2023 Edelman Trust Barometer report, click HERE.

Year-End Business Development Webinars. SCG hosted a two-part webinar series (click on title to access page with recording) focused on achievable strategies for client expectations, retention, and growth: How to Conduct an Effective Meeting for Client Retention and Client Growth Strategies for the New Year webinar.

2024: A LOOK AHEAD

Most of the programs and activities mentioned above will carry over into the new year. Below are just a few of the new opportunities members can expect to hear more about in 2024. 

Midyear Meeting: Registration Now Open

Thanks to local member firm/host Beauchamps, keynote speakers have already been secured: Bertie Ahern, former Irish Taoiseach (Prime Minister) and Liz O’Donnell, former Government Minister.

  • REGISTER TODAY and be sure to reserve your hotel room through SCG’s special room rate as soon as possible.

As the agenda evolves, your suggestions for session/panel/discussion topics and speakers are also welcomed for both this midyear meeting and our annual meeting in Los Angeles. Please email Alina Gorokhovsky (agorokhovsky@scglegal.com) directly with your ideas and recommendations.

Annual and Midyear Meetings: Save the Details 

2025 Meetings
Midyear Meeting | May 15 – 16 | Barcelona (Spain)
Annual Meeting | Austin, Texas (US)

2026 Meetings
Midyear Meeting | Melbourne (Australia)
Annual Meeting | Washington, DC (US)

SCG AI Strategy Exchange. SCG has partnered with LawVision, an industry leader in creating competitive advantages for law firms, on a curated opportunity for member firms to strategically leverage artificial intelligence (AI) into sophisticated competitive advantages for how their legal services are provided and consumed. The program will focus on four key areas: Industry Insights and Lessons Learned; Ethics and Governance; Law Firm Operations and Design; and Risk Sharing and Collaboration. Additional information will be emailed to SCG’s Voting Representatives in January.

Consultant Network. SCG is building a robust consultant network to support member firms with ‘best practices’ related to a variety of business and professional development as well as firm leadership efforts, including but not limited to AI strategy; DEI; legal project management; process improvement; executive presence; rate and pricing strategy; and more.

Targeted Practice Initiatives. SCG anticipates the following practice groups will formalize: Patent Prosecution and Litigation, Environment/Energy Europe; Life Sciences; Mergers & Acquisitions; Tax; Trusts and Estates; and White Collar. If there is another practice group you think needs to formalize, please email your suggestion/s to SCG Legal CEO Alina Gorokhovsky at agorokhovsky@scglegal.com.

Meet & Greets Around the Globe. As shared, SCG monitors member attendance at global industry events to help facilitate and/or potentially sponsor networking opportunities. Below are some of the events SCG is tracking for on-site member meetups and – if appropriate – invitations to additional networking opportunities with clients. If you/r firm colleagues are planning to attend these events – or would like to suggest other events be added to this list – please email Membership Coordinator Erin Kane (ekane@scglegal.com).

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