US Legal Group Structure Explained
Most US legal groups operate as a fiscally independent association of separate law firms. These groups typically do not have a formal head office or a permanent staff and are usually led by a governing board or committee. Responsibility for day-to-day operations is commonly delegated to an Executive Director or Chief Executive Officer, who is generally hired by the Board of Directors and is accountable to the Board.
Some legal groups have also established formal requirements for membership—most multistate and international groups restrict membership to law firms with an office where the group has no member law firm. It is common for US legal groups to establish peer review and member approval processes for prospective new members , and some multistate groups also require that 75% of the candidate firm’s lawyers be AV-rated and that the remainder of the firm’s lawyers be rated in the "high end preeminent category." Other requirements may also be imposed, including restrictions on conflicts of interest and billing rates and requirements such as offices in multiple locations.
The first generation of US legal groups mostly consisted of small to mid-size firms located in the same metropolitan area, with some offices abroad. Computer and telecommunications technologies have enabled the second generation of US legal groups to diversify more broadly, extending across the US without being limited to one city or state. The newest generation of US legal groups is now actively pursuing a wider client base by focusing on international markets.
How US Legal Groups Operate: Roles and Responsibilities
In the structure of the US legal group, it is typically comprised of attorneys, paralegals, and legal assistants, each with distinct responsibilities and capabilities.
Attorneys in the US legal group are often highly specialized. In fact, it is common for attorneys with a specific area of expertise to collaborate on a case. Cases and matters are generally assigned to an attorney with experience in those particular areas, thereby capitalizing on their knowledge base and skill sets.
Attorneys interface with the client to ensure cases or matters remain on track and are promptly and accurately addressed. They also coordinate with the specialists in the vendor network to ensure the vendor understands the requirements for the case or matter and is able to deliver precisely what is needed. (If the vendor will interface with an attorney, or if the client identifies an attorney to interface with the vendor, the vendor may be provided an attorney’s email address, phone number, and direct dial number.)
Typically, paralegals and legal assistants do not specialize in a particular area; however, the legal assistant:
The paralegal is also expected to:
Both the paralegal and legal assistant are typically charged with identifying the specific best-process approach to efficiently and effectively handle a case or matter. Often, they will work with the lead attorney to determine the most advantageous, efficient course of action.
There are more junior paralegals and/or legal assistants, as well. Having the same types of capabilities of the more senior paralegals/legal assistants, these individuals maybe tasked to oversee simple cases or matters that require little, if any, interaction with the client (and may also be responsible for billing and collection). When questions arise, individuals at all levels are encouraged to seek input and/or clarification from both their managers and the lead attorney.
What Services Do US Legal Groups Provide?
US Legal Groups, like LAW, offer a wide range of legal services to both businesses and individuals. Legal services typically offered include litigation, real estate, intellectual property, labor and employment, and a host of transactional legal services, among others. Litigation services offered are for civil law cases across the spectrum of industry sectors. Commercial businesses are well represented by membership organizations for advocacy and guidance on changes to laws. Intellectual property groups help clients to navigate in this complex area of law and ensure their innovations are protected in accordance with all applicable laws. Labor and employment groups offer guidance on compliance with state and federal employment regulations. US Legal Groups also offer advisory services to gain insight on how changes in laws might affect various sectors of society or industry. Along with advisory services groups may have the capability to assist in complying with the rules and regulations that govern their operations and to provide information to the public if requested.
How to Choose the Right US Legal Group
A suitable US legal group can mean the difference between failure and success in a case. There are countless factors to consider: experience, specialization and past successes are at the top of most lists. Coupled with relevant field experience, experience with cases similar to yours and cases like yours are important. Misdemeanor offenses are different from felonies, as are DWI charges and public intoxication. Property disputes are different from water or wastewater management disputes. Experienced practitioners who know the particulars of cases like yours will likely respond to your needs most appropriately.
In addition to considering specific experience in cases similar to yours, you should also consider specialized attorneys. Like all fields, the legal profession is vast and knowledgeable. Different areas of expertise are not uncommon. As an example, there may be attorneys who specialize specifically in family law parents, not just divorce and separation. Specialized attorneys are likely to have the skills needed to present the finest defense, offense or case development possible.
Another great tool when assessing the suitability of a US legal group is client feedback. Positive feedback is a great sign your attorneys may be a suitable match for your case. In contrast, negative reviews may foreshadow trouble down the road. Of course, no one is perfect. The best attorneys may have one or two issues, or even just a couple of clients who are unhappy. That’s the way it goes. Still, if a certain firm has negative reviews consistently, something may be wrong.
How Technology Is Impacting US Legal Groups
The court system is inundated with new treatment and lawsuit certifications on a quarterly basis. The judicial guessing game between plaintiffs and defendants has gotten much more difficult in the past few years, as recently certified cases make their marks it tends to sway how cases are handled moving forward. For example, ProPublica reported that courts ruled for the plaintiffs in 81% of cases related to Fair Credit Reporting laws last year.
This has forced defense firms to invest in new legal tech solutions and digital tools that can take efficiency to new levels in order to stand a chance against the new wave of regulations within these relatively unregulated areas. One of the best ways to run operations smoothly and keep costs low throughout a case is to rely on technology and leverage it in every way possible.
The rise of "legal ops" departments has been a boon to the industry , as companies will hire experts with experience in corporate operations and set them loose on the firm’s various back-end processes. This allows general counsels to focus on substantive changes while they learn to become more of a business consultant than a lawyer. The unfortunate part is that not enough firms have legal ops departments and those who do are less than likely to share best practices with other firms. This means that there is plenty of opportunity, but it’s a waiting game for most firms.
Current Issues Facing US Legal Groups
Despite the statistics, law firms in the United States continue to face new challenges. Regulatory changes present a major concern for US legal groups; with the drastic shifts in regulations over the past year, it is becoming significantly more difficult for local firms to keep up to date on new regulations and the related compliance requirements. US legal groups also find themselves facing competition from NewLaw vendors, most of whom can provide the necessary support and services to smaller businesses at lower prices. The competition US legal groups are facing now also comes from the global market; another area of concern is the increased use of artificial intelligence and the emergence of Technology Assisted Review (TAR), which has now begun to replace the need for first-level document review. As a result, US legal groups are forced to broaden their search for professionals beyond their own geographic borders. Additionally, the increasing fee pressure and ongoing decrease in margins is causing many US legal groups to revisit their technology line – some groups may be moving toward cloud-based solutions in an effort to cut expenses. Since many US legal groups will continue to look outside the US for the appropriate talent to move from basic review to complex projects, they are finding it increasingly difficult to meet the demand for qualified resources without relying on temporary contractors abroad.
The Future of US Legal Groups
Trends suggest that the US Legal Group model will continue to be a growing component of the market for legal services in the coming decade. Some of the more interesting forces at play in the legal sector today include:
More and more law firms are considering adopting legal group components. The use of a US Legal Group model can be a means of expanding the reach of a firm by incorporating the other primary areas in which a legal group can operate through its affiliate US Legal Groups Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, or the Middle East .
A continuing trend among our in-house clients is the use of outside counsel as "virtual law office" or "in-house law department" partners, under which the outside legal group appoints an attorney to work on-site in the client’s offices and under client supervision.
The ongoing challenges of record management and billing have also sparked a movement toward firms charging for these processes on an hourly basis, as opposed to a flat fee. This opens up financial opportunities for legal groups with legal resources that offer outsourced billing and document management equipment.