Author: Intelligent Challenge

  • What lawyers can learn from the U.S. Navy SEALs

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    Intelligent Challenge
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    The politics, morality and socio-economic consequences of Osama Bin Laden’s death will undoubtedly be discussed for years to come, and this blog is certainly not the place for that debate. I would however like to stake my claim to being the first commentator to raise the issue of what lawyers can learn from the incident,…

  • The crowd in the cloud

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    Intelligent Challenge
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    These days, your knowledge is not enough to stand out from the crowd. But before I explain why that’s the case, and what you can do about it, let me quickly explain how this post came to be… One of the benefits of Twitter is connecting with a whole heap of like-minded people, and one…

  • Partner Smackdown!

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    Intelligent Challenge
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    Admit it. All of you who have worked in law firms have met one. The partner you want to avoid in the lift. Perhaps she’s the one with the really (really) bad temper. The table thumper. Maybe he’s the one who makes trainees cry. Is it the one who seems to have avoided any sort…

  • The future of law firm sales?

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    Intelligent Challenge
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    Inspired by a recent dialogue on Twitter between Mike Ames (@Mike_Ames_Flair) and I (@intchallenge), I was struck by the similarity of some of our messages to law firms on the thorny subject of sales (talking about “client development” is much easier…). After posting some linked blog posts, we decided it was time to experiment with a…

  • Beware – Psycho Lawyers!

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    Intelligent Challenge
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    One of the defining characteristics of a psychopath is apparently a lack of empathy. Now I’m not saying all lawyers are psychos (although I’ve certainly met some I wouldn’t want to meet in a dark alley!), or even that lawyers lack empathy, but I’ve got an interesting idea for you to play with, that might…

  • Presentation Shock and Awe

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    Intelligent Challenge
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    Ever sat through a truly awesome presentation? Seen one on TED?   What about during a law firm pitch?   As a reader of this blog, you’ve probably had some experience of pitches. Been on the receiving end? Starred in one? Orchestrated one? Been shoved in one at the last minute as a “subject matter…

  • A light sprinkling of vertical strategy

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    Intelligent Challenge
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    Think of a law firm in the top fifty in the UK or US. Got one? Ok. Now think about how they go to market. I’m going to guess their market strategy. Think really hard. Visualise their website. Hold, on. I’ve nearly got. Think a bit harder……. They’re vertically focussed, right? Right! These days pretty…

  • Can your clients say goodbye?

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    Intelligent Challenge
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    Regular visitors to this blog will know I’m a big fan of Michael Porter’s work, and have a genuine belief that all business people should read his two books (Competitive Strategy and Competitive Advantage). Competitive Strategy provides a framework for analysing industries, and helps the reader think about how attractive their marketplace is. One of…

  • Dude, your collateral sucks!

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    Intelligent Challenge
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    Off the back of attending a seminar for corporate counsel and risk professionals on the Bribery Act, and having previously worked with a law firm developing some anti-bribery products for their clients, I decided to see how law firms were marketing their services in this area. My methodology was scientific and rigorous. (not really) A…

  • What’s your career ROI (return on investment)?

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    Intelligent Challenge
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    A couple of interesting articles on the Careerist recently about law schools and their responsibility to law students. In particular there is a debate about the responsibility schools have to accept students (and their fees) when, in the current climate, job prospects can be slim. Here in the UK, there is another dynamic that has…