46 LEXPERT MAGAZINE
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APRIL/MAY 2017
| BOUTIQUES & SPECIALTY FIRMS |
relations people and crisis communications consultants. ere are many excellent external crisis communications
and government-relations experts, she says, that don't work within a law firm. And most law firms are strictly law.
"Our idea is that the clients are looking for integrated advice, but if I say to a client, 'I think we need com-
munications advice, so I'm going to hire a consultant,' oen they'd say, 'Hmmm.' But if we can just provide the
communications advice, or have a government-relations person step into the meeting to say, 'is is what this
looks like,' we're not going through a whole separate vetting process, [requests for proposals] and all that. ere's
a lot of complication to hiring other advisors versus having them in-house."
Also, Hansell points out that an integrated team is more likely to talk openly and work co-operatively
"because if you're siloed, everybody wants to win the point, because that's how they're relevant." at's just
the kind of advice technology will never offer.
PETER GRIFFIN
Office: Toronto
Focus: Litigation
MINDFUL
COMPETITION
LENCZNER SLAGHT ROYCE SMITH GRIFFIN LLP
When it comes to Bay Street litigation boutiques, Lenczner Slaght is unques-
tionably among the most prominent. With 57 lawyers, it is equal in size and
mandate to large firm litigation departments. It is also a go-to firm for big-
firm conflict work, a delicate dance where top corporate firms are sometimes
friends, and sometimes foes.
Managing partner Peter Griffin says if Lenczner Slaght gets a call from
a large corporation asking it to handle a litigation matter, the firm will ac-
cept it regardless of the client's existing relationships with other firms. But
Lenczner Slaght is also "mindful" that referrals from the top-tier corporate
firms are an important source of work, so it is very careful to be "respectful."
at means it won't try to poach a file by calling another firm's client who
may be facing a disclosure issue, for example, to try to convince them to let
the boutique do any resulting class-action litigation.
Where Lenczner does get referrals, it is careful to keep the partner who
sent the work in the loop as much as possible, without violating client
confidentiality, "so they know what's going on, the key developments, and
when it's over." ey then send the client back to the referring firm as
soon as possible.
ey also, incidentally, try to do great work. "I know if I send some-
body somewhere, it's because I want a good job done. I want to know
at the end of the day that the client says, 'anks for sending me to XY
or Z because they did a great job.' en I know the client's interests are
protected. So I'm very mindful that they put their credibility on the line
when they make a recommendation."
It's one thing to be on top, another to stay there. Lenczner's strategy is
to keep an eye on diversification into areas that make sense. "We have, for
instance, a growing intellectual property litigation practice," Griffin says.
"You've got to look at the marketplace and where you can fit — and fit well,
given our size and profile. Going head to head just on commercial litigation,
there's only a certain amount of it. You run into the Darwinian principle,
more people fighting for less work. So we're constantly on the lookout now
for areas of diversification."
Sandra Rubin is a Toronto-based
writer and strategic consultant.
