The Practising Law Institute to Present 'Law Firm Leadership and Management Institute 2010'

Faculty of industry leaders will tackle the challenges currently facing the hard-hit industry

NEW YORK, Jan. 11 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- On February 1 - 2, 2010, the Practising Law Institute (PLI), the nation's largest producer of continuing legal education, will launch a first-time, state-of-the-art program entitled "Law Firm Leadership and Management Institute 2010," to be held at PLI's Conference Center in New York City and simultaneously Webcast at www.pli.edu.

This Institute will focus on the "hot button" issues that law firms struggle with today. Critical issues to be addressed include the future of "big law," billable hours, and alternative billing options, as well as concerns about delivering and maintaining the highest quality of work at a reasonable cost.

Law firms have been responding to these industry challenges with both expected and unexpected measures. Some have made significant cuts, deferrals and adjustments, and others are abandoning the associate class system and lockstep salary structures. Still others are lowering first-year associate salaries and billing rates, and at least one game-changing trans-Atlantic merger has been announced. The main question on the industry's mind is whether these are temporary changes in response to the current market conditions, or if they are here to stay.

Those who wish to hear what the leading consultants and academics, Chairmen, Managing Partners, Chief Financial Officers, Chief Operating Officers from top law firms, and General Counsels of corporations who tackle these issues on a daily basis have to say on these and other critical topics can attend the Institute in person or via the web.

As a special feature, there will be two luncheon presentations: "Educating the Next Generation of Lawyers," presented by Dean David E. Van Zandt, Northwestern University School of Law; and "Ethics and the Management of Law Firms," presented by Anthony E. Davis, Partner, Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP. Also, for the first time, attendees will hear a case study on the law firm Bingham McCutchen, presented by Ashish Nanda, Faculty Chair, Executive Education Research Director at the Center for Law and the Professions, Harvard Law School, and Jay Zimmerman, Chairman of Bingham McCutchen.

The program's stellar faculty includes: Candace K. Beinecke, Chair, Hughes Hubbard; Heather Bock, Ph.D., Chief Professional Development Officer, Howrey LLP; Francis B. Burch, Chairman, DLA Piper; Evan Chesler, Presiding Partner, Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP; H. Rodgin Cohen, Chairman, Sullivan & Cromwell LLP; Thomas A. Cole, Chair of the Executive Committee, Sidley Austin LLP; Arthur Culvahouse, Jr., Chair, O'Melveny & Myers LLP; Steven H. Davis, Chairman, Dewey & LeBouef LLP; John R. Ettinger, Managing Partner, Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP; Martin Frederic "Rick" Evans, Presiding Partner, Debevoise & Plimpton LLP; Michael D. Fricklas, Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary, Viacom, Inc; Eric Friedman, Executive Partner, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP; Kathy G. Gallo, Managing Principal, Goodstone Group LLC; Susan J. Hackett, Senior Vice President and General Counsel, The Association of Corporate Counsel; Andrew D. Hendry, Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary, Colgate-Palmolive Company; Michael Hersch, Executive Director, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP; Brad S. Karp, Chair of the Firm, Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP; David Lat, Managing Editor, Breaking Media; Susan C. Levy, Managing Partner, Jenner & Block; Jon Lindsey, Managing Partner, New York, Major, Lindsey & Africa; Francis M. Milone, Chair, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP; Norm Mullock, Vice President, LexisNexis Redwood Analytics; Lester S. Pataki; National Banking Practice Leader and Chairman of Law Firm Group, JP Morgan Private Wealth Management; William J. Perlstein, Co-Managing Partner, Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP; Peter John Sacripanti, Co-Chair, McDermott Will & Emery LLP; Esta Eiger Stecher, Executive Vice President and General Counsel, Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.; Barton J. Winokur, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Dechert LLP.

For more information on the Institute and its faculty, or to register for the live program or simultaneous Webcast, visit PLI's program website or call PLI's Customer Relations Department at (800) 260-4754. To arrange for a communal viewing of the Webcast in your conference room, please contact the Groupcasts Department via email at [email protected].

About Practising Law Institute:

Practising Law Institute (PLI) is a non-profit continuing legal education organization chartered by the Regents of the University of the State of New York, founded in 1933. PLI is dedicated to providing the legal community and allied professionals with the most up-to-date, relevant information and techniques critical to the development of a professional, competitive edge. We achieve these goals through the highest quality seminars held annually in locations across the United States, regularly supplemented treatises, audio CDs and DVDs, MP3s, live Webcasts, Course Handbooks, CLE Now web programs and private label solutions, all with the guidance of practice specific Advisory Committees. PLI is headquartered in New York City and also maintains offices in California.

SOURCE Practising Law Institute