Defense Digest

Message From The Executive Committee

Efficiency. Economies of scale. Highest and best use. These are phrases commonly utilized by corporate America today as the best way for businesses to service their clients. Do these terms apply to a law firm? If so, can a law firm properly and professionally staff cases while passing these efficiencies to its clients?

In the case of Marshall, Dennehey, Warner, Coleman & Goggin, I would respectfully answer these questions quite simply, yes and yes! Let me explain.

Over the past ten years in response to client requests, our firm has deliberately set forth its expansion model in a geographic fashion in order to more cost efficiently practice our profession. As the map in this publication reveals, we have seventeen offices, each located in a particular area to better serve our clients. By way of example, many years ago it was not uncommon for a client to retain a Philadelphia law firm to handle a relatively minor matter in the Pennsylvania Poconos. If one includes time and travel expense, what should have been a relatively inexpensive statement for professional services would actually be greater than the amount at issue in the case; hence, our Scranton, Pennsylvania office. This former "satellite" office is now the largest defense firm in that region.

It is one thing to have offices strategically located. It is yet another thing to have the appropriate professional staff to handle the array of legal disciplines which are assigned to the firm. To better serve our clients as we were growing our firm geographically, we transitioned to practice group management. What this means is that the attorneys in this firm are placed in one of four practice groups: casualty, professional liability, healthcare and workers' compensation/employment. Once placed into a practice group, the attorney becomes high proficient in their legal discipline. For example, our healthcare attorneys are dedicated to only this discipline. Generally, you will not see one of our healthcare liability attorneys defending an automobile accident one day, a slip and fall another day, and thereafter another healthcare case, absent some specific need for their services in a specific case. Our attorneys become knowledgeable and effective in their fields. Practice group management and geographic reach are but two examples of how Marshall, Dennehey, Warner, Coleman & Goggin is able to deliver an efficient "product" to our clients.

But what about rates? As the individual at this firm responsible firm-wide for our rate program, I have discussed this issue many times with many of the readers of this publication. While the firm strives to maintain a competitive rate structure, it is our opinion that the price per case, not the hourly rate, would generally be the benchmark by which to evaluate the value of legal services. We are very proud of our cost-per-case and believe that we offer one of the most cost-efficient legal products in the civil defense industry. Of course, our firm has been a pioneer in and remains a leader in alternative billing arrangements, and we continue to seek out these mutually beneficial arrangements with our clients. If any of you have an interest in discussing alternative billing arrangements, I would be pleased to entertain such a discussion.

As I wrote in this column previously, our firm is blessed to have some of the finest defense litigators in this country. Combining this talent with our geographic reach, specialty practice structure and expertise enables us to move forward in tandem with our clients to ensure that we deliver the most efficient, cost-effective and skilled legal representation possible.