EP #43: How Corporate Law Firms Want to Grow with Chris Batz and Howard Rosenberg
Release Date: 10/22/2024
EP #66: The Middle Market Maverick: Bob Hicks' Insurgent Approach and Vision for Taft
The Future Is Bright Podcast
What does it really take to build a national middle-market law firm that grows fast, integrates cleanly, and keeps its partners committed rather than walking out the door? Bob Hicks, chairman and managing partner of Taft Stettinius & Hollister, explains how middle market mergers have powered Taft’s expansion without sacrificing culture or retention. Rather than chasing scale for its own sake, he lays out a disciplined approach built on cultural alignment, economic fit, and client compatibility. Many conversations never become deals, and Hicks sees that restraint as a competitive...
info_outline
EP #65: From London to New York, Natasha Harrison with Pallas Partners and her Entrepreneurial Journey
The Future Is Bright Podcast
What does it take to build a high-stakes litigation firm that wins without Big Law scale while staying lean, values-driven, and firmly in control of its future? Chris Batz and Howard Rosenberg speak with Natasha Harrison, founder and managing partner of Pallas Partners, about what it takes to rethink the traditional law firm model from the ground up. Natasha shares why she left Big Law to build a focused litigation boutique rooted in senior judgment, clarity, and results rather than size or leverage. The conversation challenges the assumption that growth and prestige come from scale, offering...
info_outline
EP #64: Matthew L. Schwartz on The Boies Schiller Way: Excellence and Integrity
The Future Is Bright Podcast
A leader who built his career on high-stakes investigations shares how those experiences now shape the culture, standards, and direction of a top litigation firm. Matthew L. Schwartz, Chair of Boies Schiller Flexner LLP, joins Chris Batz and Howard Rosenberg to talk about what it takes to lead a litigation-first firm without losing the sharpness that defines its work. He reflects on a decade in the Southern District of New York, where cases tied to General Motors, the U.S. Department of the Treasury, and the fallout from Bernie Madoff shaped his views on judgment, clarity, and what clients...
info_outline
EP #63: Inside the Legal Profession: Trisha Rich on the Surging Interest in MSOs and ABSs
The Future Is Bright Podcast
The legal industry is racing toward new business models, and Trisha Rich offers a grounded view of what that shift actually requires. As a partner at Holland & Knight and a professor at New York University School of Law, she works at the center of the conversations driving MSO growth, ABS experimentation, and rising interest from Private Equity. Firms want support, investors want a foothold, and everyone wants clarity on where the ethical lines sit. Trisha argues that the answers are far less mysterious than people think. Independence, fee structures, and client protection still...
info_outline
EP #62: Laura Cameron of Pinsent Masons on Law Firm Strategy and Leadership across 4 Continents
The Future Is Bright Podcast
What happens when a 300-year-old law firm builds its future on client-led growth, global collaboration, and a culture that actually holds up across 29 offices? Laura Cameron, Global Managing Partner of Pinsent Masons, shares how she won a contested election with a vision rooted in people, purpose, and progress. She explains why growth only works when clients lead the way, how culture becomes a selection tool, and why she tests every new hire for “chemistry” before skill. The conversation cuts through leadership theory to reveal what it really means to run a global firm, balancing...
info_outline
EP #61: Changing Perceptions in a Vanilla Market: Mischon de Reya LLP’s Branding Story with Elliot Moss
The Future Is Bright Podcast
Elliot Moss didn’t join a law firm to keep things the same. As Partner and Chief Brand Officer at Mishcon de Reya LLP, he brought a deep understanding of branding into a profession that often dismisses it, and changed how one of the UK’s top firms thinks about growth and perception. He shares how clarity, consistency, and emotional intelligence turned Mishcon from a £45 million practice into a £380 million brand defined by truth and differentiation, not slogans. Clients, he says, may buy expertise, but they stay because of trust and how a firm makes them feel. He talks candidly...
info_outline
EP #60: Future-Proofing Your Law Firm: An Honest Conversation about Strategy and Growth with Chris Batz
The Future Is Bright Podcast
Many firms say they have a Law Firm Strategy, but few actually do. In this episode, Chris Batz breaks down what true strategy looks like inside corporate law firms and why clarity must come before growth. He introduces his framework for effective law firm strategy, the “three P’s”: positioning, perception, and competition. He explains how each reveals the gap between where a firm stands today and where it aims to be. From understanding client perception to benchmarking against competitors, he outlines how to replace internal optimism with market reality and strategic focus. Chris...
info_outline
EP #59: Sir Nigel Knowles: Shaping the Future of Biglaw
The Future Is Bright Podcast
Law firms everywhere are debating private equity. Sir Nigel Knowles has already lived the full arc, from global expansion to IPO to take-private. Joining hosts Chris Batz and Howard Rosenberg, the former global managing partner of DLA Piper and former CEO of DWF unpacks a career built on bold growth and tough calls. He shares how a 90-person practice in Sheffield became DLA Piper through disciplined strategy, relentless execution, and a shift from territorial “country barons” to one global firm. He walks through the three-way merger that hit at exactly the right moment, the lessons he...
info_outline
EP #58: Law Firms, PE, and MSOs: A Legal Ethics Conversation with Lucian Pera
The Future Is Bright Podcast
Private equity is circling the legal industry, and Lucian Pera is helping make sense of what that means for MSO law firms and beyond. Joining Chris Batz and Howard Rosenberg, Lucian breaks down how management services organizations (MSOs) and alternative business structures (ABSs) are giving outside investors new ways to participate in the economics of law - without running afoul of ethics rules like ABA Rule 5.4. Lucian makes it clear that these models are tools, not shortcuts. For some firms, an MSO structure may unlock the capital needed for technology, acquisitions, or ambitious...
info_outline
EP #57: Feeling the Squeeze: How Mid-Sized Law Firms Adapt and Compete
The Future Is Bright Podcast
Mid-sized law firms are facing pressure from every direction. Associates are poached with six-figure pay bumps, partners are stretched thin between billing and management, and specialty practices vanish without succession plans. At the same time, clients expect broader reach and deeper benches than many firms can deliver. In this episode, host Chris Batz shares what he’s hearing directly from managing partners and executive committee members across the country. He outlines the squeeze mid-sized firms are feeling - lagging organic growth, talent retention challenges, leadership burnout - and...
info_outline“Teams and groups are much harder to pull off. The degree of difficulty is a challenge. There’s a real prize if you get it right,” says co-host Howard Rosenberg as he and Chris Batz dig into the complexities of law firm growth through team acquisitions. They emphasize the strategic advantage of acquiring teams rather than individual hires. It’s a more challenging process, but the rewards—stronger firm cohesion, better retention, and a lower risk profile—make it worth the effort.
Chris notes that many firms are now open to making bold moves, like doubling their size through mergers. But both hosts point out that the real test is in integrating these new teams into the firm’s culture and structure. What makes for a smooth transition? They agree that a clear plan, strong leadership, and a compelling market story are essential. For any firm aiming to grow, this episode serves as a reminder that success lies in more than just closing the deal—it’s about executing a thoughtful, sustainable strategy.
Quotes
-
“If a law firm leader can do 10 onesies and twosies over the course of 12 months, that’s going to create some runway. That’s going to make it happen. But teams and groups are much harder to pull off. The degree of difficulty is a challenge. There’s a real prize if you get it right, but again, there’s a lot more work involved in pulling together a team. The team has to go together, and the conflicts have to be resolved.” (00:50 | Howard Rosenberg)
-
“Everyone wants a team or a group because it lowers the risk profile of doing these deals in the marketplace. They have a better traction rate in terms of… They don’t stick around for a lot longer. They’re embedded in the organization. They don’t leave as easily. There are obviously integration issues, but with the onesies and twosies, a lot of management time is spent just bringing those people to the line.” (01:24 | Howard Rosenberg)
-
“I think firms need to be focused and strategic, but they also need to be open-minded about how they go about that process.” (05:11 | Chris Batz)
-
“For firms to remain competitive, they have to think in larger acquisition sizes. But I respect firms that don’t have a desire to grow in dramatic ways. Continuing to do what they’ve done because it works for them is fine but the competitive landscape is changing.” (13:56 | Chris Batz)
Links
Connect with Howard Rosenberg:
LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hrosenberg/
Company web profile: https://www.baretzbrunelle.com/howard-rosenberg
Connect with Chris Batz:
LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisbatz/
LinkedIn Company page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/columbus-street/
Columbus Street website: https://www.columbus-street.com/
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm