Schwabe, Williamson & Wyatt, a regional law firm with an office in Vancouver, announced a reorganization and rebranding effort today based on client feedback.
The firm is now organized around six core industry groups: manufacturing and distribution; natural resources; real estate and construction; transportation, ports and maritime; technology; and healthcare.
“This is a cultural shift, not a marketing shift,” said Mark Long, managing partner of Schwabe, in a press release. “Our clients and other business leaders we interviewed made it clear that they want partners who add value beyond providing high-quality legal support. They need somebody who understands their business and their industry. It only makes sense that we organize around our clients’ industries, require our attorneys to champion those sectors, and hire more talent to expand our client service offerings.”
Company officials said the internal accounting of attorneys’ time has also been adjusted in order to ensure they can spend more time on-site with clients, attending industry conferences and serving in industry leadership positions.
Catapult Growth, a Denver-based firm that helps services firms position for growth, gathered the client feedback for Schwabe that led to the reorganization.
“There are a lot of law firms that promote an industry focus, but only a handful that have done the hard work of changing their culture to reorganize around industry groups,” said Doug Johnson, managing director & CEO of Catapult Growth. “Business consulting firms went to an industry group model years ago. Law firms are just now starting to see the wisdom in it, but Schwabe is one of only a handful nationally to embrace it.”
In order to communicate their re-organization, Schwabe has updated their logo and launched a new website designed to provide more information about the reorganization. The new website can be accessed at www.schwabe.com.