Although each [South American member firm] is a top-tier firm in its country, each continually aspires to be even better and to provide world-class services and value to its clients.
Houston, Texas (PRWEB) November 12, 2013
Lex Mundi and its ten member firms in South America have launched a three-year project to enhance the value the firms provide to clients by increasing the efficiency with which the firms produce excellent written work.
Lex Mundi has collaborated with Tim Terrell and Steve Armstrong, noted U.S.-based legal writing and editing experts, to develop a program that provides for on-site training and consultation at each of the ten member firms through 2016. The program will provide the skills and common vocabulary needed by firm lawyers to prepare documents, edit documents and revise documents in a manner that will result in the production of better documents for the client in a more cost-effective manner.
Mr. Terrell, a law professor at Emory University School of Law and founder of LAWriters, and Mr. Armstrong, former Director of Professional Development with Wilmer Hale, founder of Armstrong Talent Development and a co-founder of Firm Leader, Inc., are co-authors of Thinking Like a Writer: A Lawyer’s Guide to Effective Writing and Editing, a landmark publication now in its third edition. They have worked with major law firms, corporate legal departments, government agencies and judges in the United States and around the world.
“Clients are constantly seeking more value – high quality work produced more efficiently,” noted Alfredo O’Farrell, Senior Partner of Marval, O’Farrell & Mairal, Lex Mundi member firm for Argentina. “This ambitious project will keep our firm at the cutting-edge of delivering value to clients.”
The program will provide initial and on-going training for partners and associates currently at the firm and for lawyers who join the firm. “While clients will be attracted to a firm with a comprehensive long-term plan for enhancing the quality and cost-effectiveness of its services, we also expect that new young lawyers will be attracted to a firm with a comprehensive long-term plan for enhancing the quality of written work” said Paulo Rocha, co-managing partner of Demarest Advogados, Lex Mundi member firm for Brazil.
Tim Terrell observed, “Steve and I are excited to be part of this continent-wide, long-term initiative to improve skills and increase value to clients. We are not aware of any project on this scale having been undertaken before.”
The project, which will begin in early 2014, is part of a major initiative created by Lex Mundi and its ten South American member firms, known as South American Professional Development Resource Services (SAPDRS), to improve significantly the professional development and training functions of the member firms. As part of SAPDRS all ten member firms are currently engaged in a year-long project to assess and plan enhancements to their knowledge management capabilities. The firms also participate heavily in the intensive week-long training programs provided by the Lex Mundi Institute and in training workshops and roundtables organized by Lex Mundi.
“I am impressed by the deep commitment to continuous improvement demonstrated by our South American member firms”, said Suzanne Fine, Lex Mundi’s London-based Director of Professional Development. “Although each is a top-tier firm in its country, each continually aspires to be even better and to provide world-class services and value to its clients.”
Lex Mundi’s ten member firms in South America are:
- Argentina: Marval, O’Farrell & Mairal
- Bolivia: C.R. & F. Rojas – Abogados
- Brazil: Demarest Advogados
- Chile: Claro & Cia Abogados
- Colombia: Brigard & Urrutia Abogados
- Ecuador: Perez, Bustamante & Ponce
- Paraguay: Peroni Sosa Tellechea Burt & Narvaja
- Peru: Estudio Olaechea
- Uruguay: Guyer & Regules
- Venezuela: Hoet Pelaez Castillo & Duque
Lex Mundi is the world’s leading network of independent law firms with in-depth experience in 100+ countries. Lex Mundi member firms offer clients preferred access to more than 21,000 lawyers worldwide – a global resource of unmatched breadth and depth. Each member firm is selected on the basis of its leadership in – and continued commitment to – its local market. The Lex Mundi principle is one independent firm for each jurisdiction. Firms must maintain their level of excellence to retain membership within Lex Mundi.
Through close collaboration, information-sharing, training and inter-firm initiatives, the Lex Mundi network is an assurance of connected, on-the ground expertise in every market in which a client needs to operate. Working together, Lex Mundi members are able to seamlessly handle their clients’ most challenging cross-border transactions and disputes.
Member law firms are located throughout Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia and the Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean and North America. Through our nonprofit affiliate, the Lex Mundi Pro Bono Foundation, members also provide pro bono legal assistance to social entrepreneurs around the globe.
For more information, please visit http://www.lexmundi.com and http://www.lexmundiprobono.org.