Press Room

Friday, November 4, 2011, 5:00am CDT

JuriStaff Co-founder Jim Larosa tells Nashville Business Journal that companies are reducing legal costs by farming out legal work to medium sized cities

Nashville Business Journal by Annie Johnson, Staff Reporter

Watch out Manhattan, Nashville law firms are edging for your clients.

That’s because these days corporations are spending less on legal costs, a shift that is boosting opportunities for law firms in Nashville, who are more and more getting a seat at the table with big-time clients that once overlooked smaller, regional firms.

The power shift could not only bring more legal work to the area, but it also has the potential to raise the city’s perception in the eyes of heavy-hitting corporations.

A key reason for the movement to more regional markets: cost.

Take, for example, a decision by New York-based law firm Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman earlier this month to bring 150 employees to Nashville as part of an expansion, a move partially made to help cut costs.

Pillsbury, which specializes in energy and natural resources, financial services, real estate and technology sectors, plans to open a professional services center and begin transferring and recruiting employees in spring 2012.

After researching and touring several cities, I am confident that Nashville has the talent, infrastructure and cost advantages we need to build a world-class service center, Pillsbury CFO Sean Whelan said at the time of the announcement.

The cost of living, office space and even hourly wages are lower in Nashville than other metropolitan areas. Take New York City, where the average hourly rate for attorneys can be more than $1,000. In Nashville, those rates can be closer to $200 an hour.

A trend had been to start looking at putting some of the cost of litigation, particularly discovery and e-discovery, offshore, typically to places in Asia, added Jim LaRosa, co-founder of Philadelphia-based JuriStaff.

But over the last couple of years the thought has been, because there are still law firms and corporations that are uncomfortable with that, especially if there are some security issues let’s try to find locations within the United States where we¹re not going to get the same low rates that we could get (in) India, (but) we could get rates better than we would get in New York.

Scott Derrick has seen more opportunities with large, out-of-town clients as his firm has become local counsel for issues handled in the Nashville area.

You are hired as local counsel where they have the multi-national or huge national law firm, and you work with some people and they realize that (you’re) capable of doing some of those things here and, generally, at a lower cost, said Derrick, managing member for Nashville-based Gullett Sanford Robinson & Martin PLLC.

Nashville’s biggest law firm, Waller Lansden Dortch & Davis, is seeing similar opportunities by proposing alternative fee arrangements that might be attractive to companies seeking to save on legal costs.

We do find that to be a very effective way to get more market share, especially with clients that may have been serviced by larger firms that may not be as willing to give those arrangements,² said John Tishler, chairman of Waller.

In fact, Tishler said the firm has at least four or five alternative arrangements with big clients that account for about $5 million of legal business a year.

October 24, 2011

JuriStaff Co-founder James Larosa tells Law360 that Houston is a hot market for law firm expansion

Law360, New York (October 24, 2011, 1:33 PM ET) -- Baker Donelson Bearman
Caldwell & Berkowitz PC on Monday announced its merger with Houston's Spain
Chambers, giving the Tennessee-based firm its first office in Texas.

Baker Donelson, which will retain its name, will now have about 620 attorneys in 17
offices in six states and Washington.

“For both Baker Donelson and Spain Chambers, the driving force behind this merger is
our commitment to serving our clients,” Baker Donelson Chairman and CEO Ben C.
Adams said.

“Expanding into the Texas market enhances Baker Donelson's ability to serve the needs
of existing clients who have substantial interests in Houston and throughout Texas,” he
said. "The timing and decision to move into Texas now just made sense for us, and with
their strong reputation and solid experience, Spain Chambers is a great fit for our
clients' needs.”

Baker Donelson has attorneys and public policy advisers in more than 30 practice areas
serving a wide range of legal needs. The 73rd-largest law firm in the country, Baker
Donelson has been listed as one of Fortune magazine's 100 best companies to work
for.

Spain Chambers is a full-service firm representing Texas businesses, from Fortune 500
companies to entrepreneurs, and in a wide range of industries, including energy and oil


field services, manufacturing, construction, engineering, health care, and information.

“Merging with a firm with the national reputation of Baker Donelson offers our clients an
expanded platform with international reach while receiving outstanding professional
service,” Spain Chambers shareholder Bradley E. Chambers said. “In addition to the
vast resources and state-of-the-art technologies that Baker Donelson brings, we felt the
firm's culture of commitment to clients, employees and community presents an excellent
fit for us as well.”

James Larosa, co-founder and principal of legal staffing company JuriStaff Inc., told
Law360 on Monday that Baker Donelson's move was part of a growing trend of large
law firms expanding through acquisitions rather than organic growth.

In addition, he said, the merger was indicative of firms' desire to move into Texas, which
has become a more attractive and important market in recent years, and a trend of firms
increasing their energy practices. Firms see the energy practice as one that will keep
growing over the next 10 years, especially in Texas, he said.

“You have a lot of the major players down there,” Larosa said. “If you ... want to grow
your firm, [and] you want to grow it in a practice area which many feel is going to grow,
you're looking at energy.”

He added that the merger provided Baker Donelson with the twofold bonus of gaining a
stronger energy group and a post in Texas.

“There's a real feel that, if you're growing your law firm, Texas is the place to be,” he
said, comparing the legal landscape there now to that of Silicon Valley in past years.

--Additional reporting by Martin Bricketto and Erin Coe. Editing by John Williams.

December 22, 2010

pHILADELPHIA Smartceo maGAzine names juristaFF TO LIST OF FASTEST-GROWING COMPANIES

PHILADELPHIA, PA (DECEMBER 22, 2010) – JuriStaff, a leading provider of legal support, recruitment and consulting services, announced that Philadelphia SmartCEO magazine, along with Clifton Gunderson LLP, has named the company to its first-annual Future 50 list, which recognizes JuriStaff as one of the region’s fastest-growing companies. JuriStaff joins a group of dynamic companies, which collectively employ 60,000 people and generate over $7 billion in revenue. The award winners will be profiled in the January 2011 issue of Philadelphia SmartCEO.

Future 50 is SmartCEO’s largest and most highly anticipated program of the year, recognizing 50 local companies based on their revenue and employee growth over a three-year period. These companies, each of which earn in excess of $5 million in annual revenue, represent the future of the region’s economy and are exemplary leaders in business.

“Each Future 50 winner has effectively translated their passion and innovation into tremendous growth and success,” says Jaime Nespor-Park, publisher of SmartCEO magazine. “We are honored to recognize the 60 fastest-growing companies in Greater Philadelphia.”


Winners will be recognized at the Philadelphia SmartCEO Future 50 event, scheduled to take place Jan. 20, 2011, at the Crystal Tea Room.

“We’re honored to be recognized among companies that are leaders in their industries, and that are poised for continued success,” said Cindy Towers, CEO and co-founder of JuriStaff. “Our inclusion in the Future 50 list is a direct reflection of our team’s hard work and innovation. It’s also a testament to our customers, who truly appreciate the value we bring to an evolving, challenging legal environment. As the Future 50 recognition implies, I look forward to all the opportunities that lie ahead in this exciting industry.”

 

For a complete list of winners, see below or visit www.smartceo.com. Nominations for Future 50 closed in mid-October. Nominations for the 2012 program are expected to open in mid-August.

 

November 1, 2010

 

Juristaff Named ONE OF Philadelphia Area’s fastest-growing companies

Legal services firm receives Philly 100® recognition from consortium of regional business organizations

PHILADELPHIA, PA (NOVEMBER 1, 2010) – JuriStaff, a leading provider of legal staffing, recruitment and consulting services, announced that the Entrepreneurs Forum of Greater Philadelphia, in conjunction with the Wharton Small Business Development Center and Philadelphia Business Journal, has named the firm to its annual Philadelphia 100® list, which recognizes privately held businesses for their growth and positive impact to the regional economy. JuriStaff was also recognized as one of the largest private employers on the Philadelphia 100 list.

“It’s an honor to be recognized by such a well-respected consortium of business organizations,” said Cindy Towers, CEO of JuriStaff. “And we’re proud to be named among some of the most successful companies in the Philadelphia area. This Philadelphia 100 recognition is a reflection of our commitment to our clients, and the hard work of our team in Philadelphia and our network of attorneys across the country.”

The Philadelphia 100 is an annual program that highlights the region’s economic vitality while fostering education, innovation, and opportunities among its participating businesses. The program evaluates Philly 100 nominees based on a range of strict criteria, including revenue growth and number of employees. The annual list represents a    wide cross section of businesses which have enjoyed growth as a result of unique products or innovative services for their marketplace.

“JuriStaff’s growth – and recognition by the Philadelphia 100 – is a testament to the value we bring to our clients. Our business model is designed to help law firms and corporate legal departments get more out of every dollar they or their clients spend for legal services,” said Towers. “By listening to our clients and focusing on delivering value, JuriStaff has been fortunate to play a leading role in our industry and in the Philadelphia region.” 

 

  November 25, 2008    

          FINANCIAL CRISIS RESPONSE - TEMPORARY ATTORNEY STAFFING
                         STAFFING TARP & SUBPRIME RELATED PROJECTS

As bailout and subprime related litigation activity increases, law firms and corporate legal departments need to assess how to most efficiently staff the influx of TARP and subprime related work.

JuriStaff Legal Staffing is assembling a nationwide roster of attorneys, JD’s, paralegals and support staff with experience and expertise with subprime and bailout related issues such as:

  • Mortgage Litigation
  • Corporate Finance
  • Foreclosure Litigation
  • Investment Finance
  • Debt Finance
  • Credit Market Related Securities Litigation
  • Derivatives
  • Insurance Coverage
  • Fraud
  • Banking
  • Banking Compliance & Regulatory
  • Securities Compliance & Regulatory
  • White Collar Litigation
  • Securities Regulation
  • Bankruptcy & Restructuring
  • Capital Markets
  • Project Finance 


As reported in the Philadelphia Bar Reporter:

JuriStaff's exclusive endorsement from the Philadelphia Bar Association has recently been renewed through December 31, 2009.

In February 1999, the Philadelphia Bar Association's Board of Governor's adopted a resolution to engage JuriStaff as the Association's acting career planning and placement service. The resolution was presented by Stewart Weintraub, chair of a committee that worked to replace the Association's in-house service, which was discontinued in January 1998. Weintraub reported that the committee requested proposals from 15 agencies, received nine proposals and interviewed six agencies.

The committee recommended that JuriStaff, a local company run by lawyers, be considered for a one-year renewable contract to provide career planning and placement services to Bar members. JuriStaff's proposal includes career counseling and resume review, job postings, placement and promotion of the service to Bar members.

Weintraub told the Board that JuriStaff was "very professional and very aggressive. They want to make this partnership work."

Copyright of the Philadelphia Bar Association; reproduced with permission.