Professional Practices Alliance (PPA‪)‬ Professional Practices Alliance (PPA)

We are delighted to share with you the recording of the recent Professional Practices Alliance webinar, Moving The ESG Needle For Law Firms – Deciding What Matters And What Can Be Achieved, in which our expert panel discuss how professional practices priorities are shifting regarding ESG. 

In this webinar, our chair Andrew Pavlovic, (CM Murray LLP), Rob Millard (Cambridge Strategy Group), Zulon Begum (CM Murray LLP) and Sarah Chilton (CM Murray LLP) discuss the following:


Materiality – how firms should determine their priorities when it comes to ESG, as firms move away from focussing on their own emissions and are now increasingly considering the environmental impact of their client work 
Stakeholders - the importance of identifying key stakeholders and carefully considering and incorporating their interests into your ESG strategy 
Client Selection - taking a nuanced approach when considering whether or not to act for clients whose ESG-related aims and values may not wholly align with that of your firm, balancing business needs, the concept of access to justice, and whether firms can use their expertise and experience to mitigate any potential negative impacts of their advice 
Remuneration - the increasing shift towards incorporating elements of non-financial performance (i.e. alignment with and adherence to firms’ ESG-related policies) into partner assessment and remuneration policies 
Risk Management - the risk of discrimination claims under the Equality Act 2010 where, for example, a member of staff is treated less favourably and/or harassed because of their beliefs on climate change


If you would like to discuss any of the above issues in further detail, please contact Partner, Andrew Pavlovic, who specialises in regulatory law and professional discipline matters for firms and partners.

We are delighted to share with you the recording of the recent Professional Practices Alliance webinar, 'Show me the Money! Shaping a Dynamic and Flexible Profit Sharing System to Smooth the Bumpy Road of Succession'.


In this webinar, you can hear from guest speaker Jonathan Blair (Womble Bond Dickinson), chair Zulon Begum, (CM Murray LLP), and PPA speakers David Shufflebotham (Pep Up Consulting), and Sarah Chilton (CM Murray LLP) as they discuss the following:  


A refresher on the different types of profit sharing systems used by firms and how to deploy them, focussing on fixed share, variable share, managed lock step, and managed merit systems 
An assessment of the impact that each profit sharing system can have on partner behaviours, specifically assessing the impact that they have on collaboration, apportionment of risk, and investment
Structuring a firm to motivate, encourage, reward and incentivise partners not only financially but through peer recognition and career progression
The succession of the partnership, including elegant exits, smooth retirements and the importance of structuring a firm to appeal to the next generation of partners



If you would like to discuss any of the above issues in further detail, please contact Partner, Zulon Begum, who specialises in partnership law for firms and partners. 

We are delighted to share with you the recording of our recent webinar, ‘Is Your Firm prepared for the Financial Year Ahead? Key Trends and Challenges for Professional Services Firms in 2023/24’, in which our expert panel discuss the financial year ahead for professional services firms.



In this webinar, you can hear from Chair, Corinne Staves (CM Murray LLP), and speakers Robert Millard (Cambridge Strategy Group), David Shufflebotham (Pep Up Consulting) and Andrew Pavlovic (CM Murray LLP) as they discuss the following issues to include in professional service firms ‘to do’ list for the next financial year: 


How to remain profitable and effectively manage the firm’s cash flow at a time of stalled economic growth, inflation, cost of living crisis and basis period reform.
Implementing a strategy and the importance of having a Plan B strategy, especially during a time where firms are adapting to deliver client services in a new technological era.
How to maintain and enhance a firm’s culture and productivity in a hybrid working environment, including the impact that long-term hybrid working may have had on a firms culture.
Key regulatory developments and the practicalities surrounding how to approach them, specifically the new SRA regulations to address toxic work environments by actively challenging behaviours in the workplace.
Whether ChatGPT could spell the end of lawyers or whether it can be harnessed to improve service delivery and profitability of firms.
The potential regulatory issues that arise from using new technology (such as Chat GPT) to assist with delivering client services.
The increasing need for professional service firms to address environmental issues.

If you would like to discuss any of the above issues in further detail, please contact Partner, Corinne Staves, who specialises in partnership issues for firms and partners. 

There is increased pressure on professional firms to enhance their social engagement and sustainability. Thus, it is important to consider what measures professional firms should undertake to assess their impact performance on stakeholders and subsequently improve it.

We are delighted to share with you the recording of our recent webinar, ‘The Greater Good; How Professional Firms Are Embracing B Corp Status, ESG & Other Non-Profit Making Objectives’, in which partnership law specialists and sustainability management experts discuss the importance of promoting accountability and transparency to a wider group of stakeholders along with environmental, social and corporate governance and how this can be achieved within professional firms.

In this webinar, you can hear Chair Rob Millard, (Cambridge Strategy Group), and speakers Emma Bartlett, (CM Murray LLP), Dr John Henry Looney, (Sustainable Direction Ltd) and Corinne Staves, (CM Murray LLP) discuss the following:


What is B Corp and how can professional firms achieve certification? The strategic thinking behind the implementation of ESG and other non-profit making objectives.
The importance of driving diversity and inclusion from the top and its impact on staff retention rates. 
Box-ticking exercise vs the true meaning of sustainability: The need for professional firms to consider adopting a proactive approach toward accountability and to implement high business standards for the benefit of their stakeholders and wider community.
The impact of client base on professional firms’ commitment towards sustainability has dramatically increased, with some clients refusing to engage with the firms that have inadequate measures in place.
The difference between accountability obligations in companies and LLPs and how to ensure that professional firms achieve full visibility on their commitment towards the greater good.

We are delighted to invite you to join the Professional Practices Alliance LinkedIn group, a collaborative networking and information sharing space for professional services firms. Join our LinkedIn group here.

Follow us on Twitter: @PartnershipAlln 

Subscribe to the Professional Practices Alliance blog here.

We are delighted to share the webinar recording of part 2 in the Professional Practices Alliance webinar series, ‘”Should we merge?”, a discussion on whether, when and how to merge with another firm, in which an expert panel explores how firms should plan and prepare for a merger. Please see below for full details.

In this webinar, you can hear Chair, Corinne Staves (CM Murray), Robert Millard (Cambridge Strategy Group), David Fisher (CM Murray LLP), Zulon Begum (CM Murray LLP), David Shufflebotham (Pep Up Consulting) and Andrew Pavlovic (CM Murray LLP) discussing issues such as:


How does the SRA view mergers and whether there are any concerns around confidentiality and conflicts of interest.
Whether a merger is really about two firms merging, or whether it is about creating a new, more successful firm.
How do you persuade and reassure the workplace on the major upheaval causes by a merger?
Understanding why it is important to have your finger on the pulse in understanding your partners and what decisions they will make upon a proposed merger.
What should firms be focused on post-merger?
The importance of emphasising the positives of the merger and why it is a good decision for the firm.
Key factors to be considered in assisting fee earners with a dip in revenue during a merger.

If you have any questions arising from this recording or would like to discuss law firm or other professional services mergers, or for any other partnership law issues, please contact our Partner and Head of Non-Contentious Partnership Practice, Zulon Begum.

The Professional Practices Alliance is a multi-disciplinary collaboration between leading UK independent legal, accounting and law firm management specialist advisers, CM Murray LLP, Maurice Turnor Gardner LLP, Pep Up Consulting and Cambridge Strategy Group.

 We are delighted to invite you to join the Professional Practices Alliance LinkedIn group, a collaborative networking and information sharing space for professional services firms.

Join our LinkedIn group here.

Follow us on Twitter: @PartnershipAlln 

Subscribe to the Professional Practices Alliance blog here.

We are delighted to share the webinar recording of Part 1 in the Professional Practices Alliance webinar series, “Should we merge?” A discussion on whether, when and how to merge with another firm in which an expert panel explore how firms should plan and prepare for a merger.

In this webinar, you can hear Chair, Corinne Staves (CM Murray LLP), Partner Zulon Begum (CM Murray LLP), Simon Slater (Guest Speaker, Cripps Pemberton Greenish and Byfield Consultancy), Giles Murphy (Guest Speaker, Smith & Williamson) and Rob Millard (Cambridge Strategy Group) discussing issues such as:


Mergers are usually the riskiest growth strategy – are there other (less disruptive) routes (e.g., organic growth, lateral hiring) to realising the firm’s strategic goals?


Identifying the right merger partner can take time and diligence and requires compromise as there is never a “perfect” merger partner.


How to “win hearts and minds” to align partners with any merger strategy early in the process and ensure that the requisite partner approvals for any merger can be achieved.


Advance preparation for a merger can make or break a deal; identify any “red lines” in advance and keep these to a minimum, and undertake “reverse due diligence” to identify any potential issues in your own firm and attempt to resolve these before they become a stumbling block to a merger (e.g., onerous annuities, adverse claims history/high PII costs, underperforming partners and expensive borrowing/leases).


Consider what protections may need to be built into the merger agreement and/or the merged firm’s partnership agreement to ensure stability for the initial period after the merger, when firms are often at their most vulnerable e.g., a partner “lock-in” period, enforceable restrictive covenants and good/bad leaver provisions.

If you have any questions arising from this recording or would like to discuss law firm or other professional services mergers, or for any other partnership law issues, please contact our Partner and Head of Non-Contentious Partnership Practice, Zulon Begum.

The Professional Practices Alliance is a multi-disciplinary collaboration between leading UK independent legal, accounting and law firm management specialist advisers, CM Murray LLP, Maurice Turnor Gardner LLP, Pep Up Consulting and Cambridge Strategy Group.

 We are delighted to invite you to join the Professional Practices Alliance LinkedIn group, a collaborative networking and information sharing space for professional services firms.

Join our LinkedIn group here.

Follow us on Twitter: @PartnershipAlln 

Subscribe to the Professional Practices Alliance blog here.