ASB links bonus to sales in overhaul of firm’s service delivery model

On 1 November the South East firm introduced a new policy that moves its bonus scheme away from one that is purely based on time and the value of bills to one that is partly dependent on client-related metrics.

From 1 May next year the bonus will be entirely dependent on data relating to clients. ASB’s managing partner Andrew Clinton said the move was part of a wider overhaul of the firm’s service delivery model to align remuneration, metrics and pricing to its clients’ needs. 

“In my view buyers of legal services are punished by a combination of the reward systems of external lawyers and the departmental silos which they tend to inhabit,” added Clinton.

The decision to overhaul the remuneration structure was taken at ASB’s partners meeting on 17 September. Clinton said the metrics would be based around the firm’s core values including those relating to client satisfaction, efficiency, innovation, collaboration and certainty.

“Sales and service delivery is very common outside of the law, innovation is a way of life in most organisations,” said Clinton. “Our strategy is to be market driven rather than product driven and that means organising yourself around what the client actually wants.”

As part of this ASB has also recently announced a strategic alliance with legal process outsourcing and technology provider NewGalexy for triaging and delivering legal services.

“Over the past few years we’ve invested significant time in understanding the evolving role of general counsel,” said Clinton. “We know from our conversations in the market that many GCs are reviewing their sourcing mix and there is a desire for innovative and collaborative solutions from external providers. We believe that a proposition from a law firm and a legal services and technology provider will enable us to provide greater value to in-house legal teams.”

Clinton said that by working with NewGalexy on triaging and managing GCs’ legal outsourcing requirements, ASB would be able to ensure matters were executed, “at the right level of resource, at the right time, and at the right cost point, making it easier for the GC to extract more from their legal budgets”.

NewGalexy is run by former McGrigors senior partner and KLegal CEO, Robert Glennie.

ASB was highlighted in this year’s new UK 200 report, The Independents, as one of the rising stars of the second 100 UK law firms.

“We want to be a regional trailblazer, that’s our ambition,” said Clinton in the report. “This is about us trying to break the mould of the old model that is no longer fit for purpose.”