Sainsbury’s general counsel Nick Grant has challenged the firms on his legal panel to compete against each other in a Dragons’ Den-style contest.
The event, dubbed ‘Directors’ Den’, saw the panel firms introduce their other clients to Grant so they could pitch a new product or service with the ultimate aim of seeing it sold on the supermarket’s shelves.
Later this week a successful shortlist of five companies will go before a group of Sainsbury’s directors, who will choose one winner.
In total, Sainsbury’s reviewed 16 pitches, which Grant said varied massively.
“Given a challenge it’s interesting to see how firms interpret it – they run it through their own culture and own client base, and the manifestation is pretty different,” he added.
Ideas included a fizzy drink called Carbonaid, which would put a portion of profits into carbon reduction schemes, a business selling designer chairs, an IT company and an entrepreneurial school.
Grant said that the Directors’ Den initiative, which he intends to run annually, is more than just a distraction from the serious business of solving legal issues.
“[The question is] how does our legal community add to Sainsbury’s?” he said. “Community is about the flow of ideas, not just me sucking value out of a firm then dispensing with it. Firms will hopefully be proud of [having referred] clients in these hard times.”
Grant’s panel is made up of 11 firms including Addleshaw Goddard, CMS Cameron McKenna, Denton Wilde Sapte and Linklaters.
How fabulously pointless. Lawyers presenting ideas about what to put on to the shelves.
Has this witless oaf Grant nothing better to do with his time?
This idea is total rubbish. I’m out.
Whilst the firms in question will be playing the game, I think general counsel Nick Grant needs to stick to the day job and do what he is trained to do, or he may end up stacking the shelves.
Brilliant idea Nick in creating win/win proposition for all concerned. Well done.
It’s good to see entrepeneurial ‘out of the box’ thinking.
Alexandra Scott, how is this a win-win for all? Presumably, you wouldn’t include the losers in this…competition, as part of the winners?
This exercise looks to me like nothing of value for assessing law firms. I accept that I may not have understood the article (possibly…), but the concept seems badly thought out.
I am so pleased to see a client absolutely take the mick out of the “high-flying” partners. At least it gave them a break for a couple of days from making people redundant…