Select Counsel Answers the Call; International Expansion Helps GCs Easily Access Premier Boutique Firms Abroad

SAN FRANCISCO, March 08, 2018 -- Select Counsel, a network of over 300 top boutique firm attorneys, has added international capabilities with the addition of 40 attorneys based in 19 countries worldwide, including: Austria, Belgium, Canada, the Cayman Islands, France, India, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Mexico, the Netherlands, Pakistan, Poland, Russia, Spain, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom. The expansion responds to in-house counsels’ demand for easier access to international legal talent – without the expense of hiring a global firm – by offering high-caliber small firm lawyers who know and operate in their own local jurisdictions and can be found in just a few clicks.

“While access to boutique firms in the U.S. is helpful, access to boutique firms on an international scale can be invaluable,” said Jordan Kanfer, EVP and General Counsel at NTT America, Inc. “When it comes to finding specialized attorneys abroad, I’ve had to rely on referrals from my contacts at big firms, and often, these connections just put me in touch with a partner at another large firm in that country. For most of the international issues we deal with, we don’t need a large, full-service firm. A small, reputable local firm with relevant expertise is generally a better fit. Select Counsel provides access to these niche practices abroad and allows me to quickly and efficiently get the job done without going through the big firm referral process.”

“Since our initial launch, we’ve heard a lot of positive feedback from GCs, but we’ve also heard a lot of frustration around international needs. Select Counsel is deeply committed to answering this call,” said Andrew Dick, Founder and President of Select Counsel. “Our initial roster features 40 attorneys in key global markets, and we are aggressively building on that foundation with the goal of offering the highest caliber, boutique firms and lawyers across all practice areas and in every major business center worldwide. GCs shouldn’t have to pay the steep rates of a global firm or get passed from one big firm to the next to find good counsel abroad, especially when there are so many outstanding boutique firms out there that are often a better fit.”

Select Counsel-affiliated lawyers have an average of 20 years of experience, including 10 years with prominent large law firms. The network is tapping into the trend toward Big Law refugees – veteran lawyers leaving big firms for boutique practices that allow them to be more agile and better serve their clients. Among the newest international members are: Taro Isshiki, Founder of Isshiki International Law Office in Tokyo, Japan (formerly a partner at Morrison & Foerster); and Deborah Sankowicz, Founding Partner of Kepler Legal in Paris, France (formerly a partner at Latham & Watkins and Paul Hastings). 

“With so much of business taking place across oceans and borders, it’s increasingly critical to have an international network of resources available to effectively assist clients,” said Isshiki. “Select Counsel supplements our firm's service offerings, providing a deep bench of top practitioners that gives our clients an international backbone to efficiently tackle their ongoing matters or specific challenges.”

“While the boutique firm model allows for greater efficiency and flexibility, many potential clients that could use my services may have trouble locating my firm,” said Sankowicz. “For employment matters especially, using a lean, local boutique firm offers a much better fit for multinational corporations doing business in France; however, clients don’t know where to look to access this talent. This network directly addresses that challenge.”

"Our exclusive selection criteria continues to focus on lawyers who, in addition to outstanding legal pedigrees, spent significant portions of their careers at prominent big firms, including Am Law 200 firms and/or Chambers Band 1 firms,” added Dick. “The Big Law background is the common thread running through our network. No matter where we live or practice law, our common training and experience working with corporate clients while at the big firms ensures a shared understanding of the quality and service levels expected by in-house legal teams.”

About Select Counsel:
Select Counsel is an elite network of over 300 boutique firm attorneys that provides unprecedented ease of access to high-end legal services across a full range of practices. Select Counsel-affiliated lawyers have an average of 20 years of experience and 10 years with AmLaw 200 law firms and/or Chambers Band 1 law firms, as well as top academic credentials. In using the platform (or by contacting us), legal departments can quickly access the same caliber attorneys, breadth of expertise and geographic reach of a big firm with the price point and personalized service of a boutique practice. At the same time, Select Counsel is a virtual community where the world’s premier, boutique firm attorneys can network, collaborate and serve as a resource to one another in order to better serve clients.

Contact:
Joey Telucci / Traci Stuart
Blattel Communications
415.413.4523 / 415.413.4522 
[email protected] / [email protected]