As managing partner, what steps is Bochner taking steps to future-proof itself?

Future-proofing is challenging given the extraordinary pace of change, but we feel confident about the firm’s growth and direction. We are dedicated to delivering a positive experience. We’ve been the client. Great relationships require us to care about clients’ goals as much as they do. Relationships are based on people, and we have deepened our talent pool, thereby expanding our ability to serve our clients. Nothing ensures a healthy future more than building trust and loyalty through superior service. We have become a full-service boutique, representing clients in almost every time zone.

What are some of the greatest threats and opportunities offered by AI – and how can companies best avoid or take advantage of these?

It’s wonderful that labour-saving tools can add these valuable efficiencies, but we must closely manage their implementation. We have already seen lawyers sanctioned for filing briefs with errors from careless use of AI. It’s catastrophic when not used properly, but base-level tasks will continue to get automated and firms that can implement them well will benefit. Legal services will be more accessible to a broader swath of the market. People will be better able to represent themselves. 

That said, a trained, talented lawyer’s creativity and intuition will still be largely impossible to fully replace. To quote one of my partners: “Well-trained AI can probably do 95% of what I can do, but the 5% is what is most critical for and valuable to the client.” 

You are known for your work representing clients across various cutting-edge fields, from consumer electronics to medical devices. How do you stay abreast of all the latest developments in such fast-moving industries?

It is all about building good systems and teams. We have access to so much market media – from reporting and news feeds to industry events – which we curate as a team using in-house systems. We are also committed to building a team of skillful lawyers with real-world and industry experience. We all play a role in tracking corporate and legal developments within our clients’ industries. We must be able to gather, process and distil information into something meaningful to add value for our clients. Legal analysis and service begins with people and processes.

What makes Bochner stand out?

We preserve value and defer costs. “Preserve and defer” – we should trademark that. It describes our approach to building a strategy to best meet clients’ business objectives. When we develop management protocols for a client’s patent portfolio, we don’t just think about the current state of play, we think several steps ahead. It is a different art to predict where the industry will be in a few years, what competitors might do and how to create offensive and defensive strategies to protect a portfolio. We work with clients to prioritise and spread costs accordingly. They know we have their backs, and they trust us to handle immediate priorities and intelligently postpone expenses.  

How have client expectations changed over the course of your career?

Everything is in real time now. We are hyper-connected and have instant access to every kind of media. Clients call, text, voice note and email. It’s all at their fingertips –they can read about litigation or issues that likely wouldn’t have come across their desk 10 years ago. There is, therefore, much more time-sensitive communication in aggregate. Our job is to help them manage problems generated by new information and handle incoming requests on these platforms. Responding quickly to concerns has always been the top priority. We cannot let questions and anxieties linger – we need to lessen their load. Access and responsiveness are job one and it has become more demanding. 

What are the benefits of being a mid-sized firm in the marketplace?

Boutique firms offer lawyers a different culture and clients a different experience. We can take on any sized project and often serve a lot of mid-sized companies that appreciate us as a one-stop shop that can handle everything from corporate to litigation. We also have more pricing flexibility and tailor our billing structures to meet client needs. 

Clients like having fewer internal barriers and one or two unique contacts. I am an IP lawyer that understands corporate law and litigation; they know I can quarterback all their needs. My colleagues are the same. Lack of internal hierarchy gives clients the access and experience they are looking for.