Audacious – that’s the word Dave Koschik uses to describe our plans for US growth, laid out in 2015 and rapidly taking shape as we approach 2020.

It’s a plan that has seen us go from a starting point of about 600 US-based lawyers in 2014 to 800-plus in 2018, with 440 based in the key market of New York (compared to 340 in 2014).

“That’s impressive growth however you look at it,” explains Dave, “but we still have a ways to go on our journey to 2020, reflecting how ambitious we are when it comes to US growth.

“Back in 2015 we recognized that, while we were strong in the United States and London, we needed to build on strength in our home markets, appreciating that they are by far the biggest legal markets in the world.

“At the time, the United States and London comprised 48% of our lawyer headcount but, by 2020, we pledged to increase this to 60%, along the way increasing our team in the United States to 1,100 (with around 500 of those lawyers in New York).

“We see US growth as something that benefits the entire Firm. In fact, it’s something that our people in offices around the globe tell us is vital to their ability to offer clients the benefits of a truly global network.

“Having done such amazing work growing our business internationally over the past several decades (something we continue to do), our current focus on growth in the United States is about achieving the right balance for the Firm.”

With highly ambitious growth targets as a centerpiece of our 2020 strategy, the Firm established a U.S. Growth Team, chaired by Dave, to drive our plan forward.

The team includes Colin Diamond, Greg Dolan, Mark Gidley, Heather McDevitt, Elena Millerman, John Reiss and Carolyn Vardi.

Dave says: “We meet every two weeks and the group operates as a central clearing house for everything we’re doing towards our growth strategy in the United States. We also meet with the London growth team around once a year to share best practice and update each other.

“This gives us a regular focus and ensures we have a joined-up approach, plus we also set up what we call SWAT teams to work with other Firm leaders on specific office, practice and industry growth targets in the region.”

Examples of these growth initiatives include three office openings – in Boston in 2016 and, more recently, in Houston and Chicago this year.

Dave explains: “These are our first new offices in the United States since Silicon Valley in 1999 and show that our US growth strategy isn’t all about New York.

“We’ve not opened them for the sake of geographical coverage. Each location has been carefully chosen for its strategic client, practice and/or industry importance.

“For instance, Boston was picked because of the team’s expertise in White Collar and IP and because of client synergies. Boston is also a strong market for biotech and pharma, so it was a really good fit.

“The Chicago office will help us because the Midwest is home to many international corporates and, while these corporates operate globally, they tend to look locally when it comes to hiring lawyers, with Chicago being the main focus.

“Finally, Houston was chosen because, while we have a strong reputation and practice in the oil and gas industry globally, we wanted to expand our oil and gas offering in the United States. And, if you are serious about oil and gas in the United States, you need to be in Houston.”

According to Dave, the Firm is already benefitting from that decision, and not just in terms of US growth.

He says: “We’ve already seen that our presence in Houston has been invaluable for matters outside the United States and it says something that, when Partner Saul Daniel moved from London to Houston to help with the integration, within the first week he needed to fly back to London to work on a matter that originated in the Houston office.”

This is one of many examples of how offices from across the global network collaborate with each other and how US growth can benefit the entire Firm.

Dave says: “One of the things that sets our Firm apart from other law firms is that we are engineered to work together, and we like it that way.

“That applies to the way we work between our US offices, but the fact is that we don’t view collaboration as having any international boundaries.

“We’re constantly working
across borders in an
integrated and joined-up
way, which is what makes
the Firm so special.”

“We’re constantly working across borders in an integrated and joined-up way, which is what makes the Firm so special. And, when we apply that philosophy to our growth, it is really important that we aren’t merely adding headcount or revenues. When we grow laterally, it has to be because someone is the right fit for the Firm – someone who wants to integrate with the Firm as a whole.

“A good example is the recent addition of Brian Pfeiffer, David Turetsky and Phil Abelson, who have helped us to build on our already strong Financial Restructuring and Insolvency team and have quickly knitted themselves into the fabric of the Firm.

“I’ve been at White & Case my entire career – I consider myself a student of the Firm and have observed it move through phases over the years. It feels to me as though we’re riding a wave of momentum at the moment – there is a great buzz about the place.

“The United States is a massively exciting market with incredible opportunities, but fierce competition. I believe we’re extremely well positioned to keep growing and thriving, not just through 2020, but beyond.”