Flood on Global Law Firms: Professionalism Vs. Business Ethos

Posted by Alan Childress
Law and society scholar John Flood (Univ. of Westminster), right, has posted on SSRN a chapter from a forthcoming book on professionalized labor groups.  The chapter is “Resurgent Professionalism?  Partnership and Professionalism in Global Law Firms,” and the abstract is:

The industrialization of legal practice is leading to an increased tension between professionalism and business as varieties of the prevailing ethos in large law firms. Using historical and biographical data of law firms this tension is examined with the result that professionalism is, on the legal profession’s own terms, dying out. Only in rare niche, smaller firms can residues of professionalism be located.

Flood has also posted, “What’s Wrong with Legal Aid?  Lessons from Outside the UK,” an article arguing that the outsized UK investment in legal aid is not cost-effective and is driven by lawyer demand–and can be improved by looking to how other countries provide such representation.  It is coauthored with Westminster colleague Avis Whyte.