Boutique Darwinism?

According to Blane Prescott, a partner with Hildebrandt International in San Francisco. "IP law firms are the most management-resistant law firms in the profession," Prescott says. He lists a host of management sins: Boutiques are "overly democratic, tend not to have strong leadership, lack succession planning, and are the least knowledgeable about what aspects of their practice are profitable." IP firms are also backwards when it comes to compensation, Prescott says, rewarding partners solely on the basis of client billings and billable hours, and not looking at nonmonetary contributions.