LEGAL INTERVIEW
Committed Regional dynamism and area’s phenomenal growth in population and economic diversity are among leading attractors
Douglas Wright Operations & Finance Partner – Holland & Knight What factors encouraged the firm to make such a commitment to the Tampa Bay region? Tampa Bay, like all of Florida, has experienced phenomenal growth. It is a dynamic region with great educational institutions, including the University of South Florida, the University of Tampa, Stetson University, Florida Polytechnic University, and St. Leo University. People are attracted to this area by the relatively low cost of living and the great quality of life the region offers. The influx of people in turn provides us with a deep local talent pool. The growth of sectors like financial services, IT, and healthcare have contributed both to the region’s economy and to the success of our firm in this region. What are the operational strengths of the Tampa Bay office? The law office has well-respected lawyers in the corporate, litigation, real estate, tax, and private wealth services areas. The firm’s long-standing reputation for providing the highest quality legal services is a decided advantage in this market. That said, we have a flexible approach to work distribution and always seek to find the best-qualified lawyer from across our office network to serve our clients. The centralization of the support functions in one location improves our efficiency and effectiveness. Further, the operations center has an open-plan seating design that encourages interaction and collaboration for our staff. What challenges does the firm face in its Tampa Bay operations? The growth of technology has had a dramatic impact on the legal sector over the past 10 years. We expect this trend to continue with artificial intelligence performing more and more tasks that were previously carried out by professionals. Clearly, lawyers will still be important, but their roles will be slightly
different under the new business model. This shift will have an impact on our operational model because we will need more technology specialists and project managers to support the evolving needs of our clients. The challenge is to find the right balance between working as efficiently as possible today, and simultaneously preparing ourselves for tomorrow. What is your outlook for Tampa’s legal sector in 2020? I don’t see any signs to suggest that a recession is imminent. This bullish view is reflected in the firm’s regional growth plans. During Q120, for example, we will expand a portion of our current operations function. We also are in discussions with other lawyers in Tampa about joining the firm. www.capitalanalyticsassociates.com
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