34 J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 7 w w w . C A N A D I A N L a w y e r m a g . c o m
Canadian Lawyer 's top-rated insurance defence, tax law and
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By Mallory Hendry
C
arolena Gordon, senior
equity partner at Clyde &
Co. in Montreal, says all
her conversations these
days have a common focus, and that is
modernization.
"What are we doing as firms to
modernize our practice and better
respond to client needs? Particularly,
clients are saying to us what can you
do that's innovative, that's different,
that's interesting in terms of servicing
us?"
Gordon says they are focusing on
innovative practices in all facets of their
business — rethinking how services are
delivered to the client, how technology
fits into that, even examining how artifi-
cial intelligence could play a role. Using
technology to give clients access to their
files and the ability to follow along with
documents as their case progresses is one
example of this.
It's about starting a dialogue with
clients about options to get the services
delivered better, faster, Gordon says.
One of the ways the industry is
attempting to modernize is through alter-
native fee arrangements. Bill Chalmers,
managing partner at Hughes Amys LLP
in Toronto, says he would like to expand
his firm's use of AFAs — in particular
fixed fees — but finds it can be a chal-
lenge at times to get people to engage in
that conversation.
"It seems like people want to talk
about AFAs, but we always go back to
the hourly rate fee basis — whether that's
just easier, whether it's something we're
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