Law Firm Leaders Invited to Learn How To Survive and Adapt During Current Economic Downturn at the 14th Annual Law Firm Leaders Forum

NEW YORK, Jan. 6, 2009 – Registration is now open for the 14th Annual Law Firm Leaders Forum 2009, the legal industry's leading conference for law firm managing partners and chairs. The 2009 event will be held at the San Francisco Ritz-Carlton, March 5-6, 2009.

Presented by the Hildebrandt Institute and West LegalEdcenter®, the theme of the 2009 Law Firm Leaders Forum is "The World Has Changed – How Will Law Firms Adapt?" It will focus on innovation and how senior-level law firm leaders can adapt to the changing landscape of the business of law.

"After six years of unprecedented growth, the legal industry has hit a downturn, which is pressuring law firm leaders to innovate beyond traditional business models to fit the new, highly competitive legal marketplace," states James W. Jones, chairman of The Hildebrandt Institute. "Firms that come out of this downturn the strongest are those preparing now for recovery. This forum will give law firm leaders the tools to cope with management challenges, survive and innovate."

Featured topics include adopting virtual organizational models; making greater use of outsourcing, off-shoring and Six Sigma programs; partnering with clients; and integrating value-based pricing into the traditional billable model.

Of special interest this year will be two keynote addresses: David M. Kennedy, Donald J. McLachlan Professor of History, Stanford University and Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Freedom from Fear: The American People in Depression and War, and; Daniel Pink, author of the best-selling books, A Whole New Mind: Why Right Brainers Will Rule the Future and Free Agent Nation. Pink was the chief speechwriter for Vice President Al Gore and aide to former U.S. Labor Secretary Robert Reich. Other notable speakers include leaders from the law firms Virtual Law Partners, Reed Smith LLP, DLA Piper US LLP, WilmerHale, Latham & Watkins LLP, Haynes & Boone LLP, and Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP.

To register, or for additional information on West Legalworks, go to www.westlegalworks.com/events or call (800) 308-1700.

Hildebrandt International, part of Thomson Reuters, is a multidisciplinary consulting firm, helping professional service organizations plan, implement and achieve their management and strategic goals. The company, with more than 50 consultants located in six offices in the United States (Washington, DC; Chicago; San Francisco; New Jersey; Connecticut; and Florida) as well as in London, is the undisputed leader in providing strategic advice, managerial guidance and implementation support to these organizations. For more information, visit www.hildebrandt.com.

The premier professional development provider with the most current and relevant live conferences and online programs, West LegalEdcenter, part of Thomson Reuters, keeps attorneys up to date on recent developments in the law and compliant with state mandatory continuing legal education (CLE) requirements. West LegalEdcenter delivers everything needed to manage continuing education and professional development in law firms and legal departments – live conferences and seminars around the nation for learning and networking, more than 7,000 online courses, compliance tracking, a learning management system, and full integration with in-house training. For more information about West LegalEdcenter, visit www.westlegaledcenter.com.

Headquartered in Eagan, Minn., West is the foremost provider of integrated information solutions, software and services to the U.S. legal market. West is part of Thomson Reuters. For more information, visit the West Web site at west.thomson.com.