Commercial Law Affiliates

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World Practice Roundtable Maggie Watkins Meritas
President October 25, 2004
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Meritas

• Est. 1990 Non profit
• 170 firms 60 countries
• Firms ranked in top 20
• Purpose credible, effective client coverage

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Our Name Meritas

• Merit Latin root merito brought in or
  earned
• Means proven ability or accomplishment
• Protected internationally
• Firms show Meritas on letterhead, Web site and
  marketing materials

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Typical Meritas Member Firm

• One firm per market
• HQ in city served
• Full service law firms
• Non exclusive
• No competing formal strategy

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Why Meritas is Different

• 1
• Objective, transparent and rigorous member
  service monitoring

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Quality Control

• All referrals tracked as condition of membership
• Written evaluations
• Established system in place
• Client service standards
• Periodic member recertification
• Involvement in organization
• Client service complaints
• Practice mix monitoring
• Terminate 2 annually

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Client Credibility

• Clients access evaluation records
• Over 3,000 matters evaluated
• Database online

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Why Meritas is Different

• 2
• Tools to compete with regional, national and
  global firms

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Focus Has Shifted Beyond Referrals

• Technology support for client coordination
• Local marketing support
• Educational networking meetings
• Lawyer qualification database

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Extensive Lawyer Qualification Database

• Provides the ability to directly reach a lawyer
  whose capabilities meet legal needs
• All member attorneys profiles are included in
  the LQD
• Industry expertise
• Niche legal specialization
• Online access www.meritas.org

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Resource Tools Available(for clients and members)

• Lawyer Qualification Database - both
  resource and promotional tool
• Repository for marketing best practices
• Meritas Web site www.meritas.org
• Member Site

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Resource Tools (cont)

• Partner sales training
• National and international trade show program
• Attorney retreat facilitation

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Why Meritas is Different

• 3
• Significant new business for members
  via direct marketing/sales effort

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Strategy

• Position Meritas similar to national/international
  firms
• Goal Substantive, profitable work from Fortune
  1000 and increased referrals between members
• Process Use member contacts to leverage
  collective expertise

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Most Important Criteria in Selecting Outside
Counsel

• Past relationships
• Reputation of individual lawyer
• Lawyer expertise in a specific area
• Firm expertise in a specific area
• Reputation of the law firm
• ACC/Serengeti survey

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Corporate Advisory Board

• Use corporate counsel perspective to maximize HQ
  business development efforts
• Joe Bauer, Lubrizol
• Gary Jacobs, MGM Mirage
• Kim Myrdahl, SuperValu
• Bruce Whitney, Air Products
• Paul Marcela, Dow Corning
• Doug Kosloski, Crown Investments

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2004-05 Corporate Sales Plan

• We will be
• Expanding Sections and Industry groups as a
  business development resource tool
• Adding more tradeshows
• Stressing relationship development after initial
  contact

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Why Lubrizol Uses Meritas

• The network maintains a high level of quality
  control among its members. We dont have to do
  interviews, and we dont have to go through a
  reference process. Thats been done for us by an
  organization we trust.
• Joe Bauer, General Counsel
• Lubrizol, Inc.

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Membership Retention is High

• Meritas referrals top 10 client for active,
  visible firms in big cities
• Significant referral income
• Value in outbound referring
• HQ Significant leverage to enforce service
  standards

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Meritas Commitment to Diversity

• Assisting member firms to recruit, retain and
  promote attorneys of diverse backgrounds
• Educating member firms about the business
  imperatives of diversity initiatives
• Heightening the awareness and sensitivity of its
  members to create opportunities that enhance
  diversity

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Commitment to Diversity (continued)

• Promoting the involvement of attorneys of diverse
  backgrounds in the leadership and governance of
  Meritas
• Weighing commitment to diversity in firm
  recruitment and certification  

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Meritas A Strong Competitive
Advantage

• Safe, credible geographic reach
• Significant new business
• Means to find and demonstrate depth
• Reduce operating costs
• Associate attraction and retention
• Keep local brand relevant

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