Hello,
Four months into my new role, I re-learnt something valuable at the recent IBA Conference in Seoul. And in many ways, it’s at the heart of the MI network.
A Swiss show-jumper, an Australian space lawyer & an Icelandic singer walk into a bar… What I re-learnt is the fundamental importance of building long-term connections and international friendships, of linking with peers and developing the real human side to what we do. Generating business and extending the rule of law come out of that, not secondary, but as an extension.
This was clear on a grand scale at the IBA Conference. 6,000 lawyers descended on South Korea to a white whirl of Tae-Kwando specialists, a storm of drums and the wise words of Ban Ki Moon and the activist Mayor of Seoul.
But, as with our own, more intimate MI conferences, the ‘diamond moments’ were almost always to be had in the informal settings - sitting with ‘strangers’ over lunch, swirling around at a cocktail reception, in the coffee queue, discovering a late-night, low-lit bar where all the music was on vinyl.
Or when we sat on a rooftop oasis thanks to our Korean friends from Sojong Partners and spent time with a cross-section of the Mackrell International ‘family’ sharing stories.
What made interactions rich and meaningful were what we found out about each other – the ‘wow’ or the smile moments – and they were almost always about our journey, not our jobs.
So, I look forward to connecting the ‘wow’ in all of us over the coming months – so we can all do better business with each other and for each other.
And talking of ‘wow’ moments - you’ve been busy …
Did you know …
That Tokyo’s Kojima Law have helped a global beer giant, (possibly the best lager in the world…), create an App helping visitors locate all the places across Japan where they can slake their thirst during the current Rugby World Cup?
That Anna-Christina Chaves from Stehlin & Associés in Paris is presenting at the prestigious, “Assises du Droit Social,” one of France’s premier Employment Law events on ‘Why and how firms need to reinvent instruments to keep pace with social change’?
That Jade & Fountain in Shanghai fought through a pitch process to become counsel for FIBA at the International Basketball World championships in China?
That our Mexico firm, González Calvillo SC, has been recognised by ‘Latin Lawyer’ as one of the elite in Mexico, no less?
That we went cross-Atlantic with** Hoge Fenton** in California and SKW Schwarz in Hamburg presenting a bustling webinar,‘Exporting IT from the US and Europe' for anyone concerned about cyber-security: https://register.gotowebinar.com/recording/viewRecording/1178444868177813772/7672444217108120845/americas.bd@mackrell.net ?
That Kraemer Burns partner Raymond Patella's article on the Tenth Circuit’s United Western decision over ownership of tax refunds, (now before the U.S. Supreme Court this term), was published in the October 2019 edition of the American Bankruptcy Institute’s ABI Journal. https://www.mackrell.net/member/papers
That we’ve now held two buzzing Next Generation lawyer meetings in the US, one west coast and one mid-west, with the attendees commenting on how valuable making new connections have been?
That we recently held an international call about ‘Aviation & Aerospace’ that linked our firms from Calgary & Colombia, to Turkey to Thailand, with many more in between?
- Missed you out? Or feel you want to share your firm’s achievements? Just let me know. I aim to write to you every few weeks with a ‘Just to let you know’ update. And please, follow and connect with MI across our social channels - on LinkedIn @Mackrell International https://www.linkedin.com/company/mackrell-international/ and Twitter @MackrellI https://twitter.com/MackrellI.
Social media interaction is not the solution to building our profile, but it creates a picture of who we are and what we do. The content we produce also improves our search engine rankings and our ‘discoverability’.
Our Social Media channels will also be the first place you get to see a new Mackrell International video – in which many of you feature, some in unexpected ways (it’s fine, you look gorgeous…).
• Please encourage your teams, your BD and marketing staff, your attorneys and associates who are curious about MI or involved in international affairs to follow and engage. And do keep telling us what you’re doing, so we can share it across the network and so the BD team, Sandeep Peters and Cynthia Stewart, and I can connect you where relevant and helpful.
My best wishes to you all.
Keith Heddle, Managing Director