Other key practice areas include antitrust and privacy issues, environmental law, government relations and public policy, intellectual property and e-commerce, international trade and customs and litigation. The new practice will focus on corporate securities and finance work, but with a different twist, Johnston says. He anticipates that Collier Shannon lawyers will work with clients to determine their business objectives, then pull in lawyers with the necessary expertise to help reach those goals. It's a strategy many law firms are taking with clients who are entrepreneurs in technology businesses. Firms such as Emergent Law pitch their lawyers as business advisers, as well as legal counselors, for emerging-growth businesses.
Some attorneys scoff at the idea as little more than marketing.
It's a part of some people's marketing strategies, but it doesn't really amount to much. Johnston also expects Collier Shannon's international trade and regulatory expertise to be in demand here. Few, if any, firms have a strong regulatory practice based locally. Collier Shannon also owns a consulting affiliate, Georgetown Economic Services, that provides analytical data on a range of issues. For instance, that affiliate can run models to calculate industrial emissions for compliance with environmental regulations.