Luce Forward Hamilton & Scripps’ move to Carmel Valley not only represents the law firm’s extension from its Downtown hub, but it’s also a move from the traditional arrangement most law firms abide by.
Law normally is a field that prides itself on tradition, and both Robert Bell and Dennis Doucette, who will co-manage the new firm, agree. But they said change is inevitable to meet the needs of their growing clientele and the ever-changing economy.
“We’ve changed a lot since the early 1990s,” Bell said. “A lot of our clients have changed to business casual (attire) and do deals over the Internet.”
With nearly 100 high-tech and biotech clients in the Carmel Valley/Del Mar area, Bell said the move will allow the firm to better serve that industry.
There will be no separation of practices in this office. It will be industry-focused, according to Doucette.
The North County practice will handle issues from real estate, business litigation, and intellectual property and technology law under one roof.
“It will be a one-stop shop for technology companies,” Doucette said.
Seven other partners will join Doucette and Bell in the new office. They are Ed Arledge (corporate/securities), Kathryn Bernert (labor and employment), Kevin Cahill (IT/media), Sean Collin (IT/media), Mike Fraunces (IT/media), Margaret Mann (commercial litigation), and Ron Rouse (real estate).
Seven associates and a team of paralegals and secretaries will also occupy the new site.
The atmosphere of the 20,139 square-foot office will change as well. It is set up with a more open floor plan, as opposed to the closed-door mood of the Downtown firm. This will allow attorneys to collaborate in their practice areas and clients to feel more at ease, Doucette said.
“Our clients tend to work in neighborhoods and teams,” he said. “Law firms usually don’t.”
There won’t be a regular law library in the new facility. Instead, it will be replaced with a virtual library. The firm made a substantial investment to make the office more high-tech to include videoconferencing tools and a white board that allows information to be e-mailed directly from the site.
According to the San Diego Business Journal’s most recent listings, Luce Forward is the second largest law firm in the county. Founded in 1873, the firm has 220 attorneys with offices in West Los Angeles, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago and New York.
