SBBO Managing Partner Steve Shapiro was recently invited to participate in Law Week Colorado’s Managing Partner Roundtable.  The quarterly event features a discussion with managing partners from prominent area law firms. 

 Law Week editor Tony Flesor leads a spirited back-and-forth that looks at issues affecting Colorado lawyers and law firms.

A cover article on the second quarter roundtable was published in the July 6 issue of Law Week (“Coming Up for Air,” Law Week Colorado 7/6/20) and featured a discussion on how law firm leaders have weathered the coronavirus economic downturn and how they are planning for the future.

Joining Mr. Shapiro on the panel were Pat Linden of Linden Law Partners, Rehan Hasan of Hasan LLC, and Kerry Jardine of Burg Simpson. 

As part of the discussion, the participants described the challenges of COVID for the law firm environment and how each firm has dealt with COVID and shelter-at-home orders.   

The panelists observed that going forward in the COVID age firms will need to have a very high “technology IQ” with significant investments in technology and IT.

Mr. Shapiro said that SBBO has always had strong IT systems to accommodate a sophisticated client base.  He added that SBBO attorneys have of necessity adapted to using remote access with clients more frequently.  

He added: “(W)e’re a firm that’s based on relationships and doing good work.  And those are not mutually exclusive concepts. So it’s tough to maintain those (client) relationships because you can’t reach out and touch anyone anymore. It’s through Zoom and telephone. And that works.” 

Mr. Shapiro concluded that the firm has adapted better than anticipated to remote communications, work and deal flow have improved, and he can feel things “shifting back.” 

To order a copy of the July 6 issue of Law Week Colorado, with a full report on the Managing Partner Roundtable, please click here.