Meghann Kelley leaves Deloitte to join law firm White & Case
Meghann Kelley, formerly Deloitte’s legal management consulting leader, has left the Big Four firm to join international law firm White & Case, where she will assume the role of global director of strategic initiatives.
Much has been made of the Big Four’s incursions into the legal profession, as they seek to provide an ever expanding one-stop shop for business needs – a Walmart of the professional services world where you can pick up some marketing services when you initially drove over to have some new enterprise resource planning software implemented.
The Big Four have expanded their global attorney headcounts into the thousands, and are eyeing the further growth of their legal divisions. At stake is a potential $30 billion boost to their revenue via legal services.
Some of the large, international law firms have, in turn, responded by getting into the consulting industry. Allen & Overy last year launched a regulatory consulting business, invading the sector of advisory firms like FTI Consulting. Hogan Lovells, meanwhile, opened a "solutions" division to advise on cybersecurity, communications, and economic valuation. This trend means that law firms will increasingly suck in MBAs and techies in addition to their roster of JDs, as they broaden their offerings to head off some of the value proposition of Deloitte, PwC, EY, and KPMG.
New York-based White & Case has also expanded its offerings into consulting areas, delivering data, privacy and cybersecurity services, as well as project development and finance consulting. “When we work with our clients on these projects, we provide more than just international and, in many cases, local legal advice,” states the firm’s webpage for its project development practice. We provide business, strategic, and cultural advice in assisting our clients in structuring, negotiating, and documenting the full array of project and financing agreements tailored to each client's needs and the customs of the local jurisdictions.”
Legal giant White & Case has more than 2,000 lawyers and 4,500 total employees in 25 countries Previously, Deloitte’s legal management consulting leader, the addition of Kelley will bring deep legal consulting insights from 15 years spent at one the Big Four’s foremost firms.
Kelley was also previously the chief strategy officer of Deloitte’s tax and legal practice in the UK. Prior to that, she served as strategic priorities leader in the practice.
The high-profile recruitment was conducted by executive search firm The Alexander Group. The search was completed by managing director John Lamar and director William Lepiesza.
