More women figure at the top as Robert Cutler revamps Clayton Utz

NATIONAL law firm Clayton Utz has unveiled an internal restruc­turing under newly appointed chief executive partner Robert Cutler.

Clayton Utz chief executive partner Robert Cutler. Picture: John Feder

NATIONAL law firm Clayton Utz has unveiled an internal restruc­turing under newly appointed chief executive partner Robert Cutler.

The changes, which took effect on July 1, mean the firm will be managed through 14 national practice groups instead of the previous four departments — litigation, corporate, property and banking.

The restructure has been accompanied by a management overhaul that has replaced the departmental managing partners with a new management team that is almost 40 per cent female.

Mr Cutler will be supported by two deputy chief executive partners: Bruce Cooper, focusing on clients and markets, and Kate Jordan, who is responsible for people and development.

“The rationale is that these are the two most important parts of our business,” said Mr Cutler.

The restructuring, which has been planned since last year, is intended to give Clayton Utz a structure that will develop more potential leaders and promote women to senior positions.

As well as Ms Jordan, five of the 14 practice group leaders are women.

Mr Cutler said the new structure was intended to bring greater transparency and responsibility to the practice groups.

“If you do that I think you harness the natural energy of partners who own and understand that part of the business,” he said.

The role of the two deputy chief executive partners would be to ensure consistency across all 14 practice groups and spread inno­vations across the firm.

“Strategically, we are trying to get our practice areas at top-tier status in their markets, (in positions) one or two or competing very strongly. In some, we are already there. In some, we know we are not,” Mr Cutler said.

He expected the changes to make it easier for the practice groups to respond quickly to the needs of clients. “We have got to get more nimble,” he said. “We have got to be more agile, do things more quickly and be able to cross-fertilise more quickly.”

He said the growing level of competition meant all law firms would need to become more focused on client demand.

“You just can’t sit back and be a supply-side thinker. You can’t simply sit back and think: ‘Well, we offer services in the corporate space, in real estate and banking.’ ”

He said the firm was facing challenges over overheads, “but that’s my job”.

“In terms of our legal offering, we have to be very demand-side focused and we hope this structure will underpin engagement.”

The growing level of competi­tion also has prompted the firm to assess where and how it wants to compete. The firm has determined that there are big advantages in remaining one of just four top-tier Australian firms that are not part of global organisations.

“We get lots of offers. But our focus is on being the leading Australian law firm. We have made a strategic choice and sometimes it is good to be red when everyone else is blue,” Mr Cutler said.

By remaining independent, the firm had avoided extra management overheads and cultural dislocation. “We are a command post — not an outpost, and not an outpost of an outpost. That means something to us. We want to be masters of our own destiny.”