Editor's letter: Back to basics

It has been rather an eventful time lately for the UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who, as we go to press, is clinging to power amid increasingly widespread calls for his resignation, several ministerial walk-outs, a landslide defeat at the European parliamentary elections, a parliamentary expenses scandal and, of course, continuing recession-induced economic stresses. Some would argue his reaction has followed a predictable pattern. First deny any wrongdoing, second reshuffle cabinet, third reassure the voters and, presumably, fourth hope for the best.
But will such an approach appease both dissenters and a dissatisfied public? Only time will tell. Undoubtedly many benefits can be garnered from a well-orchestrated, well-timed organisational reshuffle (albeit rarely one enforced by ill-timed mass ministerial resignations). It can foster a back-to-basics approach that helps realign processes with policies.
Indeed such an approach has become the business mode du jour as an economic necessity to downsize forces many to adopt, and adapt to, a whole new set of values in which getting more for your money is now top of the agenda.
In fact getting back to basics has fast become the key to legal marketing and business development success. What was working for your team two years ago is not necessarily working now. The volatility of the market has drastically changed the way firms are conducting business, so what has your team done to adapt? Recognising when it is necessary to modify your team’s behaviour and determining how to best modify it is now vital. Otherwise, the results for your organisation could be disastrous. Costs will be too high, goals won’t be achieved, and spirits will be low.
Those that utilise the downturn to review – and enhance – best business practices, re-examine current structures and operating systems, find innovative ways to make the most of budget and, perhaps most importantly, communicate effectively to all of your audiences, will emerge from this recession the strongest.
On a separate note, it gives me great pleasure to announce that Beverly Landais, a valued member of our editorial board and former director of marketing and business development at Baker & McKenzie LLP, has been appointed as Devereux Chambers’s first-ever chief executive officer. She joins the chambers in August 2009 and can be contacted at blandais@sky.com until then. We wish her the very best of luck in her new role.
As always if you have any feedback or would like to contribute an article, I would love to hear from you. Contact me at lmcnulty@ark-group.com. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy this issue.

Lucy McNulty,
Editor