Interview with: Dr. iur. Thilo Pachmann, Partner

Pachmann Law Partner, Dr. iur. Thilo Pachmann explains how a boutique full service sports, commercial and litigation focussed firm can punch above its weight in a competitive legal market.

 

1) What do you see as the main points that differentiate Pachmann Law from your competitors?

There are 3 reasons why Pachmann Law, as a boutique firm, sets itself apart from other competitors in the market. The 3 reasons have common points with other competitors in the market but it is the combination and specialised focus on the clients that sets us apart.

Focused practice: We are principally focused as a practise in sports law, commercial matters and litigation – Swiss, cross-border and intellectual property. We service individuals, families, start-ups, SMEs up to listed companies because we provide personal, direct and high-level legal services. Personal high-level services is often the overwhelming feedback from our clients. We often take over clients from other firms and keep them because we follow through and live the firm mission of ‘moving the world for you’. ‘Moving the world’ for the client is a common thread that is woven through the firm and ingrained in our practises.

Client-centred approach: We offer clients flexible tailored solutions. This is not a new concept but for our firm, we offer a personal service where clients access Senior Attorneys directly, we have walked in the client’s shoes to understand the needs which allows us to be cost effective and useful. We view clients differently from that of a number on a billing sheet. We create results for the client where the billing is transparent and clear. Contrary to big law firms we generally know the owners of the businesses we represent personally and need to deliver a value which is worth the amount charged. With transparency and results comes binding and beneficial relationships where we can assist clients over the long term.

Reduced conflicts of interest and ethics: As a boutique practice, we have reduced conflicts of interest that our larger competitors often suffer from. We often assist clients that cannot work with large competitor firms as there is always someone that has a conflict internally as the large corporate clients spread the work to create the necessary conflicts in the market. Internally, we also have balanced work and budget expectations with our staff. Our staff do not look at clients in terms of what percentage of budget can be gained from them. The first priority is service above all and by doing that we create client trust that lasts.

 

2) Which practises do you see growing in the next 12 months? What are the drivers behind that?

In the next 12 months, the growth areas for our firm will be in sports law, commercial matters and intellectual property. Each of these areas involve both non-contentious and contentious work. The common drivers of growth of all 3 is an ever-changing environment. Since the beginning of 2020, our clients have experienced an increasing set of challenges where the ripple effects from each substantive event have an effect in the 3, 6 and 12 month window horizons. Take COVID as an example. The pandemic effected different countries in different ways with inconsistencies in the strength of restrictions and the timing of implementation. As such, there were shocks in supply chains and logistics which then had ripple effects into wholesale and retail and then the ability to make payments and meet minimum requirements in contracts that in turn had a circular effect back into supply. It was a nasty time and clients still feel the effects of it. But then combine that with the effect of Brexit, conflicts, environment and the over supply and glut of goods in the market – there are clear challenges with direct and immediate legal consequences. Our clients know that we are there beside them to navigate those issues and provide clear, flexible and targeted advice to steer through challenges and also plan and strategize with them to smooth out bumps in the future.

 

3) What’s the main change you’ve made in the firm that will benefit clients?

It is a combination of 3 changes we have made for the benefit of the clients. The use of technology in the delivery of our work and assists us to be cost effective towards the client. This is a major shift in the way we do things. We have also strengthened our cross-border commercial and litigation work with the recruitment of a senior common law practitioner, Benjamin Fitzmaurice. Benjamin has brought a global intellectual property, commercial and litigation practise and expertise to the firm which other Swiss law firms dream of. By doing this, we have unlocked additional services for our clients and provided additional benefit. We are also expanding our team. We are still small and perfectly formed but we have strengthened our team with top-Swiss talent that is attracted to our culture and work.

 

4) Is technology changing the way you interact with your clients, and the services you can provide them?

Technology advancements in our practise allow us to be more nimble with the volume of work and the accuracy of it. For example, we use technology to efficiently create briefs and witness statements with the collation of documents and evidence at the click of a button. Given that ‘every cent counts’ for clients, we can do more for less and really provide value. Clearly, in the present environment we have a lot of communication through video conference facilities as our clients are in different parts of the world but we have not lost that personal connection with them and maintain regular in-person meetings. Technology is great but it is not a substitute for really knowing the client through personal connection and deeply understanding his motivation and interests.

 

5) Can you give us a practical example of how you have helped a client to add value to their business?

There are simple number metrics like saving 6 Olympic medals for athletes with successful defences against doping allegations. That is a number we are proud of. But there are also situations where knowing the client intimately means that we can see a problem and talk through a solution that the client did not immediately see. A good example of this was a manufacturer that was in a difficult relationship with an existing market brand. There were obvious issues facing the client and the restrictions were such that the opportunity was not readily available to the client. However, due to our intimate knowledge, we could see a legal path open to the client and allow it to leave one relationship and move into new retail markets that are adding more and more ongoing benefits. Again, focused, targeted legal service through close relationships.

 

6) Are clients looking for stability and strategic direction from their law firms – where do you see the firm in three years’ time?

In our experience, our clients are looking for a trusted partner that can stand in their shoes and provide objective and clear advice. The stability in our client relationships comes from trust which is built on continuously delivering high quality services. Our clients trust us to be that strategic partner and provide direction, advice and clarity that is on time, efficient, cost-effective and put them first in all situations. In that way, we fulfil and live up to the established mission of the firm to ‘move the world for you’. We solve the client’s problems efficiently and effectively.