2010 Looking Ahead

Avatar: a computer users representation of him/herself, their alter ego
Avatar: in Hinduism is an incarnation of the Supreme Being
Avatar: an epic movie that takes us to a spectacular new world beyond our imagination, where a reluctant hero embarks on a journey of redemption and discovery...

 

Whichever definition resonates most with you there's no denying that it represents change, something different, a better reality and that is exactly what 2010 is all about. Looking ahead, focusing on the future and hopefully leaving the worst trading conditions firmly in the past.

When James Cameron picked up his Golden Globe for Best Picture he said "Avatar shows that everything is connected" and this is a sentiment that we emulate through our commitment to our people, to our clients and it is part of our brand culture. Unlike many competitors we did not make any redundancies last year in fact we increased the headcount by almost 10%. As markets changed we retrained 20% of our non-partner lawyers to cope with new emerging legal demand. This vigorous management style has borne very positive results and client feedback confirms that our approach to developing open and honest relationships is very worthwhile.

As a firm we recognise that the need for information is urgent and perfectly legitimate. That means being totally transparent so that we can take everyone on this change journey and make it a success. Change is all around us and this month saw the launch of The Caledonian Mercury, an on-line newspaper targeted at ABC1 fortysomething readers who, the project's backers believe, have drifted away from the traditional Scottish stalwarts, both having seen significant declines in circulation. I'm all for change and moving with the times and in this austere climate I appreciate clients naturally scrutinising costs, however I'm a great believer in people and developing a culture of excellence in business. As with everything, time will prove the measure of this new venture and in the ever evolving social media world there will no doubt be a place for this burgeoning business.

Having weathered the worst of the storm and emerged with greater strength, we are now standing at an exciting threshold, not quite the same as hybrids ready to take their first step into Pandora, but we certainly face a critical opportunity to move the business forward and it's one we will not squander, just like Na'vi tribes on Pandora!

Professor Lorne D Crerar, Chairman
February, 2010