Law Times

Law Times • November 26, 2012 Heydary firms establish unique business model Common brand, separation of management, practice pivotal to operations FOCUS W "a disguise." BY GLENN KAUTH Law Times hile he's been a lawyer for some time, Javad Hey- dary calls that role heart," he says. So while the firm that has now "I'm really a businessman at become Heydary Hamilton Pro- fessional Corp. began in 2002, he has also been busy with several other lines of business. When it comes to the practice of law, sev- eral other firms carry the Hey- dary name according to boutique areas of practice: Heydary Sam- uel Professional Corp., which focuses on real estate law; Hey- dary Green Professional Corp. a family and estate law boutique; and Heydary Hayes Professional Corp., which handles intellectual property, media, and technology matters. In addition, Heydary launched Red Seal Notary, which provides notary public, authenti- cation, and legalization services from more than 100 locations across Canada. More recently, he began the Octagon Law Group, a relatively new line of business that focuses on law firm manage- ment and mergers. In Heydary' has says he's looking for more in or- der to satisfy the demand. In his view, that demand will only grow as the practice of law continues to evolve and the overall market for legal services shrinks. While that presents many challenges, it also provides an opportunity for firms to find ways to become more ef- ficient by taking a hard look at their management and opera- tions, he says. "What they should be doing is leaving that to people who are qualified and have the time, " he says. YOUR SOURCE OF ESSENTIAL LEGISLATION NEW EDITION CONSOLIDATED ONTARIO SMALL CLAIMS COURT STATUTES, The legal profession still has 'billion-dollar concerns that are run like a corner store,' says Javad Heydary. of firms are the most likely to suc- ceed as the practice of law chang- es: large global firms, small and solo practices, and boutiques. So when it comes to the Heydary law firms, each follows the bou- tique model. While they're sepa- rate entities, they operate under the Heydary brand, something he' s view, three types level at some point. In the mean- time, he' brand to eight boutique firms. But a key interest for Heydary s looking at taking to a national s aiming to build the right now is the business of law through the Octagon Law Group. Its focus is on separating man- agement duties from the practice of law at law firms. "Even if quali- fied, they're not interested in run- ning a business," says Heydary in reference to lawyers. Noting he believes the legal field is the only industry that hasn't separated ownership from management and capital issues, he notes the profession still has "billion-dollar concerns that are run like a cor- ner store. take both their best and worst lawyers when it comes to assem- bling their management teams. The worst lawyers, he says, have In his view, law firms oſten " tagon Law Group to handle those matters for law firms. It can pro- vide services in areas such as hu- man resources and marketing or act as a consultant on strategic moves such as mergers. Already, it has been providing back-office support for the Heydary-brand- ed firms but has seen significant demand for its services from the profession in general. When it comes to law firm the time to take on manage- ment roles while firms oſten pro- mote their top practitioners who should actually be focusing on what they do best: practising law. As a result, he set up the Oc- merger activity, Heydary says that has been a growing area of business. Most of the activ- ity comes from mid-sized bou- tique firms of 10 to 50 lawyers, he says. The services in that area include assessment of the firm, developing a strategic plan, and identification of an appropriate partner. Aſter that, the Octagon Law Group will assist with due diligence and merger integration. In addition, the Octagon Law Group provides services when it comes to financing of law firm mergers, major civil suits, term loans, and cash flow. "There is a huge gap that should be filled by the financial institutions," says Heydary, who notes the era of partners having to go to the bank and mortgage their homes in or- der to finance their law firms has come to an end. So far, Heydary says the de- mand for services has been outstripping the Octagon Law Group' The challenge, he says, is finding staff with the high-level knowl- edge of the legal profession nec- essary to provide the services firms want. He already has sev- eral people working with him but s capacity to provide them. REGULATIONS AND RULES, 2012-2013 MR. JUSTICE MARVIN A. ZUKER Access a wealth of relevant, up-to-date statutes, regulations and rules for your small claims matters with this comprehensive, portable, and easy-to-use guide. NEW IN THIS EDITION • All the latest amendments to the Small Claims Court rules and forms, including the latest amendments in force July 1, 2012 and January 1, 2013 (O. Reg. 56/12) • All amendments to the key statutes contained in the consolidation ORDER # 985100-65203 $92 Softcover approx. 1440 pages August 2012 978-0-7798-5100-3 Annual volumes available on standing order subscription Multiple copy discounts available Shipping and handling are extra. Price subject to change without notice and subject to applicable taxes. AVAILABLE RISK-FREE FOR 30 DAYS Order online: www.carswell.com Call Toll-Free: 1-800-387-5164 In Toronto: 416-609-3800 LT PAGE 11 ANNOUNCEMENT CANADIAN CASES ON EMPLOYMENT LAW (CCEL) We are pleased to announce that Norman Grosman, managing partner at Grosman, Grosman & Gale LLP, has been appointed Editor-in-Chief of Canadian Cases on Employment Law (CCEL). Mr. Grosman has been an Assistant Editor of CCEL for many years. He is the author of A Practical Guide to the Law of Hiring (Canada Law Book) and a regular contributor to The Employment Bulletin (Canada Law Book). We also welcome Matthew L.O. Certosimo who joins as Assistant Editor of CCEL. Mr. Certosimo is a partner of Borden Ladner Gervais LLP, and the national leader of the Labour and Employment Group as well as a Certified Specialist in Labour Law. He has authored numerous Carswell and Canada Law Book texts. We wish to thank David Harris for his long service and for his significant contribution as Editor-in-Chief of CCEL. AUTHORITATIVE. INNOVATIVE. TRUSTED. www.lawtimesnews.com

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