Portolano Cavallo: a leader in innovation for the third year running
Following back-to‐back successes, Portolano Cavallo has earned a place in the Financial Times rankings for legal services innovation for the third year in a row – making it the only Italian firm to do so.
Portolano Cavallo Law Firm is the only Italian firm to be included in the Financial Times’ Most Innovative Law Firms rankings for the third consecutive year. The firm jumped from 24th position to 17th, overtaking many larger international firms, and was recognised in the categories of Client Service, Global Strategy and Continental European Law Firms.
The 2011 edition of the rankings, on the theme of “Taking bold decisions”, saw nearly 100 firms enter, of which only 50 reached the final shortlist. The winning finalists received their awards at a ceremony held at the Science Museum in London. “Innovation is an integral part of our DNA,” explained partner Francesco Portolano. “It is not linked to a specific project – it is nurtured every single day by our team as a whole. Innovation is impossible without the right team, the right climate and the ability to recognize the brilliant ideas generated by our people. This is what sets us apart in the Italian legal environment.”
Portolano spoke of the firm’s pride at the accolades it had received and touched on the reasons for them: “We have been pursuing innovation in every area of our work, and the factors in the editor’s decision are a recognition of this. For example, the first area [of Client Service] testifies to our attention to the quality of our legal advice, together with the importance of its promptness and clarity for the client. The second [area of Global Strategy] has to do with our capacity to cope with the global financial turmoil and turn it into an opportunity. We have modified the firm’s governance and made significant investments in human resources and communication. We have adopted innovative billing schemes and have continued to hire without resorting to salary freezes – in fact, we have been able to increase salaries and pay bonuses.”
“Breaking into the top 20 of the rankings, as the sole Italian business firm and together with much larger organizations, poses an extraordinary challenge for our future: the challenge to maintain or even raise our ranking in demonstrating our commitment to innovation as a service to clients.”
