Chair: Simon Bevan (APP Chairman)
Speakers: Mark Jones (Addleshaw Goddard LLP) and Duncan Brown (AON Hewitt)

This workshop will consider the position where profits in professional service firms inevitably come under pressure in a downturn.  Since partners share the residual profit between them, the pressure to maintain earnings of the highest-performing stakeholders of the business is intense.  The speakers will share their insights into the responses being taken in the market; during the session, they will talk through some real examples and explain, for example, when the most appropriate response might be to share the pain equally, and when it might be to target the reduced income more specifically.  They will also explain the behavioural issues of which organisations should be aware when designing their responses.

Outcome:  After the workshop delegates will be able to better understand and advise on partner exits and disputes, having an improved understanding of the context in which many of them are currently taking place.