Crowell & Moring Among Financial Times' Top 25 Most Innovative U.S. Law Firms

Washington, D.C. – November 29, 2012: Crowell & Moring LLP is pleased to announce that it has been recognized by Financial Times (FT) in the publication's third annual "U.S. Innovative Lawyers" report. The firm ranked 16th out of 25 firms for innovation in the legal sector for its ability to develop smarter initiatives to meet client needs and help them shape their businesses effectively.  The firm was also ranked as "highly commended" in the categories of intellectual property, business of law, and litigation.

The FT report, an annual review of the work of lawyers around the world who have created innovative solutions to some of the most complex problems facing business, governments, and societies, was published on November 29, 2012, in conjunction with a launch event in New York. In order to determine the "Most Innovative Firms," FT evaluates firms based on their ability to serve innovative, entrepreneurial clients, their legal acumen, and the firm's law firm management, strategy and sustainability.

In the intellectual property category, FT highlights Crowell & Moring's multi-million dollar victory on behalf of DuPont by reporting, "DuPont, the chemicals group, last year won an eye-catching $920m judgment against Kolon Industries, a South Korean company, for breach of trade secrets surrounding Kevlar, which is used in bullet-proof vests. Crowell & Moring, acting for DuPont, had to obtain evidence from key witnesses in South Korea and prove evidence tampering by the defendant, which was found by a US court to have destroyed documents in the case."

The firm is a market leader in the development and use of alternative fee arrangements (AFAs) and was also recognized in the litigation category for creating "an original pricing model for complex litigation that marries attorneys' judgments with data and analytical tools." The firm was previously recognized in the FT's 2009 and 2011 "U.S. Innovative Lawyer" reports for its work in offering cutting-edge AFAs.

In the business of law section, the report specifically highlights Crowell & Moring's project management initiative noting the firm, "used an original approach to project management to change behavior first, then introduced new technologies to institute training." The report goes on to say, "After putting more than 400 lawyers through the training, the firm's project management approach is now becoming a differentiator for it in winning pitches."

The prestigious "U.S. Innovative Lawyers" report is driven by submissions from law firms and in-house counsel across Europe and the United States, in which each innovation is assessed for its originality, rationale, and impact. The awards are a cumulative result of nearly 300 submissions. The research was conducted by RSG Consulting, the FT's research partner.

Crowell & Moring LLP is an international law firm with approximately 500 lawyers representing clients in litigation and arbitration, regulatory, and transactional matters. The firm is internationally recognized for its representation of Fortune 500 companies in high-stakes litigation, as well as its ongoing commitment to pro bono service and diversity.