Offshore law firms play a central role in major cross-border deals and disputes, yet the market remains unfamiliar to many lawyers. Harneys global managing partner William Peake explains how the model works, why onshore law firms are its most important clients and how offshore jurisdictions compete for international business.
Peake reflects on the $9.2 billion dispute that helped make his career and what lawyers can expect from a move offshore. The conversation covers recruitment, partner pay, advocacy opportunities and the reality behind the promise of high-quality work and weekends in the Caribbean.
We also examine private equity’s growing interest in offshore legal services, how Harneys is funding its expansion and the competitive risk posed by better-capitalised rivals. Peake also explains how his unusually candid LinkedIn presence has generated millions of views, opened doors with major firms and brought new work into Harneys.
Chapters
00:01 Introduction
01:40 How the offshore law firm model works
03:26 The $9.2bn litigation that made Peake’s career
07:56 Winning referrals from onshore law firms
10:29 Recruiting lawyers and building a career offshore
15:52 Partner pay, talent and accessible leadership
20:24 Private equity and the Harneys Fiduciary sale
33:06 Building Harneys’ profile through LinkedIn
43:10 Ireland and the firm’s next phase of growth
