Richard Crump joined HFW in 1979 and has been the global senior partner since 2007. He specialises in shipping, focusing mainly on dispute resolution arising from charterparties, bills of lading, shipbuilding, collisions, fire and explosion, salvage, general average, groundings, total loss, towage, offshore and limitation.
Crump works closely with the firm's managing partner and the rest of the management board in overseeing the firm's strategy and operations. During his time as senior partner, the firm has doubled in size and extended its network of international offices.
ALB: Tell us about your legal career so far, and what led you to taking up this role.
Crump: I didn't really enjoy the study of law at Oxford, which is pretty shocking given that I have now been in practice for over 40 years! I've spent my entire career at one firm, which is unusual these days.
In legal practice, I was a shipping lawyer and loved everything about that business – the variety of international clients and the different outlook from different countries, and the technical side of the cases. I was lucky to be involved in some significant shipping cases.
Having just completed 27 years of enjoying practice, there was an opportunity to become senior partner and have a role in shaping the future direction of the firm and its strategy. In some ways, it has almost been a second career, and one that I have really enjoyed.
ALB: What have been some of your highlights from your time in charge? And what are some leadership lessons you have learnt?
Crump: The firm has grown significantly over the past 14 years – in fact we have more than doubled in size over that period, and now have offices across the Americas, Europe, the Middle East and Asia-Pacific – and I like to think I have played some part in that. Six years ago, I relocated full-time to Singapore in order to focus on the firm's continued development in Asia-Pacific – we have ambitious plans to further strengthen and broaden our offering across the region.
We have also expanded from being more of a niche shipping practice to a sector-focused business in aviation, commodities, construction, energy, and insurance, and I have been closely involved in developing those initiatives.
In terms of leadership lessons that I’ve learnt – be prepared to listen more than you think you do; be decisive; and remember always to bring people with you on the journey.
ALB: How do you feel the pandemic will reshape not just the way your firm operates, but also the legal services industry more broadly?
Crump: Much has been talked about the effect of the pandemic and in particular working from home. I think the effects will be different in different jurisdictions and all firms will take stock of it. We will also liaise with our clients as to what they would like and what they themselves are doing. I do believe that these events will lead to changes in how people expect and wish to work.
ALB: How important is law firm culture, according to you? What kind of internal culture are you looking to foster?
Crump: A strong culture is vital to any successful business, and law firms are no different. At HFW, we pride ourselves on having an entrepreneurial, creative and collaborative culture, and we aim to have a diverse and inclusive environment, where people are encouraged to be open and to challenge. HFW has traditionally had a flatter, less hierarchical structure, which has a number of advantages in fostering a more democratic culture.
ALB: On that note, how would you describe your hiring and talent retention strategy? What kinds of lawyers would make the best fit for your firm?
Crump: People strategy is going to be key for law firms in future, and those who handle that well will be successful. We don't have a stereotype of person at HFW – we embrace people who fundamentally are happy to work hard and can have a career that suits the level to which they aspire. Different generations have different expectations about their careers and about the organisation in which they want to work. We need to be flexible and adapt.
ALB: What are the keys to succeeding for a firm of your size and focus? What are you currently doing well, and what are potential areas of improvement for you?
Crump: It is vital for any services-business to listen to and keep in touch with clients, and to maintain an offering that is relevant to their needs. The legal industry has perhaps been a bit guilty in the past of focusing on services that lawyers think people may need or want, without actually asking the primary user – the client. At HFW, we make a point of understanding not just our clients' businesses but also their industries, which enables us to see things from their perspective and to give them advice that ultimately adds value.
ALB: How have clients’ requirements evolved in recent times (either generally or as a result of the pandemic), and how are you as a firm meeting them?
Crump: Clients are increasingly looking for more from their lawyers than just blackletter law advice – they also want strategic and commercial advice to assist them in making decisions in relation to their business. That commercial approach is vital. Clients themselves, of course, are under pressure in terms of external spend, and so they are also understandably very focused in relation to value.
ALB Conversations is a weekly series of in-depth Q&As with leaders of law firms and in-house legal departments across Asia. If you are a managing partner or general counsel based in the region who is interested in being a part of this series, please send an email to aparna.sai@tr.com.
