• Legal Services Co, one of the largest and most prestigious law firms in the world, was considering where to grow and focus in Asia after the financial crisis of 1997.
• Because of its focus on securities and project finance, the Asia practice suffered significantly during the downturn.
• Adding to the complexity were three major issues:
       - Increasing dominance of the U.S. market and U.S. investment banks, over European counterparts
       - Client demands for local law and local presence
       - Partnership structure restricting ability to focus on specific geographies and practice areas

Bain was asked to help Legal Services Co understand where to focus and invest to position itself strategically vis a vis other firms while maximizing profits per partner.