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James G. Perkins, PhD

James G. Perkins, PhD

Chief Operating & Compliance Officer

James G. Perkins, PhD

Services & Specializations


    Address

    525 B Street, Suite 2200, San Diego, CA 92101

    Office Tel.

    619.515.3211

    Fax

    619.744.5411

    Overview

    James G. Perkins has for the last 20+ years led the firm’s non-legal operations including finance, human resources, administration, marketing and business development, information services and knowledge management.

    Jim is a member of the firm’s Management Committee and in 2012 also became the firm’s Chief Compliance Officer (“CCO”) responsible for developing a firm Enterprise Risk Management Program.  In his CCO capacity he also serves as Co-Chair, together with the firm’s General Counsel, of Procopio’s Office of Risk Management and Compliance.  Jim speaks regularly on law firm management issues and business strategy at conferences and international law firm network meetings.  He also consults occasionally as part of the Procopio Business Advisors group.

    • PhD, University of Surrey, United Kingdom
    • MBA, University of Chicago
    • BA, United Kingdom

    • Author. “Chapter 4: The role of the chief operating officer in a law firm – post-pandemic,” Rise of the Legal COO, Second Edition, Ark Group: Globe Law and Business Publishers, January 2023.
    • Co-author. “Chapter 9: Digital transformation, knowledge management, and cybersecurity in the post-COVID era,” Knowledge Management in Law Firms: Challenges and Opportunities Post-Pandemic, Ark Group: Globe Law and Business Publishers, January 2023.
    • Author. Perkins, James G., “Chapter 5: The role of the chief operating officer in a law firm – A personal case study,” Rise of the Legal COO, London: Ark Group, 2017.
    • Author. Perkins, James G., “Chapter 9: Profitability, the concept of Managing the Edge and their importance to a regional law firm,” in Bowes, E. (ed.), The Mechanics of Law Firm Profitability: People, Process and Technology, London: Ark Group, 2016.
    • Author. Perkins, James G., “The Business of Operating a Law Firm,” Law Office Economics and Management, Vol. XXXVIII, No. 3, 1997.
    • Speaker. “The Business of Running a Law Firm,” presentation to Meritas Australia/New Zealand Regional Group. Auckland, New Zealand, October 2019.
    • Speaker. “Navigating a Black Swan Event and the New Law Firm Model 2020 – 2023,” virtual presentation to the Meritas Australia/New Zealand Regional Group, November 2020.
    • Speaker. “The Business of Running a Law Firm,” presentation to the Meritas Annual Global Meeting, San Diego, USA, April 2019.
    • Speaker. “Post Covid Concerns, Metrics and Challenges,” presentation to the Meritas Australia/New Zealand Regional Group, Adelaide, Australia, October 2022.
    • Speaker. “Cost Accounting Profitability – A Case Study,” presentation at the ARK virtual conference “The Mechanics of Profitability,” June 2020.
    • Speaker. “The Rising Importance of Business Development and Marketing in Law Firm Management,” presentation to the Meritas Asia Regional Group Meeting, Manila, Philippines, November 2019.
    • Speaker. “Strategy – What is it? Why do law firms struggle with execution of strategic planning,” presentation to the Law Exchange International law firm network, Spring meeting, Munich, Germany, April 2014.
    • Speaker. “Managing in times of uncertainty, low growth and increased competition”, presentation to the Law Exchange International law firm network, Fall Meeting, Stockholm, Sweden, September 2011.

    • San Diego Regional Economic Development Council – Former Board Member (2014-2019)
    • Cali Baja Bi-National Mega-Region – Board Member
    • U.S. Rugby Football Foundation – Director
    • U.S. National Rugby Team – Head Coach (1987-1991)