The New Post-Professional Advocacy and Modernization of Major Brazilian Law Firms

Abstract

Socioeconomic changes that gave rise to flexible forms of job organization also changed Professional Systems, initiating the phase of post-professionalism, represented by the adoption of a market-oriented logic. The aim of this paper is to understand and analyze these changes in Brazilian law firms using a qualitative research. We interviewed twenty-two professionals engaged in six major law firms in the country. For data analysis we used the thematic content analysis technique. The results indicate that the offices are undergoing a process of incorporating management practices of capitalist enterprises that compete in the market: flexible hierarchy, multidisciplinary teams, job cells and specialized professionals are adopting a business logic. We conclude that large law firms are increasingly beginning to experience a break with the traditional values of the profession, although old practices are still part of these organizations' daily lives.

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