What does it take to become a national firm? Robert Giles, the long-serving managing partner of Perkins Coie, nods his head and raises his eyebrows when the subject comes up. He answers with bulleted pronouncements that have the inflection of questions at the end of each phrase: “Being able to handle more sophisticated and important matters . . . having a footprint of offices in the country’s leading markets . . . having income numbers that make you attractive to top lateral partners . . . having bench strength in a mix of practices.” As he speaks, Giles is sitting on a small veranda at the Biltmore Hotel in Montecito, California, where he is attending the Seattle-based firm’s new partner retreat.
It’s a sunny March afternoon in the Southern California coastal city. The backdrop is filled with palm trees blowing in the breeze and sailboats sauntering across the Pacific. But Giles, with his hard-soled loafers, tan slacks, and button-down blue shirt with a pocket packed with folded papers and a couple of pens, seems a little out of place.
