It all started back in the early spring of 2020, independent of the initial shockwaves of Covid-19 surging across the globe, we sat down and juxtaposed our unbridled optimism at the state of our practice against our very real concerns regarding the state of the legal industry. The conclusions we drew were as obvious as they were inescapable.
First, the demand for our software license counseling – largely (but not entirely) driven by Oracle Corporation – had been consistently expanding in size and scope in the years since we represented Mars in the landmark Mars v. Oracle matter (still the only publicly filed matter brought by a licensee against Oracle for its licensing and auditing tactics). Second, chaining the delivery of legal services to outsized law firms was not only rapidly slipping into obsolescence, but the inwardly focused demands of BigLaw were damaging our attorney-client relationships.
The rough contours of a lean and nimble law firm quickly took shape as we strategized how to best unbundle our sophisticated software licensing services from the confines of full-service law firms. We tentatively planned a summer launch, eagerly anticipating the freedom of bringing our legal services directly to our clients.
And then Covid-19 revealed its true colors and the game changed for everyone. Lockdowns were put into place, businesses emptied their premises and, almost overnight, every business in every industry across the globe was grappling with existential concerns regarding how to deliver their services in a new and unpredictable world.
It was against this unexpectedly tumultuous backdrop that, on June 1, 2020, we threw open the proverbial doors of Beeman & Muchmore. Armed with decades of experience as partners in the largest and most prominent law firms in the country, we barreled directly into the most unpredictable market in decades. Above all, we trusted our instincts that the legal industry is best served by embracing the onslaught of change rather than resisting it.
And, if this past year has taught us anything, it is that Beeman & Muchmore is at the forefront of an exciting and necessary evolution towards unbundled law firms. It is no secret: aided in no small part by the pandemic, businesses are drastically reimagining their legal services, handling an increasing range of needs in-house and supplementing the rest with highly specialized counseling. Armed with our hard-fought micro-specialty of Oracle (and other) software licensing and auditing services, we are proud to be among the very first law firms to bring a specific unbundled legal service to the complex commercial law space.
It seems a fitting bookend that now, on our one-year anniversary, many of us are beginning to emerge from the pandemic (with many more soon to follow). As we collectively begin fully exploring just what our new world is and what it means to all of us, we continue to unwaveringly adhere to the mantra that launched our firm a year ago: The Best is Yet to Come.
No one can afford any illusions—the COVID-19 pandemic is the game-changer of our lifetime. Across all industries, the only thing that anyone knows for certain is that “business as usual” is a thing of the past. As the aging models that have dominated the distribution of legal services for decades come under increasing scrutiny, the legal industry is facing a degree of turmoil that it hasn’t seen for generations. With our combined decades as partners in the largest and most prominent law firms in the country, Beeman & Muchmore believe that the legal industry is best served by embracing change rather than resisting it. Although the pandemic has brought an immediacy to grappling with the future, the transformation in our industry has been underway for some time.
It is no secret—businesses of all types and sizes are reimagining their legal services, handling an increasing range of needs in-house and—for the balance—seeking highly specialized counseling that can be delivered free of the inefficiencies that burden traditional full-service law firms. We believe these trends will usher our profession to new heights of accountability and effectiveness. Accordingly, we are proud to launch Beeman & Muchmore, LLP —a new law firm specially designed to meet the emerging needs and demands of the new world.
We have represented companies of all sizes, in all industries, handling all types of matters that go to the heart of essential business operations.
We have a turn-key proficiency handling software licensing and auditing disputes with Oracle Corporation and other prominent global software vendors.
Our experience in handling recurring licensing and auditing disputes has uniquely positioned us to extricate companies from their dispute while avoiding costly litigation.
Our unique practice model allows us to deliver our highly-specialized counseling free from an inefficient and costly infrastructure.
Tell us your story.
We can help—your precise need may not be apparent.
Determine what we can do and what creative fee arrangement fits best.
We plug effortlessly into your team and work tirelessly to meet your needs.
Are you worried that your company may be targeted by the “second wave” of aggressive software license auditors (such as Micro Focus and/or Quest)? Are you familiar with the peculiar incentives behind these and other newly aggressive software auditors? Bottom line: you probably should be.
At the end of last month, we had the pleasure of participating in Podcast Episode 104: Oracle’s New Audit Approach: How Should ITAM Teams Prepare?
Any software vendor contract should be approached with caution and trepidation – just because it is executed in a ‘click-through’ format does not mean that it should be treated any differently.
If this past year has taught us anything, it is that Beeman & Muchmore is at the forefront of an exciting and necessary evolution towards unbundled law firms. And our first year far surpassed our wildest dreams.
Now included in the LicenseFortress Premier subscription – at no additional cost – Beeman & Muchmore will provide legal counseling regarding how companies can deploy their technology to best avoid license violations.
