White & Case was once a Wall Street firm with the typical practice mix and geographic presence one would expect from such a firm. But as it switched gears to focus on a more global offering three decades ago, it became one of the few elite firms that made significant and ongoing investments in building out foreign offices. Including associated firms, it has roughly three dozen outposts outside of the U.S., including every continent but Antarctica.
That unquestionable reach does come with costs. U.S.-based firms with a large international presence tend to be less profitable, and cohesion amongst those various offices and cultures is not always easy to come by. Thus, it is something of a risk.
