Management Financial

MICHAEL A. KATZ

*** ****** ***** ****, *********, CT 06825 203-***-**** *******.*.*******@*****.***

PROFESSIONAL OVERVIEW

Versatile Pricing, Financial Planning & Analysis, and Treasury Director

Industry expert in competitive analysis, IT finance, and global treasury for large law firms

Successful background in working with C-suite executives to evaluate growth opportunities, design

and implement creative credit solutions in stressful financial markets, and control large-scale IT projects

Collaborative team leader who can deliver aggressive business objectives and ensure performance

metrics are aligned, tracked, and consistently improved upon

DEMONSTRATED STRENGTHS & EXPERTISE

Research & Analysis Financial Modeling Budgetary Control Business Operations Strategic Planning

Project Management Process Optimization Performance Metrics Global Pricing Outsourcing

Staff Supervision Relationship Management Cross-functional Collaboration Problem Resolution

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

SB2 CONSULTANTS, New York, NY 2014

– Present

Strategic financial and operations services for mid-size to large law firms.

• Submitted client profitability analysis proposals to leading Connecticut firms

WILMERHALE, New York, NY

2011 – 2014

An AmLaw 20 ($1.0B revenue) national partnership. Responsible for the monthly management report to the

partnership, competitive analysis, billing rates, operating expense analysis, and other special projects.

Manager, Financial Planning & Analysis

Selected Accomplishments:

• Directed the rate-setting process that selectively increased rates to bring overall rates to market levels

while maintaining realization, generating $20M annually in additional revenues

• Set aggressive billing rates for numerous high-profile lateral attorneys (including several from the

government sector) based on market analysis

• Researched and analyzed labor overhead expenses that prompted improvements in secretarial ratios

through pooling and highlighted the need to improve IT staffing ratios

• Worked collaboratively with the CFO on a strategic plan that focused on geographic and selective practice

expansion and led to the divestiture of the low-profit trusts & estates department

• Improved the monthly partnership report by including an emphasis on month-by-month productivity

trend (hours per attorney) versus the prior year

ORRICK, HERRINGTON & SUTCLIFFE, New York, NY

2005 - 2011

An industry-leading AmLaw 30 ($850M revenue) global partnership. Responsible for financial planning, cash

management, and the analysis and control of key investments.

Treasurer (2008 – 2011)

Selected Accomplishments:

• Doubled the major revolving and term credit facility to $200M (in response to several large law firm

bankruptcies) and implemented innovative financings using fixed assets and partner capital

Michael A. Katz Page 2

• Improved the business of law presentation delivered to new partners to include the post-Lehman

Bros. industry environment and alternative fee arrangements (AFAs)/matter management

• Developed real estate dashboard showing comparative occupancy and expense metrics as pilot

project for dashboarding other financial reports.

• Led team of consultants that identified potential $10M/year savings in occupancy costs through sublease

and surrender options

• Implemented $20M/year technology leasing program to conserve cash and reduce IT expenses

• Reduced outsourced document services expenses by initiating and monitoring a per lawyer pricing model

with annual productivity improvements

• Worked in conjunction with partners on modeling Alternative Fee Arrangements (AFAs) for large

engagements, resulting in retaining revenue on a profitable basis

• Performed financial modeling and conducted due diligence for three German offices

Director, Financial Projects (2005 – 2008)

• Performed due diligence on merger with Dewey Ballantine, which included the development of a

comparative economic balance sheet and modeling operating synergies from a combined firm

• Directed the financial modeling and due diligence process for the acquisition of three China offices

• Managed the installation of shipping software to improve secretarial efficiency and cost

INDEPENDENT CONSULTANT

2004 – 2005

Performed business development activities for a mid-sized communications company and IT start-ups.

MCGRAW-HILL FINANCIAL, New York, NY

1979 - 2004

A leading public $8 billion educational publishing and financial information firm. Oversaw full-scale financial

management of product and back office application development; responsible for an expense budget of $130M,

capital budget of $60M, and 500 employees.

Director of Finance, Information Technology

Selected Accomplishments:

• Provided financial leadership for the $180M replacement of the order processing, supply chain, and data

warehouse application systems, evaluating systems costs vs. labor savings and make vs. buy alternatives

• Developed a dashboard to monitor the progress of dozens of multi-million-dollar systems projects

• Designed financial models used to negotiate a $270M telecommunications outsourcing relationship that

resulted in $2M/ year savings used to fund sophisticated network management

Prior McGraw-Hill Positions

Promoted through seven financial management positions in general, professional, higher education, and

supplemental educational publishing business units and at the enterprise level.

EDUCATION

MBA, Finance, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ

MA, Teaching and BA, History, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY

PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS

Member, Legal Marketing Association P3 – Project Management, Pricing, Practice Innovation

Contact this candidate