Lawscape 2025
Defining the Law Firm of Tomorrow
Thomas Berman, Patricia Wheatley Burt, Bob Murray, Alicia Fortinberry, Phyllis Weiss Haserot, John Alber, Eric Hunter, Rohit Talwart, Joanna Goodman, Jack Bostelman, Chris Boyd, Douglas McPherson, Ian Turvill
Published: 2021
Pages: 166
eBook: 9781787426795
Lawscape 2025: Defining the law firm of tomorrow is an exploration of the biggest innovations, strategies, and disruptors that are set to change the face of legal practice.
Table of Contents
Cover | Cover | |
---|---|---|
Title page | i | |
Copyright page | ii | |
Contents | iii | |
Executive summary | vii | |
About the authors | xi | |
Chapter 1: Foretelling the future – The practice of law as it will be | 1 | |
The bigger picture | 1 | |
The challenge of assimilating change | 2 | |
Data integration and utilization | 5 | |
Information availability and its utilization will define law firms in the next five years | 8 | |
Chapter 2: Future structures for law firms | 11 | |
Future leadership strategies | 11 | |
Does size matter? | 12 | |
Segmentation of the legal market | 13 | |
Future global structures | 14 | |
Expansion drives – Risky if not planned properly | 20 | |
Client benefits of different business models | 21 | |
Key take away points | 24 | |
Chapter 3: Leading the organization of the future | 27 | |
What leadership means to humans | 29 | |
Leadership styles | 29 | |
Attributes and capabilities of a good leader | 30 | |
Are good leaders born or taught? | 36 | |
Leadership in a law environment | 36 | |
Conclusion | 37 | |
Chapter 4: Compensation – A whole new set of rules | 39 | |
The old model | 40 | |
Assessing the impact of your compensation program | 42 | |
Other issues | 43 | |
Recommended program | 44 | |
Chapter 5: GENgagement™ with work, the firm, and across generations | 47 | |
Focus on the business case | 47 | |
Focus on an engaging culture | 49 | |
Recommended policies and practices | 53 | |
Chapter 6: Design thinking and the why of BI | 55 | |
Change or die | 55 | |
But change how? | 57 | |
Design thinking discipline | 57 | |
Empathy? | 58 | |
Bringing empathy to BI | 59 | |
OMG | 61 | |
Beginning with the prosaic | 62 | |
Back to the why of BI | 64 | |
Chapter 7: Harmony and analytics – Building the predictive organization | 67 | |
Harmony and analytics | 68 | |
Social consumer systems, analytics, and reshaping the organization | 69 | |
Leveraging organizational change | 70 | |
Evolutions in time | 71 | |
Time and velocity | 72 | |
Divorcing time through velocity billing | 73 | |
The Darwinian approach to time | 74 | |
Evolving forward in time | 75 | |
Future-proofing your business | 75 | |
Evolutions in data capture | 76 | |
Predictive nirvana | 77 | |
Organizational harmony through a disruptive future | 77 | |
Chapter 8: Embracing the robot revolution | 81 | |
Understanding Artificial Intelligence | 81 | |
The four routes | 82 | |
Issues and opportunities | 84 | |
Chapter 9: From BI to AI | 87 | |
BI and big data | 88 | |
AI’s two-factor authentication | 90 | |
The AI of BI – and the BI of AI! | 92 | |
Get the BI right first | 93 | |
From dashboard to conversation | 94 | |
Chapter 10: Reframing the AI question in law | 95 | |
A miserable service model | 95 | |
Blockchain as an indictment of contract process | 95 | |
Access to justice | 96 | |
AI is just one tool | 98 | |
Chapter 11: Using knowledge management to increase firm profitability and pricing predictability | 99 | |
Introduction | 99 | |
First financial case study – Practice efficiency improvements | 99 | |
How KM can increase fee predictability | 105 | |
Examples of KM resources | 106 | |
Second financial case study – Shift work from partners to associates | 107 | |
Third financial case study – More efficient partner pitch preparation | 109 | |
Conclusion | 110 | |
Appendix A – The three financial models | 111 | |
Appendix B – How to start/restart a KM practice efficiency program | 115 | |
Chapter 12: “Intelligent marketing” – Practical marketing activities that really do create visibility | 121 | |
What is “intelligent marketing”? | 121 | |
What is the difference between “intelligent marketing” and “tick-box marketing”? | 121 | |
10 low-cost/high impact business development strategies that really work | 124 | |
The proven three-step implementation model: Confidence, focus, action | 128 | |
Chapter 13: Business development – The GROW Method | 131 | |
The GROW Method, Part 1: Goals | 133 | |
The GROW Method, Part 2: Relationships | 136 | |
The GROW Method Part 3: Originations | 141 | |
The GROW Method Part 4: Work | 144 |
Thomas Berman
Founder, Berman & Associates
Patricia Wheatley Burt
Patricia Wheatley Burt (PWB) has been consulting and advising in this sector for over 20 years. Projects include mergers, acquisitions, lateral hires, re-structuring leading to partner development, performance and remuneration management, and other business-focused services. She develops and delivers valuable interpersonal skills programmes, and leadership and management programmes Patricia Wheatley Burt is an experienced researcher: she has undertaken extensive research into the role of a MP and on leadership of which key information is provided in this report She is also a regular contributor for professional journals and is the author of Leadership in Law Firms (after the Legal Services Act, December 2010), The Role of the Managing Partner in a Law Firm (2006), Profitable Performance Management (2005), and The Role of the Law Firm Partner (first edition, 2012).
Bob Murray
Bob Murray, MBA, PhD (Clinical Psychology), is an internationally recognized expert in strategy, leadership, human personality, and behavioral change. Distinguished for his ability to uncover the core of issues, Bob has developed ground-breaking methods for measuring, benchmarking, and improving an organization's capacity for change and adaptation. Bob's insights are based on his wide experience and also on his deep knowledge of research in the areas of management, psychology, genetics, and neurobiology. Clients include premier law firms such as Allens Linklaters, Ashurst, and Herbert Smith Freehills; and other top tier companies such as KPMG, Macquarie Bank, PwC, Ford, Caterpillar, McDonald's, PepsiCo, BHP, Wesfarmers, and Stockland. Bob is an acclaimed keynote speaker and is widely published. With Dr Alicia Fortinberry, Bob received the American Science Achievement Award (2012) and advises the US government on workplace stress and other workplace issues. He specializes in ensuring executive teams develop and drive strategies that will be embraced and actioned. Bob's previous experience includes working for Hill Samuel Merchant Bank, where he helped to turn around distressed companies, as well as working as a BBC producer. With Alicia, he authored the best-selling books Creating Optimism and Raising an Optimistic Child (McGraw-Hill). These international best-sellers have become standards in the fields of optimism and resilience. Bob has lectured at Sydney, Duke, Tufts, South Florida, and California State universities. He received his MBA from Sydney University (where he also earned his MA in Psychology) and his PhD from New York University. Bob is a member of the American Psychological Association, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and the American Society of Journalists and Authors.
Alicia Fortinberry
Alicia Fortinberry, PhD (Organizational Psychology) has gained international recognition over two decades for her powerful, lasting impact on organizations and leaders globally. Alicia enables organizations to build the leadership, performance, and culture that will achieve their vision and strategy. In addition to her work as a consultant, facilitator, and high-level executive coach, Alicia is a best-selling author and keynote speaker. She combines a clear, engaging, and practical communication style with a proven evidence-based approach and strategic acumen. With her highly experienced and credentialed Fortinberry Murray team, Alicia works with organizations and governments globally to help leaders shape and implement winning strategies using research-based understanding of human motivation and change. With her colleague Dr Bob Murray, Alicia won the American Science Achievement Award (2012) and has been appointed to head the US government's comprehensive national work stress initiative. Alicia's pioneering work is backed by the latest research in neuroscience, genetics, and management. Together with Bob, she has presented her work at leading universities such as Duke, Tufts, California State, and Sydney University. High level global clients include professional and financial services firms such as Deloitte, KPMG, PwC, Macquarie, Westpac, Allens Linklaters, Clayton Utz, and Herbert Smith Freehills, as well as companies such as Stockland, Wesfarmers, Westpac, BHP, Macdonald's, PepsiCo, and Ford. With Bob she authored the best-selling books Creating Optimism and Raising an Optimistic Child (McGraw-Hill). These international bestsellers have become standards in the fields of optimism and resilience. Alicia received her Masters in Psychology and Journalism from Columbia University and her PhD in Organizational Psychology from the University of Phoenix. She is a member of the American Psychological Association, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and the American Society of Journalists and Authors.
Phyllis Weiss Haserot
Practice Development Counsel
John Alber
John Alber serves as futurist for the International Legal Technology Association. He also writes, speaks, and consults, focusing on finding practical ways to reshape the delivery of legal services to suit a future demanding excellence far beyond substantive legal skills. Prior to his current role, John led Bryan Cave LLP to become one of the most innovative firms in the world, serving as its Strategic Innovation Partner for more than 16 years. While at Bryan Cave, he also served for seven years on the firm's Operating Group (its management committee). At Bryan Cave, John created one of the first Practice Economics consulting groups, one of the first client facing technology groups and one of the first in-firm legal process outsourcing (LPO) organizations. The groups he created developed innovative web-based, client-centric applications that delivered legal advice to clients, managed complex workfl ows and even created pleadings automatically. They also developed client-facing knowledge management, project management, project estimation, and business intelligence systems and highly technology-leveraged alternative staffing solutions for engagements of all types.
Eric Hunter
Eric Hunter is the director of knowledge, technology & innovation strategies at Bradford & Barthel, LLP, executive director of Spherical Models, LLC, and a legal industry futurist. Eric leads the spherical models team focusing on spherical business innovations, models, and process workflow leveraging big data, strategic pricing, predictive, futurism, social, and collaborative solutions. Eric is constantly looking to leverage innovation solutions to enhance client service interaction while driving business optimization solutions internally. Eric speaks and writes on futurism, competitive strategy, evolving business models, process evolutions, big data, strategic pricing, predictive analytics, and collaborative cloud solutions globally and is the recipient of ILTA's 2010 'Knowledge Management Champion' Distinguished Peer and ILTA's 2010 'Innovative Member' awards. Eric is on the editorial board for Managing Partner. Follow Eric on twitter.
Rohit Talwart Chief executive officer of Fast Future Publishing and Steve Wells, chief executive officer of Informing Choices and operations director of Fast Future Publishing.
Joanna Goodman
Joanna Goodman is a freelance journalist, writer, and author. She covers business and technology topics for national publications and blue-chip corporates. She is the IT columnist for the Law Society Gazette and writes regular features for The Guardian about cutting-edge technology, brands, and media. Her favourite topics include artificial intelligence, robots and chatbots, virtual assistants, connected devices, driverless cars, and virtual and augmented reality - and she's always interested in finding out about technology that's new and different. Her professional life reflects her interests in technology, books, art, and design. Joanna has written several short films and an independent feature film, Alfheim's Edge (2016). She has an MBA in strategic management from Kingston University. Joanna is based in London. She likes films, going to dance classes, and travelling to new destinations.
Jack Bostelman
Jack Bostelman is president of KM/JD Consulting LLC in San Francisco, California, which advises law firm leaders on practice management, including knowledge management and other productivity improvements. Before founding KM/JD Consulting, Jack was a partner for over 20 years at pre-eminent AmLaw 20 firm Sullivan & Cromwell in New York City, where he had a nationally recognized transactional securities law practice and exercised management responsibilities.
Chris Boyd
Chris Boyd is senior director of professional services at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati LLP in Palo Alto, California. Chris runs the firm's recruiting, training, and knowledge management programs, all of which are designed to help the firm deliver superlative value to its clients. Chris was previously an attorney at the firm and also led KM programs at several internet start-ups.
Douglas McPherson
Director, Size 101/2 Boots
Ian Turvill
Chief Marketing Officer, Freeborn & Peters LLP