In this episode Oliver Hansard speaks to Lee Curtis of LINAR consulting. He describes what lawyers need to think about if they want to differentiate and win new work. He explores why it's time to find your splendid splinter!
Key Points in this episode:
Understanding Lawyers and BD (Business Development)
Lee classifies lawyers into three categories: 20% who inherently understand BD, 60% who need guidance, and 20% who struggle with BD.
He highlights the challenge of convincing the bottom 20% but aims to move the middle 60% to the top bracket.
Tips for Aspiring Partners
Lee emphasises the importance of networking both internally and externally.
Encourages becoming an expert in a niche area, creating a unique selling point (splendid splinter).
Challenges for Senior Partners and Firms
Acknowledges the changing legal landscape and the need for senior partners to adapt.
Recommends seeking input from the team to understand what's working and what needs improvement.
The Role of Soft Skills in Differentiating Lawyers
Soft skills are crucial for standing out in a competitive legal landscape.
Lee suggests that AI will enhance, not replace, soft skills in the next 2-5 years.
Defining Success in Legal BD
Lee defines success as making clients look good, supporting them to be admired for their work.
Personal success is measured through positive feedback and continuous improvement.
Finding Your Splendid Splinter
Encourages individuals to identify their unique strengths and become experts in those areas.
Emphasizes the need to differentiate oneself in a crowded legal market.
Conclusion
Lee Curtis stresses the importance of adapting to changes in the legal industry and leveraging AI as a tool rather than a replacement.
Success is tied to making clients and teams look good, and continuous improvement is key.
The Lawyer's Coach is brought to you by Client Talk and Hansard Coaching.
In this episode Oliver and Claire reflect on the series and discuss the findings of their legal pulse survey. They discuss the role that coaching has to play in solving some of the big challenges that the industry faces.
The Lawyer's Coach is brought to you by Client Talk and Hansard Coaching.
Lexi Segal, in-house at BT, has had a pivotal role in driving forward BT's desire to see more effective DEI initatives in law firms. She speaks to Claire about the importance of the little actions that support inclusion and how BT works with its panel firms to understand how collectively the profession can be better.
The Lawyer's Coach is brought to you by Client Talk and Hansard Coaching.
Nikki Edwards, partner at Howard Kennedy, talks to Oliver about navigating her career as a litigator. She speaks of the importance of values and how she has used these as her guide. She also discusses how she has been working hard to raise DEI as a priority in legal.
The Lawyer's Coach is brought to you by Client Talk and Hansard Coaching.
Rob Bower, Managing Partner of Montagu Evans, tells Claire Rason about why he believes the key to encouraging individuals to return to the office lies in fostering a strong organisational culture. While creating appealing workspaces is important, leadership plays a crucial role in shaping a culture that attracts employees back to the workplace.
The Lawyer's Coach is brought to you by Client Talk and Hansard Coaching.
This episode of the Lawyers Coach podcast features Sarah Henwood, the CEO of Thomson, Snell and Passmore, recognised as the oldest law firm by the Guinness Book of Records. Sarah, breaking the mould as a non-lawyer, shares her background in marketing and business development, emphasising the value of a fresh perspective.
Having been a CEO before and with international experience, Sarah discusses the challenges and opportunities in the legal industry. She sheds light on the evolving role of soft skills, now referred to as "power skills," in the era of AI. Sarah shares insights into recruitment and retention strategies, highlighting the benefits of hybrid working and the importance of maintaining high standards while recognising work-life balance.
The conversation delves into the post-COVID cultural shift at Thomson, Snell and Passmore, emphasising the investment in a strong, supportive culture. Sarah discusses the inclusive approach to marketing and business development, where everyone in the firm plays a role, and the client-centric practices, including a client journey mapping exercise.
Sarah concludes by sharing her definition of success – achieving results while being honest, approachable, and providing clear guidance. She emphasises the joy of winning as a team, having fun, and witnessing the growth of individuals.
The Lawyer's Coach is brought to you by Client Talk and Hansard Coaching.
In this episode, Claire Rason sits down with Nicky Owen, Head of Professional Practices at Crowe, to explore her unique career journey from working with underwater explosives to becoming a senior equity partner in the field of tax. They delve into the importance of authentic leadership, the challenges of developing people in the evolving workplace, and insights from Crowe's benchmarking survey on topics such as cybercrime, ESG, and ED&I. Join the conversation as Nicky shares her stories and valuable perspectives on career progression and the power of storytelling in professional growth.
The Lawyer's Coach is brought to you by Client Talk and Hansard Coaching.
In this episode Oliver Hansard speaks to Lee Curtis of LINAR consulting. He describes what lawyers need to think about if they want to differentiate and win new work. He explores why it's time to find your splendid splinter!
Key Points in this episode:
Understanding Lawyers and BD (Business Development)
Lee classifies lawyers into three categories: 20% who inherently understand BD, 60% who need guidance, and 20% who struggle with BD.
He highlights the challenge of convincing the bottom 20% but aims to move the middle 60% to the top bracket.
Tips for Aspiring Partners
Lee emphasises the importance of networking both internally and externally.
Encourages becoming an expert in a niche area, creating a unique selling point (splendid splinter).
Challenges for Senior Partners and Firms
Acknowledges the changing legal landscape and the need for senior partners to adapt.
Recommends seeking input from the team to understand what's working and what needs improvement.
The Role of Soft Skills in Differentiating Lawyers
Soft skills are crucial for standing out in a competitive legal landscape.
Lee suggests that AI will enhance, not replace, soft skills in the next 2-5 years.
Defining Success in Legal BD
Lee defines success as making clients look good, supporting them to be admired for their work.
Personal success is measured through positive feedback and continuous improvement.
Finding Your Splendid Splinter
Encourages individuals to identify their unique strengths and become experts in those areas.
Emphasizes the need to differentiate oneself in a crowded legal market.
Conclusion
Lee Curtis stresses the importance of adapting to changes in the legal industry and leveraging AI as a tool rather than a replacement.
Success is tied to making clients and teams look good, and continuous improvement is key.
The Lawyer's Coach is brought to you by Client Talk and Hansard Coaching.
The Lawyer's Coach returns next week with valuable conversations you won't want to miss. In this 'teaser' episode, hosts Claire Rason and Oliver Hansard hint at this season’s themes.
The Lawyer's Coach is brought to you by Client Talk and Hansard Coaching.
In this episode of Lawyer's Coach we hear from Tracey Rodgers, Head of Client Intelligence at Harneys. Host Oliver hansard speaks to Tracy about non billable time and in particular the time that professional spend on business development.
She talks about how by perhaps relabelling it firms can get more buy in.
The Lawyer's Coach is brought to you by Client Talk and Hansard Coaching.
The billable hour has been the theme of the latest series with presenters Claire Rason and Oliver Hansard talking to a variety of guests about what is the marmite of legal.
In this episode Claire and Oliver are going to reflect on what they have learned so far and also share some thoughts of their own.
The Lawyer's Coach is brought to you by Client Talk and Hansard Coaching.
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