Legal Service Models

The legal industry has entered the transition zone And most firms are still acting like it’s business as usual Law firms aren’t losing clients because their legal work is weak. They’re losing them because the operating model is expiring. That’s not my opinion. It’s the conclusion of the Pathways Project by The LegalTech Fund, produced with Harvey, mapping how law evolves between now and 2040 using the Three Horizons Framework. Their verdict is blunt: “The legal industry has entered Horizon 2 - a transition period where traditional leverage models are under pressure and new forms of scalability are emerging.” Here’s what the data and signals say is already happening: 1️⃣ Clients are rejecting time-based value According to Citi’s legal industry research, over 70% of corporate clients now prioritise predictability of outcome and cost over pedigree or hourly rates. 2️⃣ AI is collapsing billable work faster than firms admit McKinsey & Company estimates 30-45% of legal tasks are automatable with existing technology - not theoretical AI - current tools. 3️⃣ Trust has shifted from reputation to evidence Clients now expect: ↳ Transparent delivery ↳ Visible expertise ↳ Proof of process ↳ Clarity on how AI is used (Pathways calls trust an “operational discipline”, not a brand asset.) 4️⃣ The market is polarising We’re seeing an “hourglass” effect: ↳ Elite firms regrouping as multidisciplinary platforms ↳ Virtual & boutique firms scaling via systems ↳ Mid-tier firms squeezed hardest (exactly where most complacency lives) 5️⃣ The most dangerous line in the report? “Profitability today competes with the need to invest in the future.” Translation: Doing well is now a risk factor. And here’s the part most firms still misunderstand: Clients are deciding before they call you. Before your website. Before your pitch deck. Before your reputation ever gets airtime. They’ve already: ↳ Watched ↳ Saved ↳ Followed ↳ Compared ↳ Pre-qualified Visibility is the new due diligence. Which is why growth in 2026 doesn’t come from: ✗ posting more on LinkedIn ✗ prettier branding ✗ another CRM ✗ “hoping referrals hold” It comes from client-acquisition infrastructure: ↳ Personal brand + firm authority ↳ AI-supported content systems ↳ Platform-native lead capture ↳ Predictable inbound demand Or, as Pathways puts it: “Value is shifting from bespoke labour to scalable capability.” If you’re a managing partner, firm owner or BD lead and this feels uncomfortably accurate, good. That discomfort is Horizon 2 doing its job. 👉 If you want to sanity-check where your firm actually sits, book a 30-minute visibility & pipeline review. No fluff. No selling. Just evidence. Sources referenced: The LegalTech Fund: Pathways Project (2025), Harvey AI, Citi Global Legal Services Outlook, McKinsey Global Institute on automation & professional services.

Pitch Like A Banker, Grow Business Like A Consultant. This is the time of year that many BigLaw partners receive performance reviews and have compensation discussions, and many may feel uneasy about their business development efforts this year. If that’s you, read on. As Treasurer at a Fortune 100 energy company and General Counsel at a Fortune 1000 education company, I’ve observed that investment bankers and management consultants excel at winning and growing business, showcasing skills that can help law firm partners significantly enhance their BD efforts in 2026. The Art of the Pitch When I received pitches from law firms, they often followed a predictable pattern: “We’re great, we have experience. Hire us.” Followed by a pitch book full of bios and credentials. What was missing was a deeper understanding of my specific pain points and competitive and industry implications of the matter. In contrast, investment bankers identified specific pain points like, “We have reviewed the interest expense in your industry and among your competitors, and your interest expense is above market. We can help you significantly reduce it, and that cash savings can be redeployed to the new initiative announced on your most recent earnings call.” Usually followed by a PowerPoint that could be immediately forwarded to key stakeholders to get to yes quickly. Cultivating Existing Relationships Law firms often asked vague and unhelpful questions like, “What’s keeping you up at night?” If it’s that important, I am already working on a solution. The answer to that question rarely leads to additional business. In contrast, management consultants would say, “as we were working on the last mandate, we noticed your risk management could be optimized. Here’s how your competitors are restructuring, and the benefits they are capturing.” This feedback is relevant, resonates with an organization’s financial objectives, and often leads to additional business. Bankers and consultants invest time to understand their clients, their clients’s competitors and their clients’s industries thoroughly, positioning themselves to propose genuine value-added solutions. Law firm partners can benefit by adopting these strategies: move beyond generic pitches that simply showcase technical legal expertise. Instead, take the time to really learn your clients and potential clients to engage in meaningful conversations that tackle real challenges and solve real pain points. This approach enhances your value proposition and establishes you as a trusted, go-to advisor.

Don't bore prospective clients credentials presentations—people tune out when lawyers start reciting their experience and capabilities. Try a different approach to differentiating yourself and demonstrating your value. Develop an "insight brief" before an important new business meeting—an analysis of developments affecting your prospect's industry. Instead of eating up valuable time talking about yourself, share insights that can help them improve their decision-making (and position yourself as a trusted advisor): - Recent industry developments and data points that impact their business - Clear implications of these trends for their operations and strategy - Specific ways your legal expertise can help them navigate these changes - Relevant examples from your work with similar clients This approach: - Shows you understand their business context and challenges - Demonstrates your unique perspective as an industry-focused advisor - Creates natural openings for discussing how you can help - Positions you as not just another service provider The key is connecting market developments to specific implications for their business, showing how your experience helps you spot risks and opportunities they might miss. As a lawyer who serves similar clients in similar situations, you have a unique and valuable vantage point and perspective. You can connect dots and spot patterns. Leverage this competitive advantage. Not converting enough opportunities? Try something different! You can turn boring "pitches" into engaging strategic discussions that prospective clients benefit from—you make them smarter, more informed, and more capable of making better decisions. When you lead with insight rather than credentials, the two-way (as opposed to one-sided) business development conversation flows naturally.

"Many lawyers focus on protecting old working models rather than learning how to win the next one." The winners of the SKILLS.law 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘄𝗰𝗮𝘀𝗲 audience award for the most inspiring and helpful presentation, Christian Lang of Lega and Andrea Alliston of Fasken, presented something refreshingly concrete: a 𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀-𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗜 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽 𝗿𝘂𝗻 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺. Over the summer, they brought together 65 in-house lawyers and firm professionals and did three things that many AI initiatives still avoid: 𝟭. 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺𝘀 Participants weren’t shown abstract demos. They worked through scenarios that reflected the actual constraints of in-house legal teams—limited budgets, small teams, real delivery pressure. 𝟮. 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝗲𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 The workshop deliberately progressed through three layers: What you can achieve with prompting alone (the “ChatGPT layer”) What changes when you compare models and tools side-by-side What becomes possible when you build reusable, scalable prototypes That structure made the limits and the possibilities clear very fast. 𝟯. 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗮 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲  One of the most important outcomes wasn’t technical at all.  It was alignment. Too many firm–client AI conversations are abstract and slightly adversarial: “Don’t use our data.” “But we expect efficiency gains.” “And we’re not sure what’s realistic.” Working together on tangible prototypes grounded expectations in reality. Everyone left with the same facts, the same constraints, and a clearer sense of what “value” actually looks like. #NoMoFomOz: Christian made a point that stuck with me: At this GenAI inflection point, law firms may need to rediscover product–market fit; not because they’ve failed, but because the environment is changing quickly. Many market responses are still focused on protecting old models rather than learning how to win the next one. This kind of collaboration among law firm, client, and technology partner in the same room offers a practical way forward: Faster learning Stronger relationships Fewer assumptions on all sides That’s likely why the presentation resonated, and why approaches like this deserve more attention as firms think seriously about their role in an AI-enabled legal ecosystem. See their winning presentation here: https://lnkd.in/e4zH9BR2, and my recap with Christian below. #skillslaw #LegalAI #genai #LegalTech #legalinovation #legalKM #award #audienceaward

In professional services, the traditional sales playbook—cold calls, pressure tactics, and focusing on quotas—has no place. Clients today want solutions, not sales pitches. Proactive selling flips the script, putting the client’s needs at the heart of every interaction. Proactive, predictive selling is about understanding the client’s world and acting as a guide rather than a vendor. Here’s how it benefits clients: 1. Anticipating Needs: Lawyers can use their expertise to foresee challenges, offering tailored strategies before problems arise. This moves beyond merely responding to inquiries—it’s about identifying what’s next. 2. Deepening Trust: Consistent, forward-thinking engagement builds long-term relationships, shifting the dynamic from transactional to transformational. 3. Driving Better Outcomes: When lawyers focus on aligning legal strategies with business goals, clients gain clarity and confidence in their decisions. Proactive selling isn’t about closing deals; it’s about opening doors for clients to thrive. By prioritizing their success, lawyers redefine what it means to sell—creating value, not transactions.

Last week a client called me "the unicorn of corporate lawyers." Not because I'm magical, but because I spent 4 years inside a fast-growing company before launching my practice. Here's why that in-house perspective completely transforms how I serve clients today: Traditional outside counsel often focus on spotting every possible risk—leaving clients with a 20-page memo and no clear path forward. In-house lawyers don't have that luxury. We need answers that are: • Practical (not theoretical) • Concise (not comprehensive) • Business-minded (not just legally sound) When I was in-house at PetVet Care Centers, I managed dozens of acquisitions while juggling daily operational fires. I didn't have time for perfect—I needed solutions that worked now. That experience fundamentally changed how I practice: 1. I never deliver legal advice without considering business impact 2. I focus on the 20% of risks that matter, not the 80% that probably won't 3. I provide actual recommendations, not just analysis The truth is, most businesses don't need a lawyer who can recite every case citation from memory. They need someone who understands what it's like to sit in their chair—making tough decisions with limited information, competing priorities, and real deadlines. That's the perspective I bring to every client relationship. Not just legal expertise, but the practical wisdom that comes from having been on the other side. Follow for more insights on bridging the gap between legal and business perspectives.

Want to build a stronger practice? Start by seeing the world through your client’s eyes. Too many meetings with clients (particularly new business pitches) still focus on what we do — our practice areas, recent wins, or firm accolades — instead of what clients need right now. A recent EY study found that 75% of legal departments say their top digitization priority is developing or refining their legal tech and data strategies. In-house teams are under enormous pressure to be more efficient, more predictive, and more aligned with the business. They're not just looking for lawyers — they're looking for partners who understand what keeps them up at night. As Rita McGrath wrote in "Seeing Around Corners," we need to pick up on inflection points before they fully arrive. That means law firms need to invest in learning not just what the client’s legal issues are, but what’s changing inside their business and industry. Some questions worth asking before your next client meeting. 🗜️ What pressures is their GC under from the C-suite? 📊 How are they using data to guide decision-making? 👩💻What technology is transforming their operations? 👀 How can we help them look around their corners? Great business development isn’t just about relationships. It’s about relevance. When we truly understand our client’s world, the pitch becomes a conversation ... not a sales deck.  This is why the firms that are having open-ended conversations with clients about what is on their minds are excelling at client retention. (A big bravo for those doing a regular cadence of client surveys.) How is your firm staying tuned in to what clients are facing? #LegalIndustry #ClientDevelopment #BusinessDevelopment #LawFirmStrategy