Welcome to another episode of Pearls On, Gloves Off with your host, Mary O’Carroll, Chief Operating Officer at Goodwin. Today, Mary dives deep with Chris Grant, Head of Legal Market Engagement at HSBC, to unravel the evolving landscape of the legal industry.

Chris Grant isn’t your typical legal professional. Frustrated by the glacial pace of change in an industry resistant to innovation, Chris has spent his career challenging the status quo. From his early days in private practice to his current role at HSBC, he’s been a relentless advocate for efficiency and transformation in legal services. He’s built ecosystems supporting next-generation legal solutions, notably at Barclays Eagle Labs, and has been recognized in the Financial Times Innovative Lawyers Top 10 Entrepreneurs and the Legal 500 GC Power List.

In this episode:

· The Frustration That Fuels Change: Chris shares how his early career disillusionment ignited a passion for legal transformation.

· Is Change Finally Happening? A candid discussion on whether the legal industry is genuinely evolving or just paying lip service.

· The Death of the Billable Hour: Will we ever see it? Chris offers a provocative take on alternative fee arrangements—or as he calls them, Effective Fee Arrangements (EFAs).

· Trust Issues: Delving into the often-unspoken lack of trust between clients and firms, and how it hinders progress.

· Data as the New Gold: How leveraging data can revolutionize legal services, from pricing to service delivery.

· Advice for In-House Teams and Firms: Practical steps both sides can take to build trust, embrace innovation, and deliver real value.

· The Role of Technology: Why AI is more than just a buzzword and how it’s accelerating conversations that were stagnant for decades.

· Future Gazing: Chris’s vision for the next 5-10 years in legal services, and why he believes the time for change is now.

If you’re as passionate about legal transformation as Mary and Chris, or just curious about the seismic shifts shaking up the industry, this episode is a must-listen.

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