The Non-Billable Podcast

Camilla Wallace, senior partner at Wedlake Bell, discusses her 18 years at the firm and its impressive growth to 400 lawyers. She highlights the importance of balancing the firm’s 245-year heritage with modern practices. Mental health in the legal sector is a major focus, as Camilla shares insights on pressures faced by junior lawyers and initiatives to improve psychological safety. She also addresses the ‘millionaire exodus’ from the UK and proposes a bold flat tax reform to boost investment, emphasizing the need for flexibility and purpose in today’s legal environment.

Join David Morley, former managing partner at Allen & Overy and now an investment consultant, as he delves into the surge of private equity interest in the legal sector. He shares insights on how investor sentiment has shifted suddenly, mirroring trends in accountancy. Morley discusses the need for law firms, big and small, to grasp these market forces and navigate consolidation pressures, while pondering the future landscape of legal services with PE-backed models and the implications for innovation and competition.

Siobhán Lewington, a seasoned legal headhunter at Macrae with 20 years of experience, dives into the competitive London recruitment market. She discusses the shift from a 'gentlemen's agreement' era dominated by Magic Circle firms to today's fierce rivalry, especially with US players. Siobhán highlights how private equity fuels growth and explains what makes a law firm attractive for partners, from tax structures to associate strength. She also shares valuable advice for partners considering a move, focusing on relationships over guarantees.

Harvey has become the poster child of the legal AI boom - used by over half of the top 100 US law firms and backed by more than $700 million in funding. But what does the startup actually do for lawyers day to day, and how is it turning hype into genuine impact inside Big Law firms?In this episode, John Haddock, Harvey’s chief business officer and a former Stripe exec, takes us inside the company’s rapid scale-up. He explains how a 50-person team of ex-Big Law lawyers works directly with firms to embed AI into real workflows, turning the platform into what he calls “a port of first call” for legal teams.Haddock also lifts the lid on Harvey’s Advanced Legal Researchers - a team of former Big Law lawyers who benchmark and fine-tune every new model release through what the company calls its Big Law Bench. He shares why data, not hype, is the biggest constraint in AI performance, and how Harvey’s partnership with LexisNexis is helping to close that gap.We also talk about Harvey’s recent investment from European private equity firm EQT, what the company’s expansion into Europe means for the legal market, and why Haddock saw a viral Reddit thread questioning Harvey’s adoption as a positive sign. “It’s proof we’ve crossed into the mainstream,” he says.Chapters00:01 Introduction01:00 Background on John03:30 Understanding Harvey's Product and Customer Engagement06:12 The Role of Chief Business Officer at Harvey09:02 How Harvey Empowers Lawyers12:11 Partnership with LexisNexis 17:54 Fine-Tuning AI Models for Legal 21:38 The Buy vs. Build Debate in Legal Tech24:20 EQT Investment and European Market Expansion26:37 Competition in the Legal AI Landscape28:28 Scaling Operations and Talent Acquisition31:39 Onboarding and Change Management in Legal AI32:41 Contextualising Legal AI for Enhanced Productivity36:12 The Future of Integrated Legal Workspaces38:36 The Reddit Thread and Building Trust in AI42:24 Challenges of Scaling and Hiring in a Growing CompanyAbout Non-BillableNon-Billable is the media company for modern legal professionals across private practice, in-house and legal tech.Visit our website: ⁠⁠https://www.nonbillable.co.uk

Few people have had a closer view of the modern City law market than Charlie Geffen. As former senior partner at Ashurst, he helped build one of London’s top private equity practices before moving to Gibson Dunn in 2014, where he became global co-chair of private equity. Today, he splits his time between chairing the taskforce getting the UK ready for T+1 settlement of financial trades, a senior position at the University of Surrey and occasionally weighing in on the big debates shaping the profession - earlier this year, he sparked discussion with a letter to the Financial Times, defending the decision by some firms to strike deals with the Trump administration. In this conversation, Charlie looks back at four decades of transformation in Big Law - from globalisation and specialisation to the rise of US firms that now dominate the global elite. He explains why American firms’ structure, scale and domestic market have given them a lasting advantage, and why, in his words, “the global Magic Circle is entirely American.”We also discuss the major transatlantic mergers reshaping the landscape, including A&O Shearman and Herbert Smith Freehills-Kramer Levin, and what the likes of Ashurst can realistically do to compete. Charlie reflects on his own experience leading Ashurst through its growth years, its failed US merger talks, and how the firm ultimately found its footing through reinvention.Finally, he shares his take on the next phase of disruption: how AI and private equity could drive a wave of consolidation, why law firms will need far fewer people in future, and why, despite it all, he still sees enduring value in the partnership model - and in knowing exactly what your firm is, and what it isn’t trying to be.Chapters00:01 Introduction01:30 Evolution of the Legal Market06:45 Comparative Analysis of US and UK Law Firms09:44 The Rise of US Firms12:27 Current Landscape of UK Law Firms17:26 Strategic Insights for UK Firms19:45 The Rise of Private Equity22:03 Strategic Decisions in Law Firms27:23 Transatlantic Mergers and Their Implications29:45 Big Law Firms Response To Trump Executive Orders37:51 The Future of the Legal Market: AI and ConsolidationAbout Non-BillableNon-Billable is the media company for modern legal professionals across private practice, in-house and legal tech.Visit our website: ⁠⁠https://www.nonbillable.co.uk

Sebastian Lach, a partner at Hogan Lovells and head of their legal tech subsidiary ELTEMATE, discusses his journey from white-collar crime to spearheading a 100-person tech team. He emphasizes the importance of specialized AI tools tailored for legal practices, rejecting the idea of one-size-fits-all solutions. Sebastian reveals how ELTEMATE was born from an internal survey and aims to deliver precise, efficient results. He also shares insights about the competitive landscape of legal technology and the essential skills future lawyers must adopt.

McDermott has just completed one of the biggest Big Law mergers in recent years, tying up with New York’s Schulte Roth & Zabel to create a $2.8 billion powerhouse sitting just outside the top 10 US firms by revenue. The deal was wrapped up in just three months - record speed by law firm standards - and is already producing results.In this episode, we sit down with Aymen Mahmoud, McDermott’s London managing partner, to get the inside view on how the merger came together, why culture was as important as strategy, and what the combined platform means for clients on both sides of the Atlantic. He explains why he calls it a “marriage of conviction” and why the firm is betting big on private capital as the driver of its next phase of growth.We also dig into the London story: how Schulte’s top-tier funds practice changes McDermott’s position in the market, the firm’s plans for a new Mayfair office in 2028, and the ambition to be on every top client’s speed dial for private capital work. Along the way, Aymen shares candid insights on talent, pay, and how McDermott is trying to do things differently - from matching New York comp in London to giving billable credit for mindfulness.Chapters00:01 Introduction01:15 The McDermott-Schulte Merger07:07 Cultural Integration and Success Metrics12:45 Strategic Growth in London18:42 Talent Acquisition and Retention24:40 Leadership and Personal Growth30:43 Future Vision for McDermottAbout Non-BillableNon-Billable is the media company for modern legal professionals across private practice, in-house and legal tech.Visit our website: ⁠⁠https://www.nonbillable.co.uk

Hill Dickinson made headlines earlier this year with one of the boldest law firm marketing moves in recent memory: a multi-million pound deal to put its name on Everton’s new stadium in Liverpool. In this episode, Peter Jackson - the firm’s long-time managing partner and CEO - takes us inside the decision, what it means for brand recognition, and why giving back to the city was part of the rationale.Over nearly two decades leading Hill Dickinson, Jackson steered the firm through both rapid growth and tough choices. He recalls the pivotal moment in 2016 when the insurance practice, once a cornerstone of the business, became a drag on profits - and how the bold decision to sell it to Keoghs reshaped the firm’s future. His mantra: be brave, and get your partners onside.We also explore how Jackson approached culture and values, from rejecting lucrative lateral hires that didn’t fit, to hands-on leadership built around trust and constant communication. For him, sustainable growth always came back to three basics: people, clients and cash.Finally, Jackson shares his take on the wider market: the rise of external capital in law, the challenges and opportunities it brings, and what he thinks firms often get wrong about private equity investment.Chapters 00:01 Introduction01:30 Peter’s Background and Shipping Law04:13 The World of Superyachts and Monaco Expansion06:16 Hill Dickinson in the 1980s: From Liverpool Roots to London Growth09:03 Leadership Challenges and the Keoghs Transaction12:08 Strategy, Profitability and the Post-2016 Pivot14:32 Culture and Values: Building a Cohesive Firm16:09 The Changing Role of Managing Partner19:06 Hands-On Leadership and Partner Communication21:18 Talent, Lateral Hires and Protecting Culture23:18 Defining Star Partners and Building Teams25:28 The Everton Stadium Deal: Bold Marketing in Law30:23 Brand Recognition, Recruitment and Giving Back to Liverpool35:05 External Capital in Law: Opportunities and Risks43:12 Leadership Lessons: People, Clients, CashAbout Non-BillableNon-Billable is the media company for modern legal professionals across private practice, in-house and legal tech.Visit our website: ⁠⁠https://www.nonbillable.co.uk

In this conversation with Stuart Bedford, the Global Head of Legal at KPMG, listeners gain insight into the unique role of Big Four firms in the legal industry. Stuart shares his journey from traditional law at Linklaters to shaping KPMG’s approach, emphasizing the integration of law, technology, and specialized teams. He explains why KPMG focuses on areas like regulatory compliance rather than flashy M&A deals. The discussion also covers KPMG's recent expansion into the US and the transformative power of technology in legal services.

Julian Taylor, a senior partner at Simmons & Simmons and a respected employment lawyer with over 25 years of experience, delves into the future of legal practice. He discusses the transformative role of AI in law, from enhancing workflows with tools like 'Percy' to reshaping pricing models. Taylor highlights the unsustainable 'crazy' pay for newly qualified lawyers and the competitive landscape driven by US firms. He emphasizes the importance of adaptability and culture, advocating for flexible work arrangements as essential for long-term success.