The Non-Billable Podcast

This is our conversation with Richard Martin, a former partner at law firms including Jones Day and Speechly Bircham, who, after experiencing severe burnout and a mental health crisis while he was at the peak of his powers, has dedicated his career to improving mental well-being in the legal industry.Now leading the Mindful Business Charter (MBC), Richard advocates for healthier working practices in law firms and corporate environments.Richard shares his story, we discuss the state of mental health in the legal industry, which firms are doing good work to address the issue, some advice for lawyers feeling like they’re nearing burnout and how the Mindful Business Charter is tackling the issueChapters00:40 Introduction to Richard and His Journey03:43 The Impact of Stress and Mental Health in Law06:10 Personal Experience with Mental Health Challenges09:10 Transitioning to Mental Health Advocacy12:10 Understanding the Legal Profession's Mental Health Landscape15:15 The Role of Personality Traits in Lawyer Burnout18:05 Current State of Mental Health Awareness in Law Firms21:20 The Mindful Business Charter Explained24:10 Challenges in Implementing Mental Health Initiatives27:10 The Future of Mental Health in the Legal Profession29:20 Understanding Client Expectations and Lawyer Responsiveness34:10 The Role of Well-Being in Legal Practice38:42 Balancing High Performance and Employee Well-Being39:50 Navigating Burnout and Career Satisfaction45:12 Advice for Junior Lawyers and Career OwnershipAbout Non-BillableNon-Billable is an email newsletter and media company for modern legal professionals, brought to you by a small team of former City lawyers and finance professionals.Visit our website: ⁠⁠https://www.nonbillable.co.uk/

Tara Waters, a digital trailblazer with over 15 years in legal tech from firms like Ashurst, shares her journey of merging law and technology. She discusses how generative AI is revolutionizing legal services, emphasizing the need for law firms to invest in AI tools like Harvey. Tara highlights the importance of assessing ROI beyond costs and the evolving billing practices in the industry. She also stresses the value of continuous learning and the traits that distinguish exceptional lawyers in a technology-driven landscape.

In today’s episode, we sit down with Scott Gibson, one of the City’s top headhunters and co-founder of elite partner-level recruitment firm Edwards Gibson. With 25 years in the game, Gibson has seen it all - and according to him, the market is crazier than ever. We discuss what’s driving the hottest law firm partner transfer market in years, why elite firms are paying eye-watering sums, which practice areas are in hottest demand and how the rules of partnership are changing. Scott also reveals what law firms are looking for in lateral hires and gives his advice for associates and junior partners looking to make their mark.Chapters00:00 Introduction to Scott and His Career Path02:03 Current State of the City Talent Market06:11 The Impact of US Law Firms on the Market09:59 High-Profile Partner Moves and Their Implications14:07 The Economics Behind Law Firm Investments17:58 What Law Firms Look for in Lateral Hires21:54 Impact on firms outside the Magic Circle 26:13 Ageism and Retirement in Law Firms30:53 The Pension Dilemma in Law Firms32:42 Capital Contributions and Partner Exits36:31 Navigating Guaranteed Compensation38:30 The Role of Headhunters in Law Firm Recruitment46:07 The Partner Hiring Process55:20 Career Advice for Aspiring PartnersAbout Non-BillableNon-Billable is an email newsletter and media company for modern legal professionals, brought to you by a small team of former City lawyers and finance professionals.Visit our website: ⁠https://www.nonbillable.co.uk/

In this episode, we sit down with Alexander Kardos-Nyheim, a lawyer who remarkably built a legal AI company as a side project during his training contract at A&O. In 2024 - just as he was qualifying - he sold the business to Thomson Reuters for a life-changing sum of money. Alexander shares his inspiring journey from a young advocate fighting against a developer threatening his community to becoming a lawyer and co-founding his legal tech startup, SafeSign Technologies. He discusses the challenges of balancing a training contract at A&O with the startup, the dynamics of the legal market, and the eventual acquisition by Thomson Reuters. Chapters00:00 Introduction to Alex's Journey02:49 The Catalyst for Becoming a Lawyer05:36 Navigating Law School and Early Advocacy08:07 The Appeal of Big Law Firms10:31 The Impact of Rising Salaries in Law13:14 The Shift in the Legal Market Dynamics15:45 Starting a Tech Business During a Training Contract18:22 Building a Legal Tech Startup20:56 Balancing Work and Startup Life22:58 The Challenges of a Dual Career29:30 Navigating Dual Careers: Law and Entrepreneurship31:50 Pivoting to Legal AI: The Birth of a Startup35:18 Building a Legal-Specific AI Model39:21 Funding and Team Dynamics in a Startup42:49 Acquisition Talks: The Thomson Reuters Interest49:52 Life After Acquisition: New Beginnings at Thomson Reuters54:36 Advice for Aspiring Lawyer-EntrepreneursAbout Non-BillableNon-Billable is an email newsletter and media company for modern legal professionals, brought to you by a small team of former City lawyers and finance professionals.Visit our website: https://www.nonbillable.co.uk/