The Legalpreneurs Sandbox

In the eighth podcast in this collection focusing on providing practical support and assistance for those working in the legal ecosystem during this time of extreme change, we discussed with Katherine Thomas, CEO, Free Range Lawyers, Flexible Working in the New World – and what a new world it has become! We kicked off with an explanation of what flexible working is today – it’s not the same as it was – it’s expanded in application and definition. Katherine analysed how the wide spread application of flexible work, as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic, has challenged myths and provided case studies around things like productivity, uptake, and access to talent but, how it’s also been important to remember not everyone needs or wants to work this way. Katherine also discussed how the consequences of these wide-spread flexible work arrangements have been far reaching in the legal industry (and all others). The needs/expectations of individual employees have also been reflected in changing customer and business demands – they’re all inter-related. And, what is being changed is likewise not just internal to firms/organisations like new business processes and project management, communication tools and expected outputs, but it’s also given rise to new customer behaviours and the enhanced use of technology.   It’s unlikely law firms/organisations will return to the same work environment that they left pre COVID-19, even if they want to (and it’s clear many do not), their employees or clients may not accept a reset to the old status quo. In the near future, work may become less about when people return to work and more about how and where! Thank you so much, Katherine – another fabulous thought provoking session! If you would like to listen to Katherine’s other podcast in this series on Remote Working…in a crisis, you’ll find it here. If you would prefer to watch it, you’ll find it here. P.S. This podcast was also recorded as a webinar so if you would like to watch it, you’ll find it here.

In the seventh podcast in this collection focusing on providing practical support and assistance for those working in the legal ecosystem during this time of extreme change, we discussed how our world of legal work has been turned upside down with Katherine Thomas, CEO, Free Range Lawyers in Remote Working…in a crisis. Working remotely has been on the agenda for law firms for a long time – not new! Moving your entire workforce to work from home at short notice – that’s new! While the initial foray into this world was all about getting the tech connected, setting up the home office, and completing WH&S checklists, as we now know, some weeks in, where we work has become a catalyst for change that runs much deeper. As we undertake our work each day from home, we’re witnessing and contributing to not only a proof of concept, but also the global transformation of how law firms can and are operating in a very different way. Working remotely is changing what work we do, how work is produced, how we work together: how we communicate, collaborate and trust. It’s also brought about a renewed focus on mental health and well-being. It’s challenging mindsets, the status quo, leadership and management structures, styles and even own assumptions. That’s what Katherine focused on in this session – context, evidence and highly practical recommendations for leadership, management and individuals - and, in so doing, made it clear that wide scale remote working may have come to many quickly, demanding change, agility and experimentation that some were prepared for but many were not but, it also created a unique opportunity for law firms to embrace the future of work, TODAY! The question for us now is no longer if remote working can “work” (it can) but rather if the legal industry is willing to see this as a catalyst for change in law firms so, when we can return to the office, we make that decision (and many others related to it), because it is the best option, not just because it’s what we did before… Thank you Katherine –  informative, insightful and practical - we love your work! If you would like to view the webinar for this topic, you'll find it here. You’ll find the Free Range Lawyers booklet referred to in this podcast on Remote working success for law firms available to download here.

In the sixth podcast in this collection focusing on providing practical support and assistance for those working in the legal ecosystem during this time of extreme change, we discussed the financial management of legal businesses with Warrick McLean, CEO, Coleman Greig Lawyers in Making the Best Financial Decisions in Times of Uncertainty (for Law Firms). We focused on the information law firm leaders and managers need to have in front of them daily right now but also, and importantly, the sorts of tools they can use to help plan for a changed and changing future like scenario planning and financial modelling. Thank you Warrick for sharing your experience – invaluable! If you would like to listen to Warrick’s other podcast in this series on Assessing Your Financial Situation Right Now (for Law Firms), you’ll find it here. P.S. This podcast was also recorded as a webinar. We will post the link to the video once it is available.

In the fifth podcast in this collection focusing on providing practical support and assistance for those working in the legal ecosystem during this time of extreme change, we discussed the financial management of legal businesses with Warrick McLean, CEO, Coleman Greig Lawyers in Assessing your Financial Situation Right Now (for Law Firms). We discussed what law firm leaders and managers need to be identifying, analysing and thinking about as they take stock of where their legal businesses sit financially including: Why it’s important to undertake a mini audit What financial information needs to be reviewed and how to review it How to identify, minimise/review key expenses e.g. premises (leases), people and fixed costs How to identify, assess, categorise and deal with current, future and unlikely sources of income Key areas that need to be monitored, leveraged or minimised today like cash flow, overdrafts, deferred payment options, and payment extensions COVID-19 specific key areas to consider like access government backed loans, rebates and support Thank you, Warrick for these super practical tips – so important and helpful right now! P.S. This podcast was also recorded as a webinar. We will post the link to the video once it is available.

In the fourth podcast in this collection focusing on providing practical support and assistance for those working in the legal ecosystem during this time of extreme change, we spoke with John Poulsen, Principal at People Passion Performance on Mental Health and Well-being in the New Legal Work Place. There’s a lot of stress and anxiety in the legal community right now, and there’s lots of very good reasons for it so, we wanted to devote this podcast to providing some thoughts and advice on how we might find some calm in the storm, a place from which we can make good decisions, give good advice, and be the best we can for all the people in our lives. Before establishing his own consultancy, John spent many years in law firms and most recently as the Austral Managing Partner and CEO of Squire Patton Boggs. He has a deep understanding of lawyers, legal professionals, legal practice and, just like all of us, is living through the COVID-19 pandemic right now. We could not think of anyone better qualified to chat with us about this hugely important topic. Thank you so much, John – we love your passion for people and their mental health, well-being and…performance! P.S. If you would like to refer to the resources mentioned in this podcast, you will find them at: Minds Count Foundation – The 13 Workplace Factors C. Otto Scharmer, Theory U: Leading From the Future As It Emerges, Berrett-Koehler Publishers, (January 1, 2009) Eckhart Tolle, The Power of Now, New World Library, (August 19, 2004)

In the third podcast in this collection focusing on providing practical support and assistance for those working in the legal ecosystem during this time of extreme change, we discussed what to do right now if you are faced with a changed or changing role, the need to retrain, upskill and, perhaps even having to find a new role in a different place, today or in 6 or 12 months from now. We spoke with international recruitment guru Katherine Mountford, Principal at KM Talent. Katherine has worked in different roles and started her own business so she has, quite literally, been there and done the sorts of things we cover in this podcast. Thank you so much Katherine – loved the practical, positive, common sense tips on moving forward in a time of change! P.S. If you would like to read the article referred to in this podcast, you will find it here: John H. Zenger, Joseph Folkman and Scott Edinger, “Making Yourself Indispensable,” HBR, (October 2011).

In the second podcast in this collection focusing on providing practical support and assistance to those working in the legal ecosystem during this time of extreme change, we spoke communication gurus Sharon de Bomford, Principal at Write Results and Olivia Kruimel, Senior Marketing Manager, Transaction Banking at Standard Chartered Bank. Sharon and Olivia have both spent many years in law firm communication roles crafting the messages that help find calm in a storm, so they know a thing or two about the topic of this podcast: The Dos and Don’ts of Internal and External Crisis Communications for Law Firms. And, it’s a very important topic for law firms right now! When there’s so much going on, it can be hard to work out what to say, who to address it to and when to say it. It’s a delicate balance – get it right, and the marketplace embraces you, get it wrong and the opposite is true. And, people have long memories! But, it’s not only the external marketplace at large that you need to focus on…your firm’s clients and staff need to know what you’re thinking too. In tough times, clients need to know your firm can still provide the services they need. Your staff are concerned about their jobs. Saying nothing is not an option. So, how do you get the right message to the right people at the right time? These are the questions we answer in this podcast…along with a bunch more too! Thank you so much Sharon and Olivia for sharing your experience, practical tips and common sense approach to this topic – fabulous! Sharon has also written an excellent blog post which listeners will also find helpful, it’s titled 'Communicating in a crisis – a guide for smaller professional services firms'. and you’ll find it here.

In the next few podcasts in this series, we’ll be focusing on providing practical support and assistance to those working in the legal ecosystem during a time of extreme change. Our hearts go out to our legal community and to every other community – we’re all hurting right now and working on how to cope with the COVID-19 global pandemic. We hope you’ll find, in these podcasts, words of encouragement, hope and help as you find your way to the other side and the next normal – and, we’ll be here for you, as you do. We’re starting this group of podcasts by asking an amazing group of law firm leaders, managers and consultants how they are creating a pathway forward for their clients, employees and firms - Leading and Managing their Law Firms in Difficult Times. We spoke with Catriona MacLeod, Director, Cullen MacLeod Lawyers; Marcus McCarthy, Principal, Nexus Law Group; Warrick McLean, CEO, Coleman Greig Lawyers; and Katherine Thomas, CEO, Free Range Lawyers and Managing Director of Katherine Thomas Consulting. Thank you Catriona, Marcus, Warrick and Katherine for your candour and compassion – you are wonderful ambassadors for the legal community and shining examples of why we can be certain our community will survive!

The legal industry has changed. It stands to reason that legal education should too. But, that's a big ship to turn around and it's taking more time than the unrelenting pace of business today can easily accommodate. To be fair, it's not just legal education under scrutiny here, it's the whole higher education sector but within it, many would readily agree that law has been one of the most reluctant to embrace change! And, while some of the issues are undeniably complex and rightfully demand careful consideration, that in and of itself cannot be a reason to refrain from experimentation, especially in experiential and practical legal education.     So, what will the new practical legal education regime look like? That's a question being debated across the world right now. It's on the agenda as much for the early adopters of practical legal education models like Australia, through those preparing new entrants for new legal practice models like the UK, to those in transition to different models by state versus nationally like the US. The approaches being considered or implemented are also different. Some providers offer stop gap measures, and some are building bridges. Some of these models will stay and some will go. Some are working on their models in isolation and others through collaboration. And then there's the legal education innovators, a small group who are thinking outside the box - reimagining, reinventing and embracing a new way of thinking about the function, role and importance of the rule of law, access to justice and the different ways to practice law - and creating education opportunities to prepare people for that reality!   Legal Innovators (LI), a Washington, DC based organisation, has created one of these new practical legal education opportunities. It bridges the gap between law school and legal practice. Its own business and education models draw on the significant real-world experience of its founders. LI has created an alternative legal education model for law students and early career lawyers - one that emphasises and embraces the importance of diversity and inclusion in contemporary legal practice, is founded on providing relevant learning opportunities, mentoring and supporting law students in their transition from law school to legal practice. It's an organisation leading by example, getting on with solving the practical legal education gap in the US and making a difference. It's a new model for legal education - more connected with industry, focusing on learning on the job and, getting a job at the end of the day.   We spoke with  Jon Greenblatt, Co-founder and Chairman of LI to learn more about the US legal education sector, the issues LI sought to solve and how it has gone about doing it.    Thank you so much, Jon - congrats to you, Bryan Parker and Team LI for changing mindsets, changing lives and doing legal education differently!

Who got us here, won't get us there! That's the new catchcry for the next legal workforce. Different times call for different capabilities. There are just too many fast moving pieces and too many capabilities required for the effective, efficient and relevant delivery of legal services/products for this to be the remit of one group within the legal industry - the lawyers.    The next legal workforce is truly multidisciplinary, its a consequence of changed client/employee expectations and the integration of legaltech/AI but its impact is far reaching  - it's changing law firm business models, work practices and culture.   We discussed all of this and much more with global legal talent management guru Sue Manch, Chief Talent Officer at international law firm Winston & Strawn LLP. Sue has been a thought leader and change agent in this space for many years, she's someone who is redefining and reshaping the contemporary legal workforce and, in this podcast, provides great examples of how her firm is making change happen.   Topics we discussed included: How the changes in legal practice are impacting legal talent management strategies How the profile of the contemporary legal workforce has changed - new work, new roles, new ways and places to work The emergence of common core capabilities in law firms and how these feature in things like recruitment and promotion for everyone New and different ways to learn, what and when to learn, and the link between adaptability, continual improvement and continual learning The importance of coaching and its role in promoting business and personal agility, better communication, and better relationships The connection and importance of diversity and inclusion and its integral connection to innovation The importance of well being and mental health programs in law firms and how these are shaping different work practices, law firm business models and culture The need for, reality of, and steps being taken towards career paths for all law firms professionals, not just lawyers. Thank you so much, Sue - your work inspires us all!