Lawyer's Coach - what makes lawyers tick?

In the legal arena, clients and lawyers alike are thinking about how to address DEI, particularly getting women to be equally represented at the top. In private practice, women represent only 32% of equity partners in England & Wales, despite the profession being 53% female. Women make up 40% of barristers, yet whilst 60% of pupils are female, they make up only 20% of KCs. Now that our Lady Chief Justice is female, is it merely a waiting game? Do we need to do more to ensure that there is parity at all levels of the profession? In this special episode you will hear from a fabulous line-up as we bring together all parts of the ecosystem to try and answer those questions. Client-side Nina Best, GC of Delinianprivate practiceNikki Edwards, partner at Howard KennedyAvneet Baryan, Senior Associate at Mills & Reeve; the Bar,Anneliese Day KC of Fountain Court Chambers; JudiciaryMrs Justice CockerillThis fabulous panel of women talk about the challenges they faced in their careers and share insights on how each part of the system can work together to accelerate progress at the top. Facilitating the discussion is Claire Rason, Director of Client Talk, author of the diversity report, "The Class of 2002." and one of the hosts of the Lawyer's Coach podcast. The Lawyer's Coach is brought to you by Client Talk and Hansard Coaching.

In this episode Oliver and Claire reflect on the series and discuss the findings of their legal pulse survey. They discuss the role that coaching has to play in solving some of the big challenges that the industry faces. The Lawyer's Coach is brought to you by Client Talk and Hansard Coaching.

Lexi Segal, in-house at BT, has had a pivotal role in driving forward BT's desire to see more effective DEI initatives in law firms. She speaks to Claire about the importance of the little actions that support inclusion and how BT works with its panel firms to understand how collectively the profession can be better. The Lawyer's Coach is brought to you by Client Talk and Hansard Coaching.

Nikki Edwards, partner at Howard Kennedy, talks to Oliver about navigating her career as a litigator. She speaks of the importance of values and how she has used these as her guide. She also discusses how she has been working hard to raise DEI as a priority in legal. The Lawyer's Coach is brought to you by Client Talk and Hansard Coaching.

Rob Bower, Managing Partner of Montagu Evans, tells Claire Rason about why he believes the key to encouraging individuals to return to the office lies in fostering a strong organisational culture. While creating appealing workspaces is important, leadership plays a crucial role in shaping a culture that attracts employees back to the workplace. The Lawyer's Coach is brought to you by Client Talk and Hansard Coaching.

This episode of the Lawyers Coach podcast features Sarah Henwood, the CEO of Thomson, Snell and Passmore, recognised as the oldest law firm by the Guinness Book of Records. Sarah, breaking the mould as a non-lawyer, shares her background in marketing and business development, emphasising the value of a fresh perspective. Having been a CEO before and with international experience, Sarah discusses the challenges and opportunities in the legal industry. She sheds light on the evolving role of soft skills, now referred to as "power skills," in the era of AI. Sarah shares insights into recruitment and retention strategies, highlighting the benefits of hybrid working and the importance of maintaining high standards while recognising work-life balance. The conversation delves into the post-COVID cultural shift at Thomson, Snell and Passmore, emphasising the investment in a strong, supportive culture. Sarah discusses the inclusive approach to marketing and business development, where everyone in the firm plays a role, and the client-centric practices, including a client journey mapping exercise. Sarah concludes by sharing her definition of success – achieving results while being honest, approachable, and providing clear guidance. She emphasises the joy of winning as a team, having fun, and witnessing the growth of individuals. The Lawyer's Coach is brought to you by Client Talk and Hansard Coaching.

In this episode, Claire Rason sits down with Nicky Owen, Head of Professional Practices at Crowe, to explore her unique career journey from working with underwater explosives to becoming a senior equity partner in the field of tax. They delve into the importance of authentic leadership, the challenges of developing people in the evolving workplace, and insights from Crowe's benchmarking survey on topics such as cybercrime, ESG, and ED&I. Join the conversation as Nicky shares her stories and valuable perspectives on career progression and the power of storytelling in professional growth. The Lawyer's Coach is brought to you by Client Talk and Hansard Coaching.

In this episode Oliver Hansard speaks to Lee Curtis of LINAR consulting. He describes what lawyers need to think about if they want to differentiate and win new work. He explores why it's time to find your splendid splinter! Key Points in this episode: Understanding Lawyers and BD (Business Development) Lee classifies lawyers into three categories: 20% who inherently understand BD, 60% who need guidance, and 20% who struggle with BD. He highlights the challenge of convincing the bottom 20% but aims to move the middle 60% to the top bracket. Tips for Aspiring Partners Lee emphasises the importance of networking both internally and externally. Encourages becoming an expert in a niche area, creating a unique selling point (splendid splinter). Challenges for Senior Partners and Firms Acknowledges the changing legal landscape and the need for senior partners to adapt. Recommends seeking input from the team to understand what's working and what needs improvement. The Role of Soft Skills in Differentiating Lawyers Soft skills are crucial for standing out in a competitive legal landscape. Lee suggests that AI will enhance, not replace, soft skills in the next 2-5 years. Defining Success in Legal BD Lee defines success as making clients look good, supporting them to be admired for their work. Personal success is measured through positive feedback and continuous improvement. Finding Your Splendid Splinter Encourages individuals to identify their unique strengths and become experts in those areas. Emphasizes the need to differentiate oneself in a crowded legal market. Conclusion Lee Curtis stresses the importance of adapting to changes in the legal industry and leveraging AI as a tool rather than a replacement. Success is tied to making clients and teams look good, and continuous improvement is key. The Lawyer's Coach is brought to you by Client Talk and Hansard Coaching.

The Lawyer's Coach returns next week with valuable conversations you won't want to miss. In this 'teaser' episode, hosts Claire Rason and Oliver Hansard hint at this season’s themes. The Lawyer's Coach is brought to you by Client Talk and Hansard Coaching.

In this episode of Lawyer's Coach we hear from Tracey Rodgers, Head of Client Intelligence at Harneys. Host Oliver hansard speaks to Tracy about non billable time and in particular the time that professional spend on business development. She talks about how by perhaps relabelling it firms can get more buy in. The Lawyer's Coach is brought to you by Client Talk and Hansard Coaching.

The billable hour has been the theme of the latest series with presenters Claire Rason and Oliver Hansard talking to a variety of guests about what is the marmite of legal. In this episode Claire and Oliver are going to reflect on what they have learned so far and also share some thoughts of their own. The Lawyer's Coach is brought to you by Client Talk and Hansard Coaching.

Adam Morallee is the Founding Partner of litigation boutique Brandsmiths, specialising in IP and sports matters. Adam spoke to Claire about his take on the billiable hour. Adam also shared some insights on setting up a firm of his own and how Brandsmiths has grown. The Lawyer's Coach is brought to you by Client Talk and Hansard Coaching.

Daniel Martin is London Head of Business Crime and Regulation at JMW Solicitors. He spoke to Oliver Hansard about his journey to becoming a lawyer and also his take on the billable hour. The Lawyer's Coach is brought to you by Client Talk and Hansard Coaching.

Richard Burcher dedicates all of his time to legal services pricing consultancy work and is widely regarded as the leading international authority on pricing legal services. We caught up with him to find out his take on the billiable hour. ​ The Lawyer's Coach is brought to you by Client Talk and Hansard Coaching.

On Monday April 17th the Lawyer's Coach podcast returns with a series all about the billable hour, the marmite of legal. It is criticised for driving inefficiencies and is even cited as a cause of cultural ills. In the meantime, we will be giving you a chance to delve into our back catalogue. This episode features a replay of a conversation Oliver Hansard had with Pamela Cone. Pamela works with firm leaders to address the growing expectations of all stakeholders - clients, prospects, employees, recruits and communities - around their firms' Social Impact and Sustainability programs. It was the 5th episode of season 4, in a series called Beyond Law The Lawyer's Coach is brought to you by Client Talk and Hansard Coaching.

On Monday April 17th the Lawyer's Coach podcast returns with a series all about the billable hour, the marmite of legal. It is criticised for driving inefficiencies and is even cited as a cause of cultural ills. In the meantime, we will be giving you a chance to delve into our back catalogue. This episode features a replay of a conversation Claire Rason had with Sadie Baron, CMO of global law firm Reed Smith LLP. Sadie spoke about the need not only to do different things, but crucially, to also do things differently. It was the first episode of season 3, in a series called Law 2:0 The Lawyer's Coach is brought to you by Client Talk and Hansard Coaching.

In this last episode of this series, Claire and Oliver reflect on the insights gained. They speak about the impact that culture has on diversity, through the lens of a diversity study with a difference. They also explore the impact of the Billable Hour on culture. Is this the elephant in the room that needs to change before anything else can work? The Lawyer's Coach is brought to you by Client Talk and Hansard Coaching.

In this episode we speak to Elizabeth Rimmer, Chief Executive of LawCare. Elizabeth speaks to us about the impact that legal culture has on mental health in the provision. We explore what changes need to be made and think about the importance of teaching lawyers about the role of emotions. The Lawyer's Coach is brought to you by Client Talk and Hansard Coaching.

In this wide-ranging episode we speak to Trevor Sterling about his rise to Senior Partner at Moore Barlow. We speak about imposter syndrome and confidence. Trevor speaks about celebrating diversity. We even talk about challenge in the context of mergers in the pandemic. Trevor sets out why he believes culture is the foundation on which everything is built. The Lawyer's Coach is brought to you by Client Talk and Hansard Coaching.

Dan Kayne of O-Shaped Lawyer joins Claire Rason to discuss culture in law. What isn't working from the point of view of clients? What needs to change and how? Speaking about the initiative which is so close to his heart, we think about how having the O-Factor could have profound implications for the sector. The Lawyer's Coach is brought to you by Client Talk and Hansard Coaching.