There has never been a more exciting time to be involved in the delivery of legal services. The changes and opportunities are almost boundless!
That’s why I love what I do: helping law firms around the world adapt, innovate and grow in exciting times. My clients tell me that it’s the combination of strategic thinking, a large dose of pragmatism and a good measure of enjoyment, that makes my approach unique.
It helps that I understand the challenges that lawyers face when developing their business because I have experience as a ‘fee-earner’ and a business development adviser.
In 2013, I established the flexible resourcing service Vario for international law firm Pinsent Masons (www.pinsentmasons.com/vario). Vario grew from an idea to an award-winning, £several million turnover business in under three years. Prior to that, I spent 15 years in senior business development, communications and knowledge roles, leading large teams and major change projects.
It also helps that I know how it feels to take a leap of faith. In 2015, I left the UK to live and work in Australia. Now I run my own consultancy that advises on:
- creating meaningful and authentic business strategies
- creating and launching new products and services
- key messaging
- client feedback programmes
- client management and maximisation programmes
- skills development (including networking and sales).
In addition, I provide partner coaching, facilitate partner retreats and speak at partner conferences. I am a Teaching Fellow in Strategy on the College of Law’s Master in Legal Business and lecture for the College in Western Australia. I am a regular speaker at industry events and a member of The Australian College of Law Innovation Centre’s panel. I also contribute to the Law Society of England & Wales’ Managing Success publication as well as Beaton Consulting’s Remaking Law Firms blog, the Disrupt.io blog and LegalBusinessWorld.
Things I tell myself and my clients
“Anyone can come up with an idea. Making it happen is the difficult part”.
“True innovation is about doing the difficult stuff that no-one else will tackle”.
“The secret to making change happen is to focus your energies, not on fighting the old, but on building the new”
“People will only change when they see value in that change for them.”
“If something is worth doing, it’s worth doing well”
Qualifications and education
Design Thinking – Coursera University of Virginia – 94.4%
UK Chartered Institute of Marketing Post Graduate Diploma – prize-winner
University of Oxford, BA (Hons) Modern History