Strategy and direction in law firms.

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In a partnership, strategy only exists if partners actually change what they do. This requires a set of deliberate decisions about where the firm competes, how partner time is deployed, and how success is rewarded. Those decisions shape client focus, finances and partner behaviour.

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Many firms are revisiting direction amid persistent pricing scrutiny, uneven demand, and rising investment requirements across people, knowledge and technology. Strong opportunities remain but require a concerted effort: firms that focus on work they can price, resource and deliver profitably - and organise consistently around those choices - are pulling ahead.

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Read more about Governance.

Reviewing the business.

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We begin with a detailed business review - holding up a mirror to the firm’s workings so partners can develop a common view of what is working and what needs to change. This includes a detailed financial analysis of issues such as rates, utilisation, leverage, costs as well as client and sector profitability.

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Agreeing priorities.

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In a partnership, every strategic ambition pulls on the same scarce resources - partner time, capital, leadership attention and tolerance for complexity. Choosing more of one means investing less in another.

 

Partners need to see how each choice affects what work is done, how it is priced and delivered, where time is spent and how success is rewarded. The priorities that follow must reconcile individual partner aspirations with a shared firm-wide purpose with a manageable number of agreed priorities.

 

Defined decision rights, clear leadership roles and regular review against agreed priorities keep the partnership aligned and allow issues to be identified and addressed early.

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Read more about Business Performance.

Pathway to growth.

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We also test the credibility of different growth paths. Organic growth may involve deepening sector focus or developing new service lines with the right economic profile. Lateral expansion or mergers can be used to accelerate sector depth, client access or geographic reach, but only where the economic and cultural case holds.

 

We also assess growth driven by key client development and market initiatives with clear ownership and targets, rather than ad-hoc business development. In each case, we begin by clarifying the strategic and commercial objective, then provide a candid assessment of capability, culture and leadership capacity to deliver.

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Read more about Compensation.

Mergers, networks and alliances.

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We advise on law firm mergers, alliances and strategic combinations, with particular attention to partner engagement, governance, economics and long-term integration.

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For some firms, the strategic question is whether to merge, pursue an alliance, or remain independent and deepen focus. A merger is one of the most consequential decisions a partnership can make, and strong financial cases often fail where alignment, trust and execution are weak.

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We bring discipline to merger decisions by testing strategic fit, economics, governance and leadership expectations, and the implications for clients and people. We challenge assumptions early, recognising that the biggest risks in law firm combinations are usually behavioural and governance-related, not purely financial.

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Partner confidence depends on the quality of the decision process and the credibility of what follows. Where firms proceed, integration focuses on leadership roles, keeping key clients well served throughout the transition, aligning compensation, and setting clear cultural priorities so decisions hold up in practice.

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Read more about Mergers.

Clients and markets.

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Law firms are taking a more structured approach to their most important client relationships. In an uneven market, firms that perform well are clear about which clients and sectors they prioritise, who is responsible for key relationships, and how work is priced and delivered. These choices focus partner time and commitment where the firm has a real advantage, and make collaboration and accountability work day to day.

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Read more about Client focused approach.

Making strategy happen.

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The test of strategy is whether it is carried through in practice. Decisions are turned into a small number of clear priorities, with clarity over expectations, roles and responsibilities, and simple follow-up so they are carried through. Attention is kept on the few numbers that show whether those decisions are working so partners can see, in real time, the benefits being achieved. We typically work with boards, managing partners and executive teams - balancing a top down and bottom approach - ensuring partner participation through structured strategy reviews, with partner surveys and facilitated workshops.