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Advising the world's leading law firms on their most complex strategic matters.
Culture is not “soft” – it is the operating system of the firm
In the first of seven episodes on Culture and Performance, Jan Thornbury and Moray McLaren discuss how culture is the foundation that underpins how organisations actually work and perform. Using Edgar Schein’s well-known model, culture is explained as a system with three connected layers: Beliefs and assumptions at the core – what the firm really believes is the “right” way to do things (often described as values). Behaviours and norms – the everyday actions that those belief
Partner Performance | Unlocking long-term success
Partner Performance. As law firms get more sophisticated in evaluating lawyers and partners, there is a growing frustration amongst leadership about underperformers (in particular senior associates or junior partners) as they are the future of the firm.
The 7 levers of law firm profitability
The challenge for law firms is to take these seven levers, reflect on them, and implement changes that drive sustainable profitability. Although profitability is a key concern across all businesses, it can be particularly complex in law firms where factors such as recording hours, pricing models, partner compensation structures, and operational efficiency require careful strategy and ongoing management. The following Podcast series, led by Lexington's Katie Dignan and Paul Br
From competition to collaboration: Why incentives matter more than intentions
Many law firms invest significant time defining values around collaboration, teamwork, and shared ownership. Yet those same firms often struggle to see the behaviours they want emerge in practice. The reason is rarely a lack of intent. It is structural.
When partner pay, becomes a test of trust
As law firm partnerships head into another remuneration season, Moray McLaren reflects on why disputes about pay are rarely really about money, and what partner reviews reveal about trust, judgment, and governance inside the firm
Rethinking performance: Do tougher partner expectations risk damaging culture - or could they strengthen it?
When we talk about culture and high performance, these are often framed as opposites, culture being about being nice to each other, performance being about driving harder. In reality, the best teams show us they are two sides of the same coin.
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