An overlooked factor in the changing legal market

[This article also appears in Legal Business World] In this essay I want to explore what I think is perhaps the most influential factor changing the legal market: the number of lawyers in the marketplace. When a market supply increases faster than its demand, the market value of a product or service decreases. The supply … Continue reading An overlooked factor in the changing legal market →

How to stop being “behind”

Note: this article has since appeared on Slaw.com and in Legal Business World There appears to be a sentiment pervasive in the legal blogosphere that lawyers are “behind”: “The pace of change in legal services is not slowing down while lawyers’ day-to-day practice of law continues to lag far behind” (Remaking Law Firms) “Law Is Lagging … Continue reading How to stop being “behind” →

What Is the Clear Path to Law Firm Success? (It’s not obvious)

[Note: this was also published on Slaw.ca and by the LAC Group] It's not obvious It doesn’t take too much reading to understand that technology is crucial to the success of any modern law firm. With the mergers and investments in LegalTech continuing to rise, law firms truly cannot invest too much in tech and … Continue reading What Is the Clear Path to Law Firm Success? (It’s not obvious) →

Principle #5: Own your customer’s success

Note: for the full essay click here. Recall Principle #1: people do not like to feel “owned” or told what to do. But they do like to be “owned” if what that means is a vendor (or change agent) taking ongoing responsibility for the success of their joint ventures. Especially with newer products, there is … Continue reading Principle #5: Own your customer’s success →

Principle #4: Until you break into the mainstream, focus your efforts on a single user group

Note: for the full essay click here. From Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Gregg McKeown Despite the number of times he repeats the importance of focus in his materials, the number one question Geoffrey Moore gets about crossing the chasm is Can’t we go after more than one target? His answer is unequivocal: “Just … Continue reading Principle #4: Until you break into the mainstream, focus your efforts on a single user group →

Principle #3: Focus your efforts on the immediate challenge

Note: for the full essay click here. You must move linearly through the market segments of innovators, then early adopters, then pragmatists, and finally conservatives (see below). If there is new technology involved, “Do not go straight to mass deployment: if you try, you will not pass Go, and you will not collect $200.” Mainstream users (pragmatists … Continue reading Principle #3: Focus your efforts on the immediate challenge →

Principle #2: Pair the right products with the right users

Note: for the full essay click here. Your adoption efforts are most effective when you pair the maturity of a technology with the right demographic. You can either bring a product to the relevant group; or pick a group and see what products would be the best fit. Either way, the viewpoint of the segment … Continue reading Principle #2: Pair the right products with the right users →

Principle #1: Put relationships first

Note: for the full essay click here. If you build long-term relationships, you will have more influence than any amount of short-term relevance will get you. Bill Henderson, a very influential legal innovator himself, has modelled this rule exceptionally well. One of the foundational articles on his website reminds us that “the change agent is … Continue reading Principle #1: Put relationships first →