The Non-Billable Podcast

Walker Morris has nearly doubled in size over the past seven years while holding on to a model that looks increasingly distinctive: one office in Leeds and no international network of its own. Revenue reached a record £90.2m last year, leaving the firm within reach of its £100m Ambition 27 target.Managing partner Jeanette Burgess explains why she believes the single-site model still works. The bigger question is what happens beyond £100m. Burgess says Walker Morris can continue scaling from Leeds for now, although the firm is reviewing its options as it develops its post-2027 strategy. She also discusses why the firm is attracting lawyers looking for greater autonomy than they may find at larger City and national firms.In relation to AI, Burgess expects firms may need “fewer, better people” in some areas and anticipates a gradual move away from hourly rates for routine work. But she rejects private equity as an answer to the investment challenge, arguing that surrendering control would cut against Walker Morris’ partnership model.The Non-Billable Podcast is sponsored by Thomson Reuters. Request a demo of CoCounsel Legal, visit: https://legalsolutions.thomsonreuters.co.uk/en/products-services/cocounsel-legal-uk.html Chapters00:01 Introduction01:35 Record growth and Jeanette’s path to leadership05:13 Evolution, innovation and leading the firm07:33 Walker Morris’ position in the market09:13 The advantages of a single office in Leeds16:01 How far can the model scale?18:51 AI, talent and the future law firm pyramid28:13 Why private equity is not right for Walker Morris33:02 What comes after Ambition 27?About Non-BillableNon-Billable is the media company for modern legal professionals across private practice, in-house and legal tech.Visit our website: ⁠⁠https://www.nonbillable.co.uk

Charles Russell Speechlys has expanded rapidly under managing partner Simon Ridpath, opening in Milan and Singapore before making a defining move into the US this year. The strategy is built around the firm’s ambition to become the world’s leading adviser to private capital – following wealthy individuals, families and entrepreneurs as their lives and investments become increasingly mobile globally.In this episode, Simon explains why the US had become an unavoidable gap in the firm’s network, what he learnt during two-and-a-half years studying the market and why CRS resisted the temptation to accelerate its launch simply by “opening a chequebook”.We also go inside the 2014 merger that created Charles Russell Speechlys. Simon reflects on the unusual challenge of combining two genuinely equal firms, why he prefers to talk about behaviours rather than culture and why mergers pursued principally for scale should make law firm leaders nervous.Finally, we explore one of the biggest questions facing the profession: how partnerships will fund international expansion, AI and the increasingly complicated business of running a law firm. Simon explains why private equity ownership remains difficult for Big Law, where external investment could work on a project basis and how technology may force firms to overhaul traditional pay and reward structures.Chapters00:01 Introduction00:55 Leading through constant disruption03:08 From legal aid work to City law04:59 Inside the Charles Russell Speechlys merger09:18 Why Simon became managing partner11:18 Building the firm around private capital17:09 Why CRS finally entered the US23:15 Following private capital into Milan and Singapore26:23 Funding growth, private equity and the impact of AIAbout Non-BillableNon-Billable is the media company for modern legal professionals across private practice, in-house and legal tech.Visit our website: ⁠⁠https://www.nonbillable.co.uk

Christian Bartsch is the CEO of Bird & Bird, the international law firm built around technology, IP and regulation. He joined the firm in 2007, became CEO in 2022 and was recently re-elected for a second term.In this episode, Bartsch explains how he followed a leader who had run the firm for 26 years and why he involved the wider partnership in shaping Bird & Bird’s first five-year strategy.He discusses the firm’s target of reaching €1bn in revenue by 2029, its recent expansion into Tokyo, Riyadh and Lisbon, and why India remains a market he watches closely. He also addresses law firm consolidation, external capital and the circumstances in which Bird & Bird might consider a merger.The conversation then turns to AI, why Bartsch believes generic firms are vulnerable, how the traditional law firm pyramid may change and why training partners matters just as much as giving associates new tools.Chapters00:01 Introduction01:02 Christian’s journey from tech partner to CEO02:51 Taking over after David Kerr’s 26-year tenure04:59 Building a five-year strategy with the partnership07:29 Bird & Bird’s sector focus and competitive edge12:15 The €1bn revenue target and why growth isn’t the strategy17:43 International expansion, Saudi Arabia and India20:34 Big Law consolidation, US mergers and external capital27:11 AI, the law firm pyramid and why generic firms could struggleAbout Non-BillableNon-Billable is the media company for modern legal professionals across private practice, in-house and legal tech.Visit our website: ⁠⁠https://www.nonbillable.co.uk

Jo Farmer, joint managing partner of Lewis Silkin, joins the podcast to discuss the firm’s rapid growth and the strategy behind it. She explains why Lewis Silkin has resisted chasing revenue for its own sake, instead focusing on organic growth, its core strengths and expanding into locations where it sees opportunities for both clients and talent.Jo also talks about her own route into law, from growing up without any lawyers in the family to building a career in IP and advertising and eventually becoming joint managing partner.She discusses why social mobility matters so much to her, and why she believes Lewis Silkin’s distinctive history continues to shape the culture of the firm today.We get into leadership too, including why Jo never originally planned to become managing partner, what she learned from studying leadership at Cambridge and Harvard, and why she is a big believer in sharing the top job with fellow joint managing partner Richard Miskella.Finally, Jo shares how Lewis Silkin is approaching AI, from its early adoption of Harvey to building its own employment product, Delphius. Chapters00:01 Introduction00:50 Jo’s journey to Lewis Silkin and managing partner03:46 What makes Lewis Silkin different08:06 Social mobility and opening up routes into law10:02 Why Jo never planned to become managing partner12:25 The case for joint managing partners16:37 What Harvard taught Jo about leadership22:47 The strategy behind Lewis Silkin’s rapid growth30:34 AI, Harvey and the future of the law firm modelAbout Non-BillableNon-Billable is the media company for modern legal professionals across private practice, in-house and legal tech.Visit our website: ⁠⁠https://www.nonbillable.co.uk

David Beech, CEO of listed law firm Knights, joins the podcast to discuss how he has built one of the UK's largest regional legal businesses since buying the firm in 2012. He explains why Knights has prioritised people and cash over traditional law firm metrics, how the business has grown through almost 30 acquisitions, and why he believes law firms should separate ownership from management.David also shares the thinking behind Knights' distinctive strategy. He discusses why the firm has no fee targets, why it manages through regional leadership rather than practice groups, and why culture is the first consideration when assessing acquisitions. The conversation explores external investment in law firms, drawing on David's experience of private equity backing and taking Knights public in 2018. He reflects on what it is like running a listed law firm, why he believes corporatisation is the long-term direction of the legal industry, and why minority investment may prove a more natural model for traditional partnerships than outright buyouts.Chapters00:01 Introduction00:50 Building Knights into the UK's largest regional legal business05:47 Why people and cash matter more than fee targets15:44 Rainmakers, culture and leading a collaborative law firm21:34 Why Knights has no ambition to open in London24:03 The acquisition playbook behind nearly 30 deals33:58 Lessons from private equity and taking Knights public38:42 Why more law firms won't follow Knights onto the stock market42:44 The future of external capital in the legal industryAbout Non-BillableNon-Billable is the media company for modern legal professionals across private practice, in-house and legal tech.Visit our website: ⁠⁠https://www.nonbillable.co.uk