Our latest newsletter covers the power of relationships to build business, highlights from the IBA Toronto, the launch of our guide to international growth for independent law firms, our new course: Building relationships that last, and we’re calling for contributors for our 2026 What Lies Ahead report.
The power of relationships
Our team has returned from the hugely successful IBA annual conference in Toronto, where the recurring theme was the importance of human relationships. Partners James Hayhurst, Linsay Leslie and I spent the week attending thought-provoking sessions and catching up with IBA friends and clients from around the world, whilst also launching our latest thought leadership report and putting on our own events.
Our report Navigating Global Growth: How Independent Law Firms Can Build an International Brand received wide coverage in the Global Legal Post, Canadian Lawyer Magazine, and IBA News Daily.
We are now starting research for our annual What Lies Ahead report, a global barometer of the legal profession including interviews with legal sector leaders, assessing the biggest opportunities and threats to the legal sector each year. Get in touch if you would like to contribute.
Helping drive relationship-led business development, we also launched our new organic growth course for law firms, as part of our international growth offering. Hosting a roundtable event, we brought together some of the sharpest leaders in the sector for an open, honest conversation about what really drives firm culture today. Our new course focuses on building relationships that last: personal brand, client loyalty, and the principles of business development. Contact us for details.
Looking ahead to the next IBA annual conference, Copenhagen 2026, what can you expect? A quick poll in the ever-increasing WhatsApp groups highlighted that although people like to do their business development in many different ways to build sustainable relationships, the preferred way is often over food. However, if you’re more of a runner than a foodie, there’s an ever-growing IBA running WhatsApp group (which includes the President and the CEO of the Law Society) if you’d like to run with them in Copenhagen in 2026. Our ladies WhatsApp group is bursting with supportive women ready to help you prepare for the 2026 IBA conference season.
Still buzzing from a fabulous week, we were given the exciting news that we had been nominated in three categories for the Women and Diversity in Law Awards. I was lost for words to be in a spectacular line-up for the Woman of the Year category.
It was also a privilege to speak in Toronto on the diversity panel led by the brilliant Sara Carnegie, IBA Director Legal Projects. We lead the pro bono work on the global work the IBA does for its ambitious ‘Raising the Bar: Women in Law’ project, the largest research project of its kind in the sector. This followed on from the session I led at the High Tide conference before the main event began, on the role of BD teams in a crisis – including an energizing fireside chat with Arthur Cox’s Rachel Hussey.
And LinkedIn continues to evolve, with more details of the new 360Brew update emerging while the IBA was on. This is good news for thought leadership and those seeking to join the channel with less noise.
Following my post about the update, Digital Director Emma Maule explains all in her latest blog.
Best wishes,
Melissa
Global growth isn’t about scale – it’s about trust. Here’s the Playbook.
Our latest research explores how independent law firms achieve sustainable, organic growth and build a consistent brand across borders, based on in-depth interviews with law firm leaders.
Our standout findings:
🔹 91% of independent firms say many international clients become repeat clients.
🔹 83% get a quarter of their instructions from trusted IBA networks.
Described in the Global Legal Post as a “landmark report”, our research highlights “the growing global significance of independent law firms in cross-border legal work”. A huge thank you to every contributor – especially to Mickael Laurans, Jeff Davis, and Sara Carnegie and the ERF and LFMC IBA committees: your energy and insights powered this paper.
We work with independent law firms around the world, helping strengthen their global presence and increase cross-border collaborations. Find out more.
Crisis & reputation: uncomfortable truths leadership needs to hear
Last month, we elevated our popular Meet the Media event series. We brought together three top journalists – Law Society Gazette Features Editor Eduardo Reyes, The Lawyer Director of Insight Matt Byrne, and Channel 4 News Health & Social Care Editor Victoria Macdonald – alongside leading lawyer Christine Braamskamp, London Managing Partner at Jenner & Block, for a straight-talking, Question Time-style debate. The conversation was lively, honest, and delivered the kind of uncomfortable truths that truly drive change. We are offering free, 20-minute consultations with either myself or our Head of PR, Louise Hood. Drop me a line to book yours and stop guessing what the media thinks.
New BD training course
We launched our new BD course, Building Relationships that Last, at the IBA Toronto, which blends expert brand growth theory with practical BD strategy in a 90-minute virtual session. Led by James Hayhurst (ex-Unilever/ad agency) and Justin Portaz (ex-Jenner CMO), the course equips lawyers with a tangible behaviour change plan to drive organic growth across the sales funnel, with optional one-on-one coaching available to ensure results. Get in touch for more details.
In case you missed it: Latest news and blogs
International growth
Our Head of International Linsay Leslie explains why independent law firms must promote and grow their international profile in her latest blog.
Networking guide
Attending conferences and events can take a significant budget. So how do you ensure you get the best out of every event? Our updated guide has insights on how to get ROI on attending conferences and top tips on how to make the most of networking opportunities. Get your copy.
