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    Helping Lawyers Build Great Firms.

When life begins at 60

Leonard Cohen and Tesco have much to teach us about later life and Lawyers.



My latest Opinion article in The Journal of The Law Society of Scotland explores the increasing number of business leaders that are of a pensionable age. By the end of the decade, these “Boomerpreneurs”, as Future Laboratory calls them, will top 2 million. A life consisting of Saga cruises, golf, bridge and Antiques Roadshow is emphatically not for them.

Read the article in full here.
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Across Borders: Scottish Law Firm Mergers with Larger Practices from Elsewhere - Neither Failure nor Betrayal

It is neither a failure nor a betrayal for a Scottish law firm to choose to merge with a larger practice from elsewhere.



My latest Opinion article in The Journal of The Law Society of Scotland explores the hot topic of Scottish law firms merging with larger practices from elsewhere, particularly with English law firms, and looks at the strategic reasons for such mergers.

Read the article in full here and read more about law firm mergers on my website here.
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Law firm pricing: Where bullocks fear to roam

When clients complain about the unpredictability of fees, lawyers often chide them that the law is not like a can of beans. But the recent travails of one beans baron hold lessons for us all.

My latest Opinion article in The Journal of The Law Society of Scotland explores the hot topic of law firm pricing, serving up analogies from the supermarket industry.

Read more here.
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It's fine to be a specialist, but don't ignore the world beyond

The days of the generalist lawyer are well behind us. When I first started down the primrose path of private practice, the profession was full of polymaths who would think nothing of drafting a will, a title and a shareholders’ agreement in the morning, before heading off to court in pursuit of an interdict or a not guilty.

Today, the specialists rule, their fields narrowing by the day.

My latest Opinion article in The Journal of The Law Society of Scotland explores the trend towards greater specialisation in legal services, but highlighting the risks of ignoring the world beyond.

Read more here.
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Collegiality? It's overrated. The very best firms ascend through dissent

“Whatever you do in life, surround yourself with smart people who will argue with you.” (John Wooden, the most successful US basketball coach, ever)

In my latest Opinion article in The Journal of The Law Society of Scotland, I explain why dissent within professional firms is crucial for their success.

Read more here.
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Testimonials

Expert, Insightful Guidance for Law Firms

I founded and for over 25 years led a multi-award-winning law firm. Today, I am a consultant and non-exec, acting as a trusted adviser to law firm leaders throughout the UK and internationally.

Am I Any Good?

It's a very fair question. You can judge by the testimonials from senior lawyers above and in full here. Clients say they find I am knowledgeable, pragmatic, enjoyable to work with and deliver results.

What I Think

I write and speak extensively - you can see all my articles here.

If you think we could be a fit, do call me on 0044 7968 484232, or email me at stephen@stephengold.co.uk. I am always delighted to talk confidentially, and completely without obligation.

Services

I provide expert, practical guidance on: Leadership and Strategy, Making Rainmakers, Mergers and Acquisition, Tenders and Pitches, Coaching and Mentoring Key People.

Rainmaking

Great rainmakers come in many shapes and sizes. There is no secret formula. Creating the right sales and marketing strategy, pricing well, communicating effectively and avoiding the bear traps are the vital skills, and they can all be acquired.

Leadership & Strategy

Successful strategy relies on two elements: the original conception and effective implementation. No two firms are the same, but the challenges are similar: Where do we play? How do we win?

Personal
Mentoring

The greatest demands often have little to do with client work, but with creating the right strategies for the business and ourselves, making successful relationships with colleagues, managing conflict, dealing with personal stress and managing the balance between our business and personal lives.

Tenders, Pitches and Pricing

Tendering and pitching are both art and science. The nuts and bolts of the proposition need to be right: people, price, sector experience, location, structural and financial robustness, and so on.

Mergers

The decision to merge or be taken over is usually life-changing and rarely easy. There are competing pressures. What are the strategic imperatives for both sides? Does the prospect of new markets and greater resources compensate for loss of control or the risk of a valued culture being submerged?

Latest Publications

The imperative to be strategic applies as much to our personal lives as to our businesses. Read my final Word of Gold comment piece in The Journal of the Law Society of Scotland here and you can read all of my publications in The Journal via the Archive within this page.As I note within the article:- "This is the last Word of Gold. After almost nine years, I think the Society and its members deserve to hear a new voice. It’s been a fantastic privilege to have this platform, and though I think it’s the right time to exit, I will miss it. I’m sincerely thankful to the many people who have been so supportive of my meanderings.  In particular, I want to express my deep gratitude to editor Peter Nicholson for all his support and friendship over the years, which I’ve appreciated probably more than he knows. He is an immensely accomplished professional, but more than that, a person of warmth, kindness and decency. The Journal is safe in his hands, and I wish both it and him, the highly successful future they both deserve."

Dec 13, 2021

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