Understanding the Business of Law

At Legal Tech Talk London, Barbara Koenen, Founder of the Legal Growth Game; Andrew Hutchinson, Co-founder of Rebel.Group; and Stijn Van Oirschot, Co-founder of Beyond Billable Hours, and Lucy Walton, Co-founder and CEO of EdvoraAI, explored one of the legal industry’s most pressing questions: how can law firms achieve sustainable growth in 2026? Their answer was clear: growth starts with understanding the business of law.

The Moderators discussed the persistent gap between legal education and legal practice. While lawyers are trained extensively in legal expertise, they are rarely taught how law firms operate as businesses. As Koenen explained, many professionals enter private practice without a clear understanding of the commercial levers that drive firm performance, making it difficult to contribute meaningfully to growth strategies.

The Legal Growth Game: Learning Through Experience

To address this challenge, the speakers introduced the Legal Growth Game, a simulation-based learning experience that places participants in leadership roles within a fictional law firm. Participants take on responsibilities such as Managing Partner, Chief Marketing Officer, or Chief Financial Officer, making decisions on real-world issues including profitability, growth, talent retention, technology investment, and client strategy.

Walton highlighted the importance of experiential learning, noting that adults learn most effectively through practical experience rather than traditional classroom instruction. By recreating real-life scenarios and adding time pressure, competition, and collaboration, the game creates high levels of engagement while helping participants develop commercial awareness and strategic thinking.

Commercial Awareness as a Growth Driver

Hutchinson argued that one of the biggest barriers to growth is the lack of commercial understanding across law firm partnerships. He noted that firms frequently leave significant revenue opportunities untapped because decision-makers lack visibility into the full commercial impact of their actions. While many firms are investing heavily in technology and AI, he cautioned that technology alone cannot solve growth challenges without first establishing strong commercial foundations, reliable data, and effective change management.

Engaging the Next Generation of Lawyers

The discussion also addressed the challenge of engaging younger lawyers in business development. Van Oirschot suggested that motivation often suffers because associates do not see the wider context of their work. By helping lawyers understand how their daily activities contribute to broader firm objectives, organisations can create stronger engagement and a clearer sense of purpose. The game demonstrates how even small business development activities can have a meaningful commercial impact.

Transparency and Strategic Alignment

Transparency emerged as another critical theme. The speakers argued that firms often fail to communicate their strategic objectives clearly, leaving employees disconnected from decisions around investment, growth, bonuses, and long-term planning. Providing greater visibility into firm strategy can help lawyers better understand both the challenges and opportunities facing their organisations.

Redefining Business Development

The panel also explored the role of culture. In many firms, business development is still viewed as synonymous with sales, creating reluctance among lawyers to engage. However, the speakers emphasised that business development can take many forms, from networking and relationship building to thought leadership and specialist expertise. Different individuals contribute in different ways, and firms benefit when they recognise and leverage diverse strengths.

Collaboration Between Legal and Business Teams

Another key takeaway was the importance of collaboration between legal and business professionals. Hutchinson suggested that firms often lack clear commercial ownership across the organisation. Bringing together legal expertise and commercial insight can lead to better decisions, stronger client strategies, and improved financial performance.

The conversation highlighted how gamified learning can also help address political and cultural barriers within firms. By creating a safe environment where participants can experiment, fail, and learn, organisations can encourage innovation while building a deeper understanding of the business realities behind leadership decisions.

Creating a Culture of Experimentation

The session concluded with a broader discussion around experimentation. Drawing on examples from outside the legal sector, the speakers argued that firms must create environments that encourage, rather than discourage, the testing of new ideas. Sustainable growth requires not only technological investment, but also a culture that rewards curiosity, learning, and continuous improvement.

Session Highlights

• Firms that combine commercial understanding, transparency, and innovation will be best positioned for growth in 2026.
• Growth starts with understanding the business of law, not simply adopting new technology.
• Experiential learning helps lawyers develop commercial awareness more effectively than traditional training methods.
• Technology and AI are most valuable when built on strong commercial foundations and reliable data.
• Younger lawyers are more engaged when they understand the wider impact of their work.
• Business development extends beyond sales and can be approached in many different ways.
• Collaboration between lawyers and business professionals can unlock significant growth opportunities.
• Creating a culture of experimentation and learning is essential for future success.