In a recent Platforum9 Session, Natalie Thomas, Legal Business Analyst at Perkins Coie, shared her unconventional journey into law and provided practical guidance for students navigating an evolving legal landscape.

The Power of Alternative Pathways

Thomas’s story challenges the traditional narrative of legal career progression. After studying history at Oxford rather than law, she found herself at graduation without the typical vacation schemes and training contracts her peers had secured. Rather than viewing this as failure, she embraced an unexpected opportunity working with Ian Bagshaw (now London Office Managing Partner at Perkins Coie), gaining exposure to advisory work across multiple sectors.

This experience proved transformative, teaching her that career success doesn’t require following a predetermined path. As Thomas noted, “I would’ve never have considered this opportunity at university, but I needed the time to step back… it’s not the be all and end all to not have that one path locked down.”

The Connection Challenge in Legal

Thomas highlighted a persistent issue in legal recruitment: the advantage of existing connections. Students from backgrounds with legal networks have significant advantages in understanding firm cultures, practice areas, and application processes. This “inside information” gap can be detrimental for those without established legal connections.

The conversation revealed how this disparity manifests even at elite institutions like Oxford, where there was perceived pressure to secure positions at magic circle or top US firms by second year, with alternative paths viewed as failures.

Redefining Legal Training: The Legal Business Analyst Role

At Perkins Coie, Thomas and her team developed an innovative approach to junior lawyer development. The Legal Business Analyst role deliberately inverts traditional training models by exposing early-career professionals to partner-level skills from the outset.

Rather than confining juniors to administrative tasks, the role provides rotation across legal work, marketing, business development, and finance. This holistic approach develops the entrepreneurial mindset typically reserved for senior lawyers, recognizing that commercial skills become increasingly critical for career advancement.

Thomas explained the philosophy: “As a partner or general counsel, you have to know how billing works, you need to market and sell yourself, you need to pitch to clients… that’s basically what the legal business analyst is.”

AI’s Impact on Junior Legal Roles

The discussion addressed AI’s transformative effect on legal practice, particularly for junior lawyers. Rather than viewing AI as a threat, Thomas emphasized its role as an enhancement tool that allows lawyers to focus on higher-value tasks.

She stressed the importance of proper oversight and prompting, noting that AI serves as “a safety net to check rather than do the work for you” and provides valuable starting points for understanding complex legal concepts.

Regarding AI-first firms like recently authorised Garfield, Thomas expressed skepticism about widespread industry transformation, observing that “law firms don’t really change that much… it’s quite hard to make things happen, especially if you’re bigger.”

Essential Skills for Future Lawyers

Thomas identified key personal strengths that have served her well: strong interpersonal communication, collaborative abilities, and being a generalist rather than a specialist early in her career. She emphasised that being well-rounded is an asset, not a weakness, particularly early in one’s career.

The conversation highlighted how AI is creating space for lawyers to focus on relationship management and contextual advisory skills—areas where human judgment remains irreplaceable.

Three Essential Actions for Law Students

Thomas provided concrete advice for students navigating uncertain career prospects:

1. Pursue Diverse Experiences: Seek varied opportunities through societies, part-time work, and legal experience to discover personal interests and strengths.

2. Leverage University Resources: Actively utilize career services, which often provide access to valuable resources like Financial Times subscriptions and application support tools.

3. Build Mentor Networks: Proactively seek mentors by finding authentic connections with professionals who are a few steps ahead. Look for common ground—shared hometown, educational background, or interests—to initiate meaningful relationships.

The Importance of Authentic Networking

When asked about professionals’ openness to mentoring, Thomas confirmed that most people genuinely want to help when approached authentically. The key is finding genuine connection points rather than generic outreach.

Key Takeaways for a Changing Profession

The session reinforced several critical insights for aspiring lawyers:

• Embrace Non-Linear Paths: Career success doesn’t require following traditional timelines or pathways
• Develop Commercial Awareness Early: Understanding business fundamentals becomes increasingly valuable as lawyers advance
• Build Genuine Relationships: Networking based on authentic connections proves more effective than transactional approaches
• Maintain Adaptability: The legal profession is evolving rapidly, requiring professionals who can navigate change

Thomas’s journey demonstrates that perceived setbacks—like missing traditional recruitment cycles—can become opportunities for more interesting and valuable experiences. Her role at Perkins Coie represents one example of how forward-thinking firms are reimagining legal career development to better prepare lawyers for modern practice demands.

For students feeling anxious about the changing legal landscape, Thomas’s story offers reassurance: “Don’t give up a hundred percent.” The profession needs lawyers who can combine technical expertise with business acumen and genuine client relationships—skills that remain fundamentally human despite technological advancement.