“Happy people, happy clients equals success. That equation will be with us for time immemorial,” observes Ian Bagshaw, Managing Partner of Perkins Coie London, during a recent Platforum9 session. Drawing from his experience building startups and law firms, Bagshaw offers a revolutionary perspective on legal practice management.
The Startup Mindset
After stepping away from Big Law to build Zero Gravity, a talent accelerator startup, Bagshaw returned with fresh insights: “If you’d started with a clean sheet of paper, law firms in Europe would look very different.” His vision emphasizes:
- Clear mission and purpose
- Digital-first operations
- Lean infrastructure
- Rapid adaptation to change
Reimagining Legal Training
“The age profile of success is fundamentally restricted to being eight years PQE, which I find funny,” Bagshaw notes. “If I was at Manchester City and someone said I couldn’t play for the first team till I was 26, I’d leave.” His approach focuses on accelerated development:
- Early client exposure
- Technology-enabled learning
- Practical scenario training
- Emphasis on judgment over technical skills
The Casa Perkins Model
Rather than enforcing traditional office policies, Bagshaw created “Casa Perkins” – making the office feel more like home. The result? High daily attendance over four days a week, particularly among junior lawyers seeking collaborative learning experiences.
Embracing Failure
“You fall on your face all the time in a startup,” Bagshaw explains. “Perfection is the enemy of good.” This mindset shift challenges traditional legal training focused on flawless execution, instead emphasizing:
- Learning through mistakes
- Quick adaptation
- Practical client solutions
- Real-world context
The Future of Legal Services
Bagshaw sees fundamental changes ahead: “Almost everything within Big Law is commoditizing apart from judgment and impact.” Success requires:
- Empowering junior talent
- Leveraging technology
- Building agile teams
- Maintaining client focus
As Bagshaw concludes: “If you don’t buy a ticket, you won’t win the raffle.” His experiment in running a law firm like a startup challenges traditional models while maintaining focus on the unchanging fundamentals of legal service – happy people delivering value to happy clients.
