Executive Summary
The legal profession is evolving, and with it, the role of senior lawyers is undergoing a dramatic shift. As businesses face increasingly complex challenges, they require more than technical legal expertise—they need lawyers who can act as strategic partners, offering insight that extends beyond legal advice into broader business contexts. This paradigm shift requires lawyers to develop new skills, including business acumen, a deep understanding of client priorities, cross-disciplinary expertise, and the ability to communicate effectively with business stakeholders clearly and concisely, avoiding legal jargon.
This whitepaper provides actionable strategies for lawyers looking to transition from technical legal advisors to trusted business partners. It explores the foundational differences between the roles, offers practical tools to develop essential skills, and shares real-life case studies of senior lawyers who successfully transformed their approach. Targeted at senior lawyers and legal professionals in leadership roles, this paper aims to empower legal professionals to deliver greater business value and strengthen their client relationships.
The Changing Role of Lawyers in the Business World
Traditionally, lawyers have been perceived as risk mitigators and technical experts—individuals responsible for interpreting and applying the law to protect businesses. While this expertise remains critical, organisations now expect their legal advisors to take a more proactive and strategic approach.
Today’s commercial environment is characterised by rapid change, cross-industry disruption, and heightened regulatory scrutiny. Businesses need legal professionals who can strike a balance between their commitment to compliance and insight into broader business objectives. Lawyers are being asked to bolster organisational strategy, anticipate challenges, and even contribute to revenue-driving ideas.
But what does this new role encompass?
An effective business partner:
- Understands the company’s commercial objectives.
- Aligns legal strategies with broader business priorities.
- Speaks the language of the C-suite, bridging the gap between legal obligations and business ambitions.
- Leverages insights from other disciplines to offer well-rounded solutions.
Transitioning to this role requires adopting a different mindset and developing new skill sets. The following sections outline how senior lawyers can make this shift.
Developing Business Acumen: Thinking Beyond Legal Borders
Business acumen is one of the most critical skills for lawyers aspiring to be strategic partners. It entails an understanding of how businesses operate, how strategic decisions are made, and how financial and operational goals are achieved. Technical legal expertise is essential, but without business context, the advice provided is often incomplete.
How Can Lawyers Build Business Acumen?
- Understand Financial Fundamentals
- Familiarise yourself with core financial concepts such as profit and loss statements, cash flow analysis, and return on investment (ROI). Understanding how legal decisions impact the bottom line will allow you to embed your advice within the broader financial priorities of the organisation.
- Example: A senior lawyer negotiating contracts might benefit from understanding how pricing structures influence revenue growth or margin preservation.
- Engage with Business Strategy
- Participate in key business meetings. Listening to the language and priorities of sales, marketing, and operations leaders can provide insight into the broader goals of the organisation.
- Seek Cross-Functional Experience
- Collaborate with teams outside the legal department. Whether it’s shadowing a product manager or attending client-facing sales meetings, these interactions help lawyers gain a more holistic view of the business.
- Conduct Industry Research
- Stay informed about trends within your client’s industry. By anticipating sector challenges or opportunities, you will position yourself as a more valuable partner.
Practical Tip:
Senior lawyers should regularly allocate time to attend workshops and seminars or even complete short courses in business fundamentals targeted at non-financial professionals.
Understanding Client Priorities: Putting Business Needs First
For lawyers to become trusted business partners, they must prioritise their clients’ objectives and align their contributions accordingly. This requires stepping into the client’s world to fully appreciate their pressures, goals, and key performance indicators (KPIs).
Aligning Legal Advice with Business Priorities
- Ask the Bigger Questions
- Beyond addressing immediate legal concerns, ask clients about their broader business ambitions. For example, instead of simply reviewing a contract, ask how the agreement fits into the company’s future strategy.
- Proactively Offer Solutions
- Rather than waiting for clients to identify issues, apply a proactive approach. Anticipate risks and implications for their business and offer pre-emptive solutions.
- Example: Highlighting potential regulatory risks to future M&A activity drawn from an analysis of the client’s operating sector.
- Be Outcome-Focused
- Shift the focus of legal advice toward action and impact rather than a strict “legalese-first” approach. For example, align advice with operational goals, such as increasing market share, expanding into new territories, or adopting sustainability practices.
Tools to Understand Priorities
- Conduct client interviews and stakeholder workshops to gather insights into the organisation’s goals.
- Develop value maps that outline how your legal advice contributes to client outcomes, such as increased efficiency, profitability, or reduced risk.
Example:
A senior legal advisor at a healthcare provider strengthened relationships with internal business stakeholders by incorporating discussions about the company’s expansion plans into his compliance advice. By aligning legal work with operational initiatives, he enhanced his credibility as a trusted, business-savvy advisor.
Leveraging Cross-Disciplinary Skills: The Power of Collaboration
One of the hallmarks of an effective business partner is the ability to collaborate effectively across disciplines. By merging legal expertise with insights from finance, operations, and technology, lawyers can offer integrated solutions.
Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Embrace Technology
- Learn how emerging technology, such as artificial intelligence (AI) and automation tools, are impacting legal work and the client’s industry. Familiarity with technology strengthens solutions while driving efficiencies.
- Collaborative Teamwork
- Establish relationships with colleagues outside the legal department, such as finance, HR, or procurement leaders. Broadening discussions to include non-legal perspectives enhances decision-making.
Example Case Study:
A senior legal advisor at a multinational technology firm developed a cross-disciplinary approach to contract management by collaborating closely with the IT department. This setup streamlined the contract lifecycle, ensuring that the mutual goals of compliance and innovation were equally prioritised.
Speaking Beyond Legal Jargon: Communicating with Impact
One of the most persistent barriers for lawyers transitioning to business partners is language. Legal concepts can be complex, but decisions must be communicated in a way that business stakeholders, even those without legal expertise, can understand.
The Shift in Communication Style
- Simplify Legal Terminology
- Replace dense jargon with plain, actionable language. For instance, instead of referring to the “indemnification clause,” use “the clause that outlines liabilities.”
- Use Visual Aids
- Incorporate diagrams or infographics to explain complex legal recommendations. Visualisation helps break down abstract ideas into digestible formats.
- Understand Audience Dynamics
- Tailor the presentation of legal advice to your audience. For senior executives, focus on the business implications of legal actions. For operational teams, provide actionable details aligned with their responsibilities.
Case Studies: Lawyers Transitioning to Business Partners
- From Legal Advisor to Strategic Negotiator
A corporate solicitor at a multinational energy company evolved her role by taking the lead in strategic negotiations, helping to identify opportunities for partnerships that went beyond the letter of the law. By collaborating with the procurement team and aligning compliance with the company’s sustainability goals, she demonstrated her value beyond fulfilling a strictly functional legal role. - Legal Counsel Driving Digital Transformation
A senior in-house lawyer at a global retail brand championed a project to automate routine legal processes using artificial intelligence. This initiative not only saved hundreds of hours but also freed time to provide strategic counsel. His ability to partner with IT leaders secured his transition into a broader business advisory role.
Actionable Insights: Steps to Build Business Partnering Skills
If you aim to position yourself as an effective business partner, consider the following action steps:
Short-Term
- Schedule weekly cross-disciplinary meetings to understand the key business objectives of stakeholders.
- Set aside time to complete a short course in business strategy or finance for non-specialists.
- Work on minimising legal jargon in client communications.
Long-Term
- Develop measurable KPIs for the value legal brings to the broader organisation (e.g., efficiency savings or reduced risk exposure).
- Foster relationships with key executives in other departments to establish trust and collaboration.
- Align personal development goals with gaining deeper industry specialisation in clients’ sectors.
Conclusion
The role of senior lawyers is no longer confined to providing legal advice. To thrive in today’s rapidly changing business landscape, legal professionals must reposition themselves as trusted strategic advisors. By developing business acumen, understanding client priorities, embracing cross-disciplinary collaboration, and mastering adaptive communication skills, lawyers can add broader value to their organisations.
The transition from an effective lawyer to an effective business partner is not just a professional evolution—it is a competitive advantage for lawyers who wish to grow their influence and lead from the forefront of their industries.
