1. Hi Nicola! Can you tell us a little about the work you are currently doing and have been doing?
For the past few years, I’ve been working on temporary assignments for multinational corporations via ALSPs. These roles have varied from providing support in the EMEA region whilst the business decided if there should be a permanent role in this area, to providing multi-jurisdictional support on the implementation of a major global project, and everything in between.
2. What made you take the leap into working in NewLaw for ALSP’s? And why is it a good fit for you?
Having spent my first decade as a lawyer in private practice, my second was spent in-house. As I entered my 3rd decade of working life, I decided I needed another change! This time it was more radical, as it involves travelling for pleasure for part of the year, then taking on short assignments in the times in between when we are home. This has worked very well. It enables me to ‘keep my hand in’ with stimulating and varied work. It also gives me exposure to different styles and working practices – without having to worry too much about the politics. From a business perspective, they get a fresh pair of eyes on an issue, from someone who isn’t looking to make their mark and climb the company’s career ladder but simply wants to help them get the job done. Selfishly, it also allows me to interact with people across the globe, enabling me to get the inside track on places we might want to visit during the rest of the year!
3. What’s the most rewarding assignment you’ve ever had and why?
At the risk of sounding naff, I have enjoyed all my roles for different reasons. I love meeting new people and solving problems. Taking on short-term assignments keeps it fresh and gives me variety both in the people I come across, as well as exposure to new industries and their challenges. Having spent the bulk of my previous career in the media sector, my CV is now much more varied.
4. As an experienced NewLaw/ ALSP consultant, where do you see NewLaw/ ALSPs fitting into the matrix of the legal sector and how have you seen it evolve?
Much has been written about the difference between the approach of in-house and private practice lawyers, and it isn’t always an easy transition for an individual to make. Previously, secondments from law firms were one of the main ways one was able to plug the gap when there was a need for short-term support. When I was on the other side of the fence running legal teams, I didn’t always find the secondment option that helpful. The secondees (through no fault of their own) were often not used to the more commercial in-house environment, so were unable to hit the ground running. ALSPs were only in their infancy at the time, and so I often had to make do with other, less satisfactory options. It is no surprise to me that ALSPs are a burgeoning new area of the legal sector, and I only see this as continuing to grow. Business are always looking to cut costs and keep legal teams as lean as possible. This option enables them to do so, knowing they can buy in specialist support as and when they need it, in a cost-effective manner.
5. What trends do you expect to see in the legal services industry in the next 5 years?
I expect NewLaw to continue to grow, as the flexibility it offers to both the organisations and the lawyers makes it a win/win. Lawyers can work as much or as little as their personal circumstances allow, whilst gaining exposure to a huge variety of businesses. For the in-house legal teams, it also gives them the ability to focus on those areas of most interest and importance to them, knowing that they can get high quality specific support as and when required. Separately, we all anticipate AI taking away much of the monotonous work, leaving lawyers to focus on the highly skilled areas we have been trained for.
6. Your favourite tune? And why?
Prince – 1999. I’ve been a big Prince fan since my teens, and this reminds us to always seize the moment. I also remember that feeling of anticipation at the Millennium – a mixture of excitement but also fear. Y2K gave us visions of the end of the world, with planes falling out of the sky as all the IT systems supposedly collapsed. Of course it didn’t happen, but it was a great excuse for a massive party, which I’m always in favour of!
KorumLegal is a boutique legal consultancy committed to providing value innovation in legal service delivery. The legal services industry is continuing to change with ‘NewLaw’ – and clients are seeking more innovative and cost-effective solutions without compromise on experience and quality
