The Legal Iconoclast Expo to Spark Big Changes

Legal professionals from all over the world will soon be able to attend a first-of-its-kind virtual conference to suit their time zone, with two events taking place at 9 am BST on Tuesday 6th September and 9 pm BST on Wednesday 7th September 2022. (6am AEST 7th & 8th September 2022)

Launching its inaugural event, The Legal Iconoclasts EXPO aims to be a catalyst for change within the legal profession. Bringing together key speakers from across the world, the ‘Iconoclasts’ aim to provoke, explain, and champion change in what they believe to be an outdated cottage industry.  

Being unashamedly different from your usual Legal conference, The Legal Iconoclasts EXPO is being held virtually - not on Zoom or Teams – via the latest virtual conferencing software REMO. The revolutionary platform allows delegates to network, visit sponsors’ rooms, attend speaking events in the main theatre to earn CPD points, and even receive virtual delegate packs. 

Shaun Jardine, Founder of Big Yellow Penguin and key speaker at Legal Iconoclasts, explains: “The professional services market, in its current form, is being disrupted. There is a battle for talent, demand for agile working, and new technology-based entrants to the legal services market. Things must change. The time for the iconoclasts has arrived!” 

During the four-hour event, delegates will hear from speakers from three different parts of the world in what promises to be a high-energy, thought-provoking session, covering: rainmaking and winning work, ditching the billable hour, assessing value and the benefits of value pricing, and increasing profits on the bottom line.   

Along with Shaun, The Legal Iconoclasts EXPO was the brainchild of fellow Iconoclasts and key speakers, John Chisholm, Melbourne-based legal consultant and Gibraltar-based Scott Simmons, coach and trainer to the legal profession. 

Having spent the first half of his career in practice, Scott understands the difficulties lawyers face winning new clients while also doing the work that is in front of them. And the pace of change in the world means the need to adapt how we sell legal services has become more important than ever. 

“New businesses are being created every day by a new generation who expect their lawyers to reflect who they are and how they work. 21st-century lawyers need to sell legal services in a consultative approach that gets to the heart of their clients’ needs and goals,” Scott said.

As a practising lawyer, John was well placed to experience first-hand both the benefits but also the drawbacks of the legal professions billing their services solely by reference to time.  

John explains: “A major area for reform is the law firm business model which essentially leverages people x time x hourly rate – clients and lawyers hate the current system – we believe there needs to be a paradigm shift and ditch the billable hour and embrace pricing based on value to the client, not time spent by the lawyer. It’s a big step, but more and more firms have done it and we will show the industry that it can be achieved and how beneficial it is for clients, for lawyers themselves and the future of the profession.” 

All three Iconoclasts are passionate about helping law firms and lawyers become more profitable, want to improve client experience and aim to help lawyers achieve a better work-leisure harmony. 

During the four-hour event, delegates will receive a brief introduction to: 

• Rainmaking best practice. Winning the work. 
• The advantages of ditching the billable hour and embracing value pricing. 
• How value is assessed. How lawyers can capture it. 
• The benefits that value pricing brings to clients, law firms and lawyers. 
• Removing the artificial fee cap and increasing profit on the bottom line. 

Speakers: 

John Chisholm - John Chisholm Consulting, Melbourne  

A 3rd generation “recovering” lawyer, previously a partner, managing partner and chief executive of Australian law firms. John established his own consultancy in 2005 to share his expertise and experience with professional firms who look to maximise their performance by adopting better and different business models and mindsets. He now speaks, educates, facilitates, coaches and consults. www.chisconsult.com 

Scott Simmons - Legal Balance, Gibraltar  

Scott is a toolbox for turning lawyers into rainmakers. After a successful career in law where he faced similar situations to the lawyers of today, he discovered a love of coaching and training that has seen him coaching young professionals on how to build their own careers, as well as more senior executives to become rainmakers. www.legalbalance.co.uk 

Shaun Jardine - Big Yellow Penguin Ltd, UK 

As a solicitor, commercial director and former law firm CEO of a top 250 law firm, he has a unique insight into what makes law firms tick and how to exploit the good bits and ditch the bad. Shaun founded Big Yellow Penguin (BYP) in 2021 with the aim of encouraging and helping lawyers and law firms to move on from the 20th century and adopt practices, including value pricing, which will make their futures more secure, both financially and operationally, and enjoy practising their craft again. www.bigyellowpenguin.co.uk 

Jacqui Brown - Lynn and Brown, Perth

As a director of Lynn & Brown Lawyers, Jacqui focuses on providing exceptional family law, wills and probate advice.  

Like other law firms, Lynn & Brown Lawyers too once used time-based billing. In 2017, the firm moved to value-based pricing and the benefits have been phenomenal for both the firm and their valued clients. 

Jacqui will be explaining more about her firm's value-based pricing model, their journey in ripping up the timesheets and switching to value-based pricing, why they did it, how the firm quote and price proposals, and the outcomes it allows them to provide to their clients.

Review the event <> register here!

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