Walker Clark Worldview
commentary and insights for law firm leaders
“Can’t we just do this ourselves?”
It’s a fair question, one that management consultants hear with some frequency.
Here are three reasons why not.
When Good Legal Work is not Good Enough
As they move into the late 2020s and beyond, law firms that want to stay relevant and profitable can no longer define success as simply giving accurate legal answers on time and on budget.
They must reposition themselves as strategic partners who help clients achieve business outcomes, not just resolve legal issues.
Missed Opportunities in Client Relationships
In our firm’s experience and research, approximately one-third of law firms cite the maintenance of financially sustainable relationships with their existing clients as one of the major issues in their marketing and business development efforts.
Their concern is very well-placed, especially in today’s highly competitive markets for legal services.
The Four Pillars of Successful Founder Succession
Founder succession is not a retirement date, a farewell dinner, or a buyout agreement.
It is a multi‑year transformation that reshapes how the firm makes decisions, serves clients, develops people, and funds its future. When this transformation rests on a solid foundation, the founder can step away with confidence, the next generation can lead with authority, and the firm can thrive well beyond the handoff.
United Kingdom Watch List for 2026
UK small and midsize law firms face a 2026 that is likely to be shaped by slower domestic growth, geopolitical instability, regulatory change, and rapid technology adoption, but also by new demand for local, pragmatic legal advice.
Five developments in particular merit close attention because they will both disrupt traditional law practices and open new niches for agile community-based firms
Caribbean Watch List for 2026
Caribbean law firms face a more complex mix of economic, regulatory, and geopolitical forces in 2026 than at any time in the past decade.
Five developments deserve particular attention and, for many firms in the region, should be part of their business strategy at least for the next three years.
How can a small law firm keep up with AI?
Over the next three years, the biggest AI issues for small law firms are no longer abstract “future of law” questions, but very practical choices about tools, pricing, training, and risk. The firms that will do best will treat AI as a managed change program—iterating quickly to keep up with new capabilities, while putting simple but firm guardrails around security, ethics, and quality.
Southeast Asia Watch List for 2026
Law firms in mainland Southeast Asia and the broader ASEAN region will navigate 2026 in the shadow of intensifying great‑power competition, new trade and investment regimes, and accelerating digital and climate transitions.
Five developments stand out as especially important for firms in Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Laos, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, and Myanmar that want to move ahead of, rather than merely react to, these shifts.
Southeastern Europe Watch List for 2026
Law firms across Southeastern Europe enter 2026 facing a mix of opportunity and risk shaped by EU enlargement dynamics, regional investment flows, and shifting energy and security architectures. Five developments stand out as especially important for law firms in the region to monitor closely in 2026.
Three of the Worst Mistakes in Law Firm Business Planning
Of course, the biggest and most costly mistake in business planning is not to have one at all.
In the past two weeks, several law firm managing partners have asked, “What are the worst mistakes that law firms make in business planning?”
Going beyond the obvious answer, above, there are three particularly costly mistakes that small and midsize law firms (and sometimes even larger ones) make when developing their business plans for the new year.
