There’s an on-going discussion at the moment about whether people who are looking for legal help are ‘customers’, ‘consumers’ or ‘clients’ (read more at http://www.lawgazette.co.uk/blogs/inbusiness/david-pickup)
My view is, does it matter?
I’m not sure it does. If at Curium we asked ourselves the same question, we’d probably say our clients become our colleagues. With regards to the legal world let’s let the lawyers decide – what is more important at the moment is their receptiveness to change.
A crowded market
I know a little bit about the legal sector – living with a Lawyer tends to help. It’s very traditional, dated and by repute at least, resistant to change.
As a consumer, client or customer (whichever you might be) of a legal firm, the reality is that you don’t tend to go and see a lawyer unless you are in need – and often in a mess.
So how will you choose the right legal supplier?
The introduction of Alternative Business Structures offers huge scope for the introduction of new players in the legal sector. For the people who need legal support, how will they know who to approach and where to go? Law firms are really going to have to up their game and look to differentiate themselves from the competition, which they haven’t had to do to the same extent in the past.
Is it in their nature?
Will Law Firms look anew at their offer? Will they seek to become really good at what they do in order to survive (niche) or change, expand and embrace the new world? It all comes down to defining your remit and clarifying your expectations – and I’m not sure that’s what Lawyers are good at.
I’m watching the space with interest.
