Law firms invest heavily in technical excellence. But in a competitive market, the differentiator is rarely technical skill – it’s how your people think, communicate, influence, and grow client relationships.
For more than 30 years, Openside has worked with legal firms at every level – from Associates finding their voice to Partners shaping the firm’s strategy – to embed the cognitive and behavioural change that translates ambition into performance.
We don’t deliver off-the-shelf training. We design around your firm, your culture, and the challenges your people are actually facing.
“As delivery gets faster, cheaper and more automated, value is pivoting from hours and effort to what AI can’t (yet) replace: judgment, trust and personal relationship-building.”
How should partner contribution and profit-sharing be redefined in the age of AI?
“Our partners are brilliant lawyers. But are they driving business growth – or just responding to demand?”
Business development is one of the most persistent challenges in professional services. For many firms, the shift from technical expert to trusted commercial advisor doesn’t happen naturally – it has to be deliberately developed. We work with law firms to build the mindset, skills and habits that turn good lawyers into effective business developers.
“Senior behaviour sets the culture. And culture is harder to change than people think.”
Partner behaviour ripples through the entire firm – how teams are managed, how talent is retained, how clients experience the relationship. When behaviour at the top isn’t aligned with the firm’s strategic ambitions, development programmes below that level rarely land. We work at the most senior levels precisely because that’s where the leverage is.
Openside’s programmes are bespoke – designed around your firms strategic positioning and the specific development needs of your people. Programmes relevant to law firm clients include:
For Partners who want to lead more effectively, develop stronger commercial relationships, and align their behaviour with the firm’s strategic direction.
Equipping fee earners to move beyond order-taking and build the trusted advisor relationships that generate long-term commercial value.
Preparing your highest-potential people for the demands of partnership – the mindset shifts, the leadership skills, and the commercial acumen required to succeed at the next level.
We offer personalised development for senior people in professional services using the Hogan personality suite of tools.
Helping lawyers communicate with clarity, confidence and impact – whether presenting to clients, pitching for new work, or influencing internally.
Developing the behaviours and disciplines your junior talent needs to grow into the firm’s next generation of leaders.
“As one who usually shies away from training sessions or saying anything in them, today’s session felt like a really collegiate and safe space and I got enormous amounts out of it.”
— Partner, Confident Networkers Programme
“I loved the programme. I have, over the past 30 years at my firm participated in many and, as I said in my feedback and I meant it, yours was the best.”
— Partner, Partner Development Programme
Away days are a rare opportunity to bring your people together, challenge thinking, and set the tone for the year ahead. Our keynotes are designed to do exactly that – thought-provoking, practice-specific, and always adapted to your firm and your audience.
Topics include partner behaviour and leadership, business development mindset, resilience in professional services, and building a high-performance culture. Sessions typically run 60-90 minutes, including Q&A, and can be tailored for everything from a full partner group to a specialist team.
“Our speakers have addressed audiences at conferences for major legal, consulting and accounting networks — as well as for individual firms. We are happy to speak in front of any audience, from Partners and board members to graduate recruits.”
Points of View
Points of View
Harriet Johnson is a practising Barrister and Openside programme leader, bringing a practitioner’s perspective to the development work we do with legal clients. Harriet’s insights into legal practice – from courtroom advocacy to the culture of law firms – inform our programme design and our thought leadership in this sector.
Whether you’re thinking about a specific programme, planning an away day, or just trying to work out where to start – we’d welcome the conversation.
Subscribe to the regular Pelorus email – high-value insights for those who lead.
Sign up to receive our latest thoughts on live issues in the professional services sector.