The Opportunity

In 2020 and beyond, the Covid-19 pandemic affected businesses across the globe. DLA Piper sought to identify the full impact of this on both its own business worldwide as well as that of its most important clients. The Board needed to determine the most effective way forward: firstly, by evaluating their strategic options, then mitigating against this extraordinary challenge, and finally grasping the new opportunities it brought with it.

My Role

Conducting multiple interactive workshops with a diverse group of over 200 senior lawyers as well as clients and the wider market plus undertaking my own secondary research.

Authoring strategic analysis and recommendations that reflected the following:

  • The constantly evolving dynamics surrounding decision-making at this uncertain time, as markets looked for a resilient and sustainable path out of the crisis.

  • Key macroeconomic forecasts alongside the projected consequences of related themes - such as heightened agility, and the importance of empathy and compassion to nurture long-term client relationships.

  • Intensifying competitive rivalry across all industries, plus how buyer perceptions of the key legal services providers were shifting.

  • Go-to-market strategies to meet the shifting demand for legal services

  • Analysis and insights about revenue, profit and performance outcomes to weather this period of turbulence.

Results

  • Strategic coherence embedded at scale during a period of market volatility. 

  • Improved processes to support enterprises, entrepreneurs and governments.

  • A reframed global strategy enabling integrated action for competitive advantage.

This helped shape how the firm pursued profitable revenue growth, invested in innovation, built its global capabilities, and differentiated itself.

This built on my work leading design and delivery of the acclaimed DLA Piper: Global Technology Summits; TechLaw Video, Podcast and Event series; European Technology Index, proprietary research conducted biennially with 350+ senior executives from major multinationals, investors and Governments; as well as the firm's sponsorship of the Deloitte UK Technology Fast 50.

Notably achieved a first for DLA Piper: securing Band 1 ranking for Global TMT by Chambers & Partners, the independent legal industry rankings, while annual revenues grew year-on-year by +30% for 5 financial years, becoming the fastest growing and most profitable business unit across the global firm.

Featured on The BD Consultancy’s ‘BD TV, Series’ speaking about transforming DLA Piper's approach to strategic planning and how the firm served its priority clients at start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Click image to the right to see video example of one of the scenario planning workshops. This webinar was held specifically for DLA Piper clients and enterprises in the IT Services sector, and attracted a large worldwide audience. Excerpts were subsequently shared widely via DLA Piper social media channels.