The NewLaw movement in Australia: Happy Lawyer, Happy Client

What is NewLaw? ‘NewLaw’ is no longer just a buzz word. It’s a much-needed, radical cultural shift away from the constraints of traditional ‘BigLaw’ as it becomes increasingly out of touch with clients’ needs. Traditional firms face increasing competition from these agile young firms, and with good reason. NewLaw firms are committed to greater transparency regarding their processes and service offering, preferring to work collaboratively to achieve outcomes. They favour adopting and integrating new technology to enhance both their internal capabilities and service delivery. Also, importantly, NewLaw is facilitating an important move towards greater flexibility and autonomy for lawyers themselves, which in turn enables them to improve not only their capacity to deliver the exceptional results for clients that are expected of them, but also their overall wellbeing, a ‘win-win’ for everyone.

Accessibility and affordability

NewLaw offers businesses a way of accessing the broad range of legal services and advice they require, more affordably and more openly than they’ve been able to historically. A NewLaw firm like Peripheral Blue may opt out of expensive office and remove high partner profit shares, for example, to keep overheads – and costs – low. Alternative fee structures promise commercially-savvy clients better value and greater efficiency. NewLaw firms can also further demonstrate their agility and flexibility by customising solutions to meet clients’ needs.

Harnessing tech to deliver for clients

Evolving communication tools and new technological developments give lawyers greater flexibility in how they provide services. An investment in technology such as cloud-based computing and team-based workflow applications, for example, enable NewLaw firms to improve communications with each other (and clients) and streamline practice management, resulting in a better experience for everyone.

Client comes first

By drawing the client into the centre of the client-advisor dynamic, and by placing a premium on building long-term relationships (over maximising hours spent on a matter, for instance), the work is far more rewarding for staff, and produces more effective long-term outcomes and cost-saving for clients – again, everybody benefits. It’s clear that this model of both internal and external collaboration, which relies on inclusivity and transparency, results in the provision of a better, more holistic service.

Improving lawyers’ wellbeing

The traditional way of operating has not been great for lawyers, either. A 2015 study by Dr Rebecca Michalak showed that lawyers have the lowest overall health and wellbeing of all professions! NewLaw has done away with the immense ‘billable hours’ pressure felt by lawyers in the past, focusing instead of flexible working arrangements and giving lawyers a greater sense of autonomy over how they deliver exceptional service to clients. That they will be personally motivated – and professionally committed – to work hard to achieve exceptional outcomes for their clients, is a given. But NewLaw gives lawyers a greater freedom and ability than ever before to practice law on their own terms. At the same time as it promises to improve the experience for business, NewLaw’s fresh approach and flexible outlook has been mirrored in the changing roles of legal practitioners themselves, which is great for lawyers, clients, and the industry itself.