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Looking at the legal industry through a client-centered lens is already transforming how legal services are delivered. In this episode, we’re joined by three guests: a legal consultant and blogger, the president of a bar association, and a practicing Big Law attorney to discuss the major impact that a shift towards client-centered lawyering is having across the legal industry. From the effects that client-centric legal practice has already had on this industry to the effects it will have in the years ahead, this discussion looks at some of the reasons why legal practice will never be the same.

Specific talking points featured in this episode include:

• The short- and long-term significance of client-centered lawyering, at an industry-wide level
• How client-centered lawyering can unlock "the latent legal market"
• Why prioritizing client needs is the key for law firms adapting to changing market conditions
• How adopting a client-centered mindset can help firms address the Access to Justice gap
• What for-profit law firms can learn about client service from non-profit and Pro Bono legal service providers

Our Guests:

Jordan Furlong

Jordan Furlong is a legal industry analyst and consultant based in Ottawa, Canada. In addition to being an author and the founder of the award-winning Law21 blog, Jordan is a Fellow of the College of Law Practice Management, and Past Chair of the College’s InnovAction Awards. He’s the Strategic Advisor in Residence at Suffolk University Law School in Boston, and he serves as co-chair of the Board of Directors for its Institute for Law Practice Management and Innovation. He’s also taught or guest-lectured in courses at Suffolk Law, Queen’s Law, and Osgoode Hall Law School that focus on preparing students to provide legal services deep into the 21st century. You can follow Jordan on Twitter at @jordan_law21

Charlene Theodore

Charlene Theodore is President of the Ontario Bar Association in Ontario, Canada—the 10th woman and first Black woman to lead the OBA since its founding in 1907. She has served as In-House Counsel for the Ontario English Catholic Teachers’ Association since 2012, and in 2020 she was voted one of the Top 25 Most Influential Lawyers in Canada. A leader and trailblazer, Charlene is held in high esteem for her ability to find practical solutions to complex legal issues, as well as the most challenging issues facing the bar and the justice system today. An engaging speaker armed with compassion, Charlene is sought after by those who want to shift perspectives and change the ways leaders and employees think. You can follow Charlene on Twitter at @CharleneYYZ

Tiffany Graves

Tiffany M. Graves serves as Pro Bono Counsel at Bradley, a 500-attorney law firm with offices across the southern United States. In her role, Tiffany oversees the development and administration of the firm’s pro bono programs. Prior to joining Bradley, Tiffany was the executive director of the Mississippi Access to Justice Commission, where she led a 21-member commission created by the Mississippi Supreme Court and promoted its initiatives to improve and expand access to civil justice to the nearly 700,000 Mississippians living in poverty. In addition, Tiffany previously served as interim director and adjunct professor for the Pro Bono Initiative at the University of Mississippi School of Law, and as executive director and general counsel for the Mississippi Volunteer Lawyers Project. You can follow Tiffany on Twitter at @tiffmgraves