If You’re Not Uncomfortable Managing Your Law Firm Today, You’re Not Managing Your Law Firm

From an office without fax machines to one with artificial intelligence everywhere

I recently attended the Client Experience Summit hosted by Case Status, a client engagement software for law firms that redefines what a “client portal” is (and for which Pond Lehocky Giordano was an early customer). The summit featured thought-provoking sessions from legal experts on redefining the client experience and included many discussions about how innovative law firms are using artificial intelligence and data to improve their clients’ experience, which leads to better ratings and reviews, more referrals, and ultimately, more growth.

In my 40 years of practicing law and running a firm, there have always been, and will always be, constants: the effectiveness of a sound litigation strategy, the power of a vigorous cross-examination, and the duty to put our clients first. But so much else about the practice of law has changed, particularly in the business of law.

I started practicing before fax machines existed, before modern computer software was available to consumers, and before the internet was widely adopted. Fast forward to today, with artificial intelligence, machine learning, and automation baked into practically every piece of software we use daily, and our smartphones being more powerful than the computer that sent Apollo 11 to the moon almost 60 years ago. We’re seeing technology evolve at a breakneck pace—and law firms having to do the same to stay competitive.

Law firm owners should be feeling uncomfortable—and that’s a good thing

Of course, it’s not just technology that’s causing the need for law firms to evolve. Washington D.C., Arizona, and Utah are among the jurisdictions that have relaxed, or are testing relaxing, their local rules of professional conduct that formerly prohibited non-lawyers from owning law firms. As a result, alternative business structure law firms (ABSs) are emerging as competitors. In addition, management services organizations (MSOs), which work with professional services firms by handling their back-office operations, have set their sights on law firms. Burford Capital, a leading litigation funder, has announced plans to invest in U.S. law firms through MSOs, allowing them to sidestep prohibitions on nonlawyer ownership of firms.

The opportunities—or threats, depending on your view of the world—that these new business models offer are making law firm owners uncomfortable. We’re seeing law firms approach mergers and acquisitions of practices at a pace we’ve never seen before. Some law firm owners do not have the desire to navigate what they see as an industry that, with all of its changes, barely resembles the one they entered decades ago. Others are excited by the change and want to be a part of it.

Change is scary. It’s uncomfortable. And, often, it’s denied: many law firms adopt the “stick your head in the sand” approach. I’m not judging these firms and their owners; I’m simply observing. I understand it. As human beings, part of our natural wiring is to flee from change. We fear that change is like a beast or thief, coming to strip away everything we’ve built, known, and loved.

Nevertheless, change is here, and in a big way. There will inevitably be winners and losers in the legal industry from the changes afoot. We’ve been conditioned to think of change as a constant, so perhaps we should embrace it with the attitude, “What’s next? Let’s go!”

More importantly, if we as law firm owners are uncomfortable thinking about the changes to the legal industry and how our firms will react to them, that’s a good thing. That means, on at least a subconscious level, we realize that the strategies and execution that got us to where we are today may not be what keeps our firms competitive in the years to come. The gears are turning in our minds about where our firms’ operational weaknesses are, what could happen if a changed industry or new competitors exploit them, and what we can do to fix them.

The alternative—feeling comfortable—suggests one of two things. Either a law firm’s owners have altered every aspect of its operations to be at a best-in-the-industry level, or the owners do not know what’s coming. While the former group might be mistaken, at least they’re moving in the right direction. The latter group might be entering the final chapter of their law firms.

To survive in this era of a rapidly evolving legal industry, law firm managing partners must cultivate a culture that doesn’t fear change — a culture that actually welcomes it and seeks it. They can’t just treat the symptoms of their outdated approach to operating their firms, such as a slowdown in new cases coming in the door; they must attack root causes. Otherwise, issues remain chronic. This often demands a hard look and sometimes rebuilding. If a managing partner always stays static and maintains the status quo, they’re leading their firm, their clients, and their attorneys and staff off a cliff.

If change, risk, and discomfort aren’t in your firm’s DNA, you’ll become extinct—perhaps slowly, but inevitably. Transformation starts at the top. When a firm’s leadership commits to adopting technology, resolving root problems, embracing discomfort, learning, and taking calculated risks—that’s when a law firm transforms into a force to be reckoned with.

The most successful firms I’ve observed don’t just implement better systems—they operate from a fundamentally different mental framework. They make better systems inevitable. They don’t merely adopt new technology; they build cultures that naturally embrace whatever innovations will serve their clients better. Firms that “get it” evaluate technology as a learning opportunity. Firms that don’t—they see it as a threat to be controlled or dismissed. They stay in their comfort zones.

If you want your firm to survive, there’s only one way forward

Andy Seavers, CEO of Case Status, has enormously affected how Pond Lehocky Giordano serves our clients. Case Status’ Client Experience Summit wasn’t just about hearing from Andy; it was a moment to reflect on what we’re doing and how we can do it better. Andy has just published a book titled “Future Firm / Fossil Firm.” I’ve read nearly everything there is on law-firm leadership and management—Andy’s book is a must-read. It gets to the heart of what firms need right now (and what we always needed).

In “Future Firm,” Andy gives you direction. Take notes, then look in the mirror and ask, “Am I going to change? Can we get better?” Mindset matters—what we choose to think about change will determine our fate. Change is always coming, but this time, it’s arriving at a speed and pace we’ve never experienced. ABSs, AI, MSOs, and ever-evolving operating systems were not exactly top of mind five years ago, but they are today, and each of them, individually, could reinvent the traditional law firm business model.

You have a choice: face the change coming your firm’s way and shape it, or let it dominate you and watch your firm become a fossil.

The choice for me and Pond Lehocky Giordano is clear. Is it as clear to you and your law firm?

Samuel H. Pond is the managing partner of Pond Lehocky Giordano, Inc., the largest workers’ compensation and social security disability law firm in Pennsylvania, and one of the largest in the U.S. He can be reached at spond@pondlehocky.com.

Reprinted with permission from the November 6, 2025 edition of The Legal Intelligencer © 2025 ALM Media Properties, LLC. All rights reserved. Further duplication without permission is prohibited, contact 877-257-3382 or reprints@alm.com.