We were approached by the EMEA GC of a FTSE 50 multinational organisation to critically assess how effectively the legal function were engaging with the different business units they support. The organisation operates with a central legal function that provides support to a diverse and extensive network of businesses and brands within the group.
The legal team faces a dual challenge. Firstly, they must ensure that the high levels of service they provide are consistently maintained across all of the businesses they support. This involves standardising best practices, improving communication, and ensuring high levels of responsiveness and expertise for each business unit’s unique needs. Secondly, the legal function need to capatalise on the unique position they have to drive greater interconnectivity and knowledge sharing across the group.
We designed a comprehensive process of both quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews to gather insights from legal's stakeholders across the group. We interviewed 22 senior stakeholders to understand their experience of the EMEA legal team, and surveyed 126 stakeholders who regular engage the legal team. Using this data we produced reports about each business unit. We then designed and delivered a one-day workshop for the legal team to synthesise the findings and to start to develop the necessary changes to their service delivery model and internal reporting processes.
The EMEA legal team were left with detailed reports, meaningful recommendations, insights generated on the day, and benchmarked data reflecting broader industry trends. Specific actions were identified at an individual, team, and functional level to harmonise processes, share knowledge and best practices, and enhance operational efficiency. Clear workstreams were identified to deliver on these initiatives.
We heard from so many clients that their relationships with work have changed, with boundaries becoming irreversibly blurred. They’re increasingly aware of how much time is spent on activities that don’t align to their priorities and this is making them feel disengaged. Research suggests that almost 50% of lawyers consider leaving the profession due to the demands it places on their time. Our goal was to design an integrated programme to help lawyers reach higher levels of performance by building a career and life that they love.
We spoke to over 40 leading legal leaders, searching for how they had managed to build a career and life they love. The research highlighted a pattern of intentionality, curiosity and connection acting as the foundation for high performance. We combined this primary research with insights from the largest global study into high performance to create a three-module programme that helps participants increase their sense of purpose, raise their performance and connect to a powerful peer community. The programme is unique in combining work and life to develop and deliver an action plan that is aligns to personal values and strengths.
The feedback received demonstrated impact that was far reaching, multiplicative, and went beyond our initial expectations. Participants reignited their unique purpose, built their knowledge and understanding about what needed to change, and how to get there. They reported feeling much more confident, energised and excited. And most importantly they were not only planning for a more successful future, they had and were continuing to make meaningful changes already. The upstream and downsteam benefits of this included creating more value in less time at work, being a better leader, partner, parent, being healthier and happier, and feeling empowered to help others in their network build a more sustainable high performing future.
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