It's vital for legal professionals in both Big Law and in-house to comprehend the importance of strategic pricing for law firm services.

In episode 4 of Big Law Life, I interview Keith Maziarek, Director of Pricing and Legal Project Management at Katten Muchin Rosenman, on how to maximize value for profitable service delivery. We discuss the research and strategy that is required to identify the right solution, and how re-thinking your approach can help firms and their clients collaborate more effectively.

As a lawyer in private practice, you need to have more than great legal skills, because to succeed in a law firm you have to develop a good grasp of how the business side of your firm works.

If you're a junior associate at a law firm, or even a seasoned partner, these targets and goals may not be very visible to you, and you might not even see how they are relevant to your work. But as you progress in seniority in the firm, you might become a bit more aware of financial matters and how they affect you.

My journey into the world of Big Law began with a distinct lack of familiarity and guidance. Growing up without any exposure to the legal profession, I ventured into law school with limited knowledge of the intricacies of large law firms. Despite graduating and initially embarking on a path divergent from Big Law, my relentless pursuit of information and mentorship eventually propelled me to become an equity partner and top revenue-generating lawyer at two prominent global law firms. During this time, I uncovered the inner workings of the legal realm, from navigating client relationships, handling performance evaluation, getting key work assignments, and understanding firm culture.

The game changing moment for me was when I began working with a partner at my law firm that I really trusted and who was not only open to my questions, but candid and detailed in giving me feedback and practical guidance. Now, I want to be that support for you.

Welcome to Big Law Life! In this first episode, I share what to expect from this podcast, which is geared toward those working in, with, and around Big Law firms.

My guests and I delve into the strategies, steps, relationships, information, and communications needed to help you meet your professional goals with Big Law. Additionally, I’ll share my experiences as someone who has been an equity partner at two large, global law firms and previously was an associate and counsel.

Big Law Life will also include interviews with business and legal professionals, clients, consultants, in-house counsel, marketing and development experts, and others who will share what Big Law is doing well and what it could potentially do differently.

There is no cookie cutter, one size fits all way to navigate Big Law. You're going to hear how different firms and different people take their own approaches and use them to succeed in a variety of ways.