Resources
Practical insight for better performance, culture and careers
Here you’ll find practical tools and perspectives on the moments that shape outcomes in law. Whether you’re navigating a complex situation, leading a team, or looking to get the best out of people, the focus is on what actually happens in practice — and how to handle those moments well.
Academic success vs. professional success
What catches high performers out when the path to success becomes less clear
Bad week... or bad pattern?
Why we downplay patterns that matter — and how to recognise them sooner
Firms have personalities — and they show early
First impressions and quiet observations often tell you more than formal messaging
When meticulous becomes merciless
“Pictures of perfection, as you know, make me sick and wicked.” — Jane Austen
When procrastination looks profitable – Part 1
“You may delay, but time will not, and lost time is never found again.” — Benjamin Franklin
What becomes of the “argumentative Smart Alec”?
Graham's personal reflection on career drift, culture, and why many challenges in law are more predictable — and preventable — than they first appear
When you can’t be bothered: what demotivation is really telling you
Three common causes of low motivation — and how to respond in a way that actually helps
The conversations that feel difficult — and are worth getting right
A practical framework for the moments when the stakes are high, the relationship matters, and getting it wrong has consequences
Stay or go? A clear way to decide
A simple framework to step back, assess what’s really going on, and make a confident decision about your next move
When you joined a dysfunctional team, how long did it take you to realise?
Why team dysfunction is usually systemic — not personal — and what that means in practice
Struggling lawyers aren’t weak — they’re unprepared
How gaps between expectations, systems, and support create predictable challenges for both lawyers and firms
Are you happy?
Key insights from the World Happiness Report — and what they mean for lawyers, leaders, and working life
Small problems harden into patterns when nothing changes
Why talented lawyers struggle, problems escalate, and the moments that matter are often missed — and what it takes to address them properly
What changes when you see things clearly
Why problems escalate when things aren’t seen clearly — and what becomes possible when they are
Background checks are back in the spotlight
A question of culture, compliance, and care
When performance reviews reward the wrong things
How visibility and sponsorship can outweigh substance
Living the dream - and missing it
How constant busyness can obscure progress
Isolation in law
“People say we got it made. Don’t they know we’re so afraid?” — John Lennon
How do people feel around you?
Why everyday interactions have a greater impact on wellbeing than initiatives
Why appraisal and bonus conversations go wrong
The process sets the structure — everything else comes down to judgement, relationships and skill
The person people go to
Trust matters more than title
Culture is not what a firm says it is
The gap between what a firm says it stands for and how it actually operates is often where problems begin
The hidden curriculum of belonging
How everyday interactions teach people who belongs, what matters and how success really works
The warning signs that get explained away
The early signs of misconduct are often visible long before the consequences are
The conditions that create people issues
When organisations focus only on the incident and not the environment, they miss the real question
The courage to see clearly
Why foresight is not just about recognising danger, but being able to act when others choose to wait
Technical excellence doesn't automatically create great leaders
The skills that make someone a successful lawyer are not always the same ones needed to lead, supervise and support others
Most people issues have a back story
The early signals that precede serious people issues are usually visible. The question is whether anyone is paying attention
“The signs were there, why did nobody act sooner?”
Serious people and culture issues rarely begin with a single event. They emerge through patterns that are easy to overlook until someone joins the dots
Are you cool?
Practical ways to keep your cool when things get heated
Early patterns that often precede larger organisational problems
The warning signs are rarely dramatic. They’re usually small, gradual and easy to explain away
The cost of avoiding performance conversations
As employment protections change, organisations have less time to identify performance issues and more reason to address them early
What do FIFA, the SRA and the CIPD have in common?
Three very different organisations. One shared principle: standards only matter when people are willing to uphold them
Integrity is easy until it's tested
Organisational values are tested when doing the right thing comes at a cost
Seven ways influential people try to overturn unwelcome decisions
The influence techniques that can distract organisations from fair, evidence-based decisions
The FCA’s new rules on non-financial misconduct
Six practical implications for financial services firms preparing for the new regulatory requirements