There is often a degree of unreality in a law firm’s approach to the commoditisation of legal services. The first approach is denial: ‘No, of course we do not do that sort of work, but firm X does.’ The second answer is: ‘Yes – but we do very little, although it is useful for training our junior lawyers or trainees.’ The third answer is: ‘We do not do much now but we anticipate more of our work becoming commoditised and do not know how to cope with it.’
All of these answers are somewhat bizarre and disappointing. There is no reason for any firm to feel ashamed of doing commoditised work. Indeed, firms that recognise how their clients view the work they do are far more likely to satisfy their client’s needs and maintain satisfactory long-term relationships. Currently there is often a disconnection between the work the law firm thinks it is providing, and the significance the client attaches to it.
