Many firms talk “strategy”; few make space for it. In this episode of But is it Legal?, host Simon Marshall welcomes Jo Farmer (joint Managing Partner at Lewis Silkin) to discuss her playbook for modern firm leadership - pacing decisions, keeping close to clients, rolling out AI with courage, and killing off firm clichés.🎙️

🔥 What's included:

• Leadership pace: when to slow decisions so better answers surface.
• Strategy vs ops: carving protected thinking time (and using it).
• Two at the top: how a joint MP model adds challenge, pace and accountability.
• AI that sticks: enterprise-wide Harvey rollout to build a learning culture.
• Beyond ROI: why judging AI too early misses the real win-capability.
• Next-gen growth: lower chargeable targets so associates learn BD, tech and pricing early.
• Differentiate or drift: retire tired taglines; speak to outcomes.
• Market moves: rise of super-boutiques as conflicts and economics bite.
• Visible leadership: consistent internal comms without chasing virality.

🎧 Why you should listen: If you want a candid, usable blueprint for leading a law firm, this episode is for you. Jo brings clarity, practicality and rare transparency on how decisions get made, and how the next generation is being built.

👉 Subscribe now and be part of the conversation that’s changing up the UK legal sector!

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👉 Follow Jo Farmer LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jo-farmer-3569b62/ Profile: https://www.lewissilkin.com/experts/jo-farmer

👉 Follow Simon Marshall LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/simonpaulmarshall/ Website: www.tbdmarketing.co.uk

Many lawyers lurk on LinkedIn, few turn it into real client work.

In this episode of But is it Legal?, host Simon Marshall welcomes Pawel Sawicki (Bird & Bird) to discuss his playbook on using consistency, personality, and practical posts to build trust and generate new work. Pawel explains the simple steps that turns quiet views into DMs, and DMs into deals. 🎙️

🔥 What's included:

• The pivot: moving from passive scrolling to a repeatable posting habit that compounds.
• Three content pillars: practical white-collar guidance, employer branding, and personal passions.
• Why “personal” wins: how human posts outperform technical posts and still lead to new work.
• DMs to deals: the charity-jersey post that turned into a whistleblowing engagement.
• Relationship hacks: meetings that start with shared interests (and end with trust).
• Cadence & engagement: 1–2 posts a week, weekdays vs weekends, and never post & ghost.
• For hesitant lawyers: play the long game: experiment, reply, comment, build community.
• Authenticity vs AI: being human is the edge; be kind is the rule.

🎧 Why you should listen: If you want a practical, repeatable ways to turn LinkedIn into a potential pipeline, this episode is for you. Pawel shares tactics, stories, and cadence that convert quiet readers into real clients.

👉 Subscribe now and be part of the conversation that’s changing up the UK legal sector!

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👉 Follow Pawel Sawicki

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pawel-sawicki-bird/ Profile: https://www.twobirds.com/en/people/p/pawel-sawicki

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👉 Follow Simon Marshall

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/simonpaulmarshall/ Website: www.tbdmarketing.co.uk

Former BBC anchor turns mediator. Joanna Gosling (Irwin Mitchell) talks about her new role and fascinating career journey.

In this episode of But is it Legal?, Joanna joins Simon Marshall to discuss listening-first rules, smart pauses, and why many deals land after mediation, women-on-boards lessons for better decision-making, and some of her biggest career moments.

🔥 What's included:

• Leaving the newsroom: From life as a BBC anchor to mediation, and the journey between.

• How she runs a mediation: Listening-first rules, smart pauses, and when to split the room.

• Staying steady: Daily head-clearing habits, reflective follow-ups, and never leaving people stuck.

• When talks stall: Why many deals land after the day and how to keep momentum.

• Women on boards: Key insights, Deloitte’s women on board’s programme and making boardrooms communicate better.

• Big moments: Announcing Queen Elizabeth II’s passing live and anchoring the handover to King Charles.

🎧 Why you should listen: If you want a practical guide to moving mediations from deadlock to settlement - this episode is for you. Joanna brings clear, field-tested tactics on listening, pausing and momentum, women-on-boards insights, and a rare look into life as news anchor, covering some of the biggest moments in history.

👉 Subscribe now and be part of the conversation that’s changing up the UK legal sector!

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👉 Follow Joanna Gosling Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joanna-gosling-8a54aa224/ Profile: https://www.irwinmitchell.com/our-people/joanna-gosling

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👉 Follow Simon Marshall Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/simonpaulmarshall/ Website: www.tbdmarketing.co.uk