Want to become a better lawyer?

Be less interested in the law.

And more interested in the business behind the problem.

That was one of the biggest takeaways for me from my conversation with James Oldnall, Managing Partner of Milberg London LLP, on the Legally Speaking Podcast ™️.

Because too many lawyers still think technical excellence alone is enough.
It is not.

James made a point I think more people in the legal profession need to hear:

If you want to succeed in commercial litigation, you need to understand how the business actually works.

Who is making money.
Who is losing money.
What the incentive structure is.
Where the real pressure points sit.

That is where better judgement starts.

A few things that really stood out to me from this episode:

🔴 Great litigators are not just legal experts. They are commercially curious.
🔴 The lawyers who stand out ask better questions, listen properly and know when to stop talking.
🔴 Big law can teach you a lot, but building something of your own forces you to learn the nuts and bolts fast.
🔴 Boutique environments reward agility, range and what James described brilliantly as elasticity of intelligence.
🔴 Career growth comes from evolving with the market, not clinging to one lane forever.

I also respected how honest James was about the founder journey.

Not the polished version.

The real version.

The imposter syndrome.
The sudden need to understand invoicing, VAT, systems and sales.
The shift from having a brand behind you to backing your own value.

That is the bit people do not talk about enough.

This is a strong episode for:

Lawyers building their careers.
Commercial litigators.
Law firm leaders.
Anyone thinking about big law versus boutique.
Anyone building something in legal and wondering if they are the only one figuring it out as they go.

What do you think matters more for long-term success in law today:

Technical excellence or commercial curiosity?

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