The Silent Risk: Why Non-Technical Skills Are Now Business Critical in Law Firms

By Alec Pearson

Legal expertise gets you in the door. But it’s your non-technical skills that determine how well you lead, collaborate and grow.

Too many law firms still underinvest in these areas. Yet the signs of strain are everywhere: senior associates stretched thin, newly qualified lawyers unsure how to lead clients, and Partners firefighting instead of developing people.

What’s Missing?

In our work across the sector, we see a consistent pattern:

• New lawyers lack leadership, resilience and communication skills

• Senior associates are expected to lead, with no training or coaching

• Partners are technically excellent but often lack influence and emotional intelligence

These aren’t minor gaps. They affect:

• Client relationships: Poor communication and lack of commercial confidence weaken trust.

• Team performance: Without self-awareness and delegation skills, teams burn out or disengage.

• Retention and culture: When lawyers feel unsupported or underdeveloped, they leave.

Investing in the Right Skills

Non-technical doesn’t mean non-essential. In fact, these are the skills that:

• Build strong client relationships

• Strengthen team collaboration

• Support mental wellbeing and performance under pressure

• Enable succession by preparing lawyers to lead early

Firms that treat these areas as strategic priorities are better positioned to retain talent, reduce risk and grow sustainably.

How We Help

At the Law Coach Collective, we run coaching programmes that address this head-on. From early careers to senior leadership, we:

• Develop emotional intelligence, self-awareness and confidence

• Build strategic thinking, resilience and collaboration

• Support individuals and teams to lead, influence and grow

And because our programmes are CPD-accredited, we embed development into the everyday life of your firm.

These are the skills your people need for 2030. The firms that act now will be the ones that thrive.