The Basil
Research Initiative
The Basil Research Initiative is the first legal industry collaboration of its kind – a global think tank on lawyer behaviours and a research hub that brings cross industry experts together to focus on understanding the complex behaviours and psychology inside law firms.
The Problem Statement
Large scale change projects come and go in law firms. New technologies are implemented, processes and ways of working are updated, and new skills and
support services are introduced, and yet the underlying behaviours of lawyers are rarely altered – major projects often fail to deliver on their desired outcomes or meet their original expectations.
- We believe that there is a fundamental lack of awareness or understanding of the psychology of lawyers across law firms, and that this is hindering the way firms support their people.
- We believe that law firms should invest more broadly and openly on understanding the psychology of their people by engaging with qualified experts from the behavioural sciences.
- We believe that change management in the legal industry is rudimentary and reactionary, and that it currently lacks substance beyond communication plans and training programs.
- We believe that a greater understanding of the human mind is needed to ensure the industry can best understand where artificial intelligence can be adopted.
“The Basil initiative is the most ambitious behavioural research study ever undertaken in the legal industry.”
“The Basil initiative is the most ambitious behavioural research study ever undertaken in the legal industry.”
The Problem Statement
Large scale change projects come and go in law firms. New technologies are implemented, processes and ways of working are updated, and new skills and
support services are introduced, and yet the underlying behaviours of lawyers are rarely altered – major projects often fail to deliver on their desired outcomes or meet their original expectations.
- We believe that there is a fundamental lack of awareness or understanding of the psychology of lawyers across law firms, and that this is hindering the way firms support their people.
- We believe that law firms should invest more broadly and openly on understanding the psychology of their people by engaging with qualified experts from the behavioural sciences.
- We believe that change management in the legal industry is rudimentary and reactionary, and that it currently lacks substance beyond communication plans and training programs.
- We believe that a greater understanding of the human mind is needed to ensure the industry can best understand where artificial intelligence can be adopted.
The Proposed Response
The Basil Research Initiative brings together law firm leaders, academic institutions, behavioural scientists and leading suppliers to the industry to study the behaviours behind a carefully curated selection of problem statements.
Research studies of various types will be commissioned through Basil to be undertaken by representatives from partnering academic institutions. Financial support for the studies will be provided by selected industry suppliers in a manner that ensures independence.
Findings and recommendations from each research initiative will be collated overtime to form the industry’s most comprehensive collection of behavioural research.
The outcome of each study will provide greater awareness of the psychology that influences lawyer behaviours in specific scenarios where law firms struggle. This will allow for more informed discussions to occur on the various behavioural change techniques that can be designed and deployed to better support change.
The Team
Co-founded by Mark Dean, Sinead Burke and Justin North, the Basil Research Initiative is sponsored by Pickering Pearce. An external and independent Advisory Board of experts has been established with representatives from a range of disciplines and industry backgrounds.
Mark Dean
Sinead Burke
Justin North
The Research Areas
The below represents a selection of focus areas where individual behaviours often conflict with firm ambition, and where change can’t be carried by firm culture alone.
By studying the individual (and group) behaviours involved in these areas, the Basil Initiative will provide firms with evidence based recommendations on how lawyers react to change, and how best to support new behaviours and habits.
- Cross Selling
- Performance Management
- Agile Working + Work Environments
- Pricing, Time, Value & Billing
- Knowledge Creation & Sharing
- Client Relationship Management
- Remuneration & Profit Allocation
- Technology Adoption
- Recruitment, Retention & Resource Allocation
- Productisation & Service Delivery Innovation
