IE Law School’s LawAhead Center on the Legal Profession was founded as a forum for industry leaders to come together and instigate change, seeking to make a lasting impact on society. Last week, the center welcomed several legal practitioners to listen to an insightful talk by distinguished Harvard Law School Professor, Scott Westfahl.

An expert in revolutionizing leadership in the sector, Professor Scott has a varied background with years of experience in consulting across different fields. His talk at the LawAhead Center focused on fostering a more sustainable legal profession, specifically in relation to talent retention.

To open the lecture, Scott underlines that law firms are now competing in two global markets: one for clients and another for talent. Much of the legal sector still fails to consider talent on a strategic level—in the way other business sectors have long been doing—and in order for things to change, “uncomfortable conversations are required, something the legal profession often doesn’t embrace,” he explains.