by James Lumley | Jan 1, 2026 | PM Magazine
Will AI spell the death of the billable hour, asks James Lumley? Professional services firms face a fundamental paradox: they sell time while AI saves time. If a task that previously took three weeks now takes three days, what should the client pay? “I’ve spoken to a...
by James Lumley | Jan 1, 2026 | Editor's picks, PM Magazine
Anybody who has worked for any amount of time in the marketing and BD department of a UK law firm is likely to have a visceral reaction to the phrase ‘directory submissions’. Chambers & Partners and The Legal 500 were once, for those who are lucky enough not to...
by James Lumley | Nov 1, 2025 | PM Magazine
West Country accountancy firm Albert Goodman put its name – and brand colours – into hot air. James Lumley discovers why it is sponsoring the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta. When professional services firms talk about brand-building, they can easily be...
by James Lumley | Nov 1, 2025 | Editor's picks, PM Magazine
From hot-air balloons to horticultural show gardens, professional services firms are rethinking what sponsorship can do. In an era of brand building, visibility and values, James Lumley explores how firms are activating partnerships that go beyond the logo. For...
by James Lumley | Sep 1, 2025 | PM Magazine
It’s not fruit on a Friday. That’s the line Emma Newlands comes back to, writes James Lumley. Wellbeing, she says, can’t be an add-on. It has to be stitched into the culture of a firm – into its office design, billable hour targets, its trauma response playbook and...
