The case for going further

by | May 1, 2026 | PM Magazine

Shaun Jardine argues the billable hour is not just badly managed. It is structurally wrong. For Shaun Jardine, former law firm CEO and now a pricing consultant and author, the problem with professional services pricing runs deeper than transparency or discount...

Do you have money to burn?

by | May 1, 2026 | Editor's picks, PM Magazine

Many professional services firms are financially highly successful businesses. But that doesn’t mean that they get their pricing right. Byline.London’s James Lumley finds out why many firms are leaving money on the table, and why partners may be the worst-placed...

It takes two

by | Mar 1, 2026 | PM Magazine

You have shortlisted three consultants. You have prepared your questions. What you may not have considered is that they are preparing theirs. You have shortlisted three consultants. You have prepared your questions. What you may not have considered is that they are...

The expert has landed

by | Mar 1, 2026 | PM Magazine

Professional services firms are, in many ways, the perfect clients for consultants. They bill by the hour, understand the model, and work with business development and marketing teams who know what good looks like. Byline.London’s James Lumley finds out more. There is...

Thinking the unthinkable

by | 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...