My books are an attempt to capture many of the key learnings from my own 25+ years global legal experience and my training and consulting work since 2015 with thousands of lawyers and other professionals in leading in-house departments and legal service providers. An empirical basis of the very best kind.
The first book shines a bright light on the ‘dark art’ of the practice of law or, as I prefer to call it, the practice of law+business. I am not the only lawyer to work in this way, but I am the first and only one to spell out and call out a comprehensive, holistic theory, not just a list of ‘top tips’ so that every one can work in this way much more than they currently do.
The second book clarifies what new capabilities you need and how to develop and use these in your traditional work and in the new business work. Everyone is now speculating about what new ‘skills’ you need now because everyone knows that legal, or other technical, skills and knowledge are no longer sufficient. But:
You can’t answer that question unless and until you decide what work you are going to do. It should be obvious that non-legal skills are NOT to do legal work. Non-legal skills are to do business work (as explained in detail in the first book) and it is this work that is going to make the biggest difference in your career
Not everything is a skill and so called ‘human skills’ are actually qualities. The way that you develop and use a quality, like empathy or curiosity, is completely different to how you develop and use a skill, like design thinking or project management
You need much more than skills. You need skills, competencies, qualities, mindsets and knowledge and the distinction between these is crucial because the way you develop and use each is totally different
Rather than just randomly guessing, you need a framework of very specific skills, competencies, qualities, mindsets and knowledge designed to achieve your objective.
The second book addresses all of the above. It is based on the T-Shaped Lawyer Framework™ which is specifically designed, based on my real world experience, to help you to become a T-Shaped Lawyer and to excel at business work, not just legal work.
The primary target audience for the books are in-house lawyers and also any lawyer working in a corporate law firm or other corporate legal service provider. However the books will also be of great interest to compliance, legal operations and other professionals working in the corporate legal industry or government area and also to academics and students looking for a rare and unique insight into how ‘law’ is practised in the real world now and what the future of law looks like.
I’m confident that the books will make the biggest difference in your careers and be the best investment you will ever make in your professional and career development. Enjoy and let me, and others, know what you think. That’s the whole point of my writing, to encourage discussion and debate.
Testimonials
German General Counsel
“I highly recommend reading the thought-provoking book ‘The T-Shaped Lawyer: A New Vision for You and Your Work’ by Peter Connor. This book delves into the necessity for corporate lawyers to evolve beyond merely being better and advocates for a transformation into a different kind of lawyer — one who can add more value through business partnering and even business leadership. Having read this book twice, I consider it an essential read for every aspiring and established in-house legal counsel. It’s particularly relevant for those who believe that simply being a better lawyer and delivering higher-quality legal services more efficiently is not sufficient for the future.”
U.S Partner of one of largest law firms
“Peter Connor's new book, The T-Shaped Lawyer—A New Vision For You And Your Work, is one of those perspective shifting journeys that might just change your life. Or at least radically change the way you think about your work as a corporate lawyer. If you’re in-house (or a deal lawyer at a firm), this is a must read—you can thank me later!”
Santhi Lathi, Dean of Academy at Rajah Tann Asia
“From 2020, I have had the pleasure of working closely with Peter to refine his T-Shaped Lawyer Framework for our specific purposes, and to build out a comprehensive program for our network of over one thousand legal professionals. The programs we have built include level definitions, assessment tools and practices, and a range of different content delivered in diverse ways to ensure easy access for our regional legal and business professionals. The feedback has been extremely positive.
Peter’s second book, The T-Shaped Lawyer Framework, provides an insightful overview of that comprehensive framework, and I believe it is imperative that every legal or business professional, regardless of whether they work in a corporate law firm or in-house legal department, take the time to read it. It also provides every firm and in-house department with insights about how to adopt a structured approach to professional development for your teams, that goes beyond an ad hoc selection of non-legal skills and competency training. There is no substitute for having Peter as your guide but his books are the next best thing.”
U.S Law student
“Your book The T-Shaped Lawyer is nothing short of inspiring, providing a fresh perspective and innovative insights into navigating the rapidly evolving landscape of the legal and business sphere. The way you seamlessly blend theory with practical advice makes it not only an engaging read but also a valuable guide for those like myself who are seeking to thrive in this dynamic environment. Your book has left a lasting impression on me, and I'm confident it will continue to influence and guide others on their professional journeys.”
Swiss in-house lawyer
“I really love your insights in the book on our changing environment and the need of reinventing ourselves in these dynamic times. There is a lot to think about for quite some time. I will never look at my work in the same way’”
U.S General Counsel
“From my perspective, Peter's book is uncommon common sense for lawyers that want to make an impact. This is true for firm lawyers and for in-house lawyers. "The T-Shaped Lawyer" does a good job of teaching lawyers what business clients and corporate employers really want and even describes gradations on the path to becoming a business leader, who happens to be a lawyer. If you are wondering how to standout, how to create more impact, why clients/colleagues aren't interested in discussing legal theories, or simply why businesses even hire lawyers anyway, then check out the book. The legal profession needs more authors and authoritative voices, like Peter, championing and teaching on this topic of lawyers as business leaders and lawyers making the highest-value contribution to clients and companies.”