Linklaters growth chief says the billable hour should stop being the primary unit of value
Lucy Murphy, Linklaters' chief growth officer, told Legal Futures that a firm designed from a blank sheet would move away from the billable hour as the primary unit of value and focus externally on outcomes, deliverables, milestones, subscriptions or risk-sharing arrangements.
BY ECONOMICS DESK · JUNE 18, 2026 · 1 MIN READ
Lucy Murphy, Linklaters' chief growth officer, told Legal Futures that a firm designed from a blank sheet would move away from the billable hour as the primary unit of value and focus externally on outcomes, deliverables, milestones, subscriptions or risk-sharing arrangements. She also argued that automation directly improves margin when revenue is not tied to hours. The quote matters because it comes from inside an elite global firm, not a fringe new-law provider. The commercial logic is direct: if value is measured by outcomes and certainty, automation becomes a margin enhancer rather than a revenue threat.