What is design thinking in law

Laura defines design thinking and service design, explaining its goal to improve client emotions and experience.

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Episode notes

Most law firms are designed for lawyers, not clients. And clients feel it. In episode 609 of the Lawyerist Podcast, Stephanie Everett sits down with Laura Hartnett to explore how design thinking can transform the way legal services are delivered.

Laura breaks down why clients often feel confused, anxious, or left in the dark, even when lawyers are doing excellent work. She shares how small changes, like rethinking communication, mapping the client journey, and understanding what happens after you deliver advice, can dramatically improve both client satisfaction and firm efficiency.

Together, they share practical ways to rethink your processes, clarify your communication, and deliver work clients can actually understand and use. If you want to build a law firm that feels clearer, more human, and easier to work with, this episode offers a smarter approach to designing your practice.

Listen to our previous episodes on Client Experience & Designing Better Legal Services.

#606: Breaking the Copycat Cycle: Building a Law Firm with Personality, with Patrick Patino Apple | Spotify | LTN

#600: Designing a Law Firm You Actually Want to Run, with Stephanie Everett Apple | Spotify | LTN

#597: What Lawyers Get Wrong About Teaching Clients and Teams, with Danielle Hall Apple | Spotify | LTN

#462: Designing an Empathetic Client Experience, with Kirk Simoneau Apple | Spotify | LTN

Links from the episode:

https://laurahartnett.com/

https://lawyerist.com/turn-ai-into-your-small-firms-advantage/

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Chapters / Timestamps:

00:00 – Introduction

04:20 – Meet Laura Hartnett

05:00 – What “Design Thinking” Actually Means

06:05 – Why Client Experience Starts with Emotion

07:45 – Stop Inheriting Your Law Firm

08:40 – Where to Start: Understanding Your Client

10:20 – Mapping the Client Journey

12:15 – The Hidden Friction in Law Firm Processes

14:30 – Why Clients Don’t Understand Your Work

16:25 – Designing Deliverables Clients Can Use