The Agile Attorney Podcast 111. The Core Patterns Behind an Agile Law Practice [Agile Lawyering Finale]
Mar 17, 2026
A finale that pulls together core patterns for building a resilient, intentional law practice. Topics include professionalizing operations before scaling and applying matter-level patterns firmwide. They discuss prioritization as a capacity discipline and the idea of being adaptable like water. The conversation highlights visibility, negotiated agreements, and keeping people central to systems.
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Murdoch Training Demanded Governance Before Funding
- John E. Grant attended a Murdoch Foundation board development training focused on governance before program funding.
- Murdoch required leadership training and offered 16 hours of coaching plus travel support to ensure nonprofits professionalize operations before scaling.
Same Agile Patterns Apply Across Scales
- Agile patterns like objectives, hypotheses, and learning apply at matter and firm levels equally.
- Client journey maps, SIPOC, and matter strategy plans are the same core patterns scaled up or down across a practice.
Go Like Water Tattoo Brought Bruce Lee Wisdom Back
- John describes a panelist with a tattoo reading 'Go like water', tracing the phrase to Bruce Lee and Jeet Kune Do influences via client Walt Missingham.
- He links the mantra to Kanban ideas: flow, adaptability, and systems that move intelligently within constraints.