From coffee to metrics: the new buyer has arrived!

About ten years ago, hiring a law firm followed a more straightforward path—of course, it still required care and trust, but the process was predictable. A well-known name, a good recommendation, and a fee agreement were central points. Today, this scenario has changed radically. The buyer of legal services has become more strategic, involved in detailed analyses and multidisciplinary decisions, and with that, the game of hiring a firm is very different.

What was once an almost personal relationship of trust now involves metrics, performance analyses, and comparative spreadsheets. What was once bought for reputation is now evaluated by efficiency, innovation, and alignment with the business.

But have law firms realized that the buyer has also evolved? Or are they still selling to a client that no longer exists?

This transformation in the profile of the buyer of legal services did not happen overnight—it was gradually shaped, driven by forces that changed the way we consume everything: from technology to coffee. Currently, legal departments and purchasing areas analyze costs, results, and efficiency before hiring, and legal management tools have transformed previously intuitive decisions into data-driven choices. Furthermore, new generations of managers value transparency, agility, and experience, and the modern buyer wants more than technical competence—they want clear, measurable, and predictable value.

Recently, I participated in an internal event where our Managing Partner shared his career path—one of those stories that makes you rethink your own way of working! At a certain point in his career, he left the “law firm world” and went to work as a lawyer in a multinational company. And that’s where the turning point came: he experienced the other side of the coin—the side of those who hire legal services. He felt firsthand the pressure for results, efficiency, and cost reduction. When he returned to the office routine, he brought this experience with him. And it was precisely this experience—of looking at the work through the client’s eyes—that became a competitive advantage and leads the firm to a level of client retention and sustainable growth.

I’m not saying that every lawyer needs to go through a legal department, but perhaps the “secret” lies in something simpler (and at the same time more challenging): putting yourself in the client’s shoes. Understanding not only the business, but also the people we interact with every day. In fact, this topic alone—client relationships—could warrant another article.

Previously, the main selling point was technical quality, but today that’s just the starting point. The new buyer wants more: business understanding, clear communication, and predictability. And the person on the other side of the table isn’t always a lawyer. With areas like procurement entering decision-making—and the growing influence of business executives—speaking only in legal terms can be the quickest way to lose the attention of those who actually decide. From medium-sized companies to large multinationals, those who feel the pain or need the solution are often outside the legal department. Therefore, translating legal jargon into the language of business is no longer a differentiator but a requirement. Reputation still counts, of course, but now it shares space with metrics, efficiency, and client experience. In an increasingly competitive market, the differentiator is no longer “doing the basics well” but delivering measurable, understandable, and relevant value.

And it’s not just my impression—the numbers confirm it. According to research by Aderant, 20% of external legal work is already contracted under alternative fee models. Furthermore, a survey by LegalDive revealed that 66% of in-house legal departments are bringing more work in-house as a way to control costs. In Brazil, data from the OAB-SP (São Paulo Bar Association) indicates that 55.1% of lawyers already use generative AI in their professional activities, and 94% of companies with legal departments adopt contract management tools. These numbers show that the search for value, predictability, and efficiency has ceased to be a trend and has become a market requirement.

The question is: where do we go now?

Some have already understood the message: they have revised structures, invested in technology, and trained teams to speak the language of business and not just “legalese.” But is that enough? Is creating an innovation area and adopting a management tool sufficient to win over this new client—a client who, incidentally, compares law firms in the same way they compare software or marketing providers?

The truth is that the firms that will stand out are not necessarily those that talk about innovation, but those that deliver innovation. Those who understand that being efficient, transparent, and data-driven is no longer a differentiator—it’s the bare minimum expected. The new client wants partnership, not a lecture; they want predictability, not surprises on the bill; and they want to feel that the lawyer is looking at their business, not just the case.

Ultimately, this transformation isn’t a threat—it’s an opportunity (the kind you only truly see when you change your perspective). The buyer is more demanding, yes, but also more open to those who deliver real value, speak clearly, and solve problems creatively. Perhaps the biggest challenge—and at the same time the biggest invitation—is relearning how to sell trust in a market that now demands evidence.
And that raises the question: are we ready to engage with this new buyer… or are we still trying to sell to a customer from the past?

This article was officially published in the 2026 Legal Market Trends Guide , by Javali.