Jane Smith
Case Study: Driving Technology Adoption & Behavioural Change at Linklaters
Sector: Legal Services | Focus: Business Change, User Adoption, Behavioural Nudges
Background
Linklaters, a global law firm with offices in 20+ jurisdictions, faced a common but stubborn challenge: inconsistent and delayed recording of billable hours by fee earners. This created friction across financial reporting cycles and obscured real-time utilisation data, ultimately affecting forecasting accuracy and operational efficiency.
Despite having a capable time capture system in place, adoption lagged. The issue wasn’t the tech — it was changing behaviour.
The Challenge
The firm needed more than just a reminder system. It needed a solution — and an approach — that would:
Align stakeholders from legal, finance, and IT
Reduce user friction and integrate seamlessly into daily workflows
Drive consistent, measurable adoption
Foster a culture of timely timekeeping without mandating or micromanaging
The Solution: Behavioural Nudges + Strategic Change Enablement
Working closely with stakeholders across Linklaters, a dual approach was implemented:
1. The Nudge:
A traffic light-style desktop dot was introduced — green, amber, or red — showing a real-time indicator of whether a user was up to date with their time entry.
Green: All hours logged on time
Amber: Approaching delay threshold
Red: Behind on time capture
The intervention was deliberately minimal, ambient, and non-disruptive — designed to gently prompt action without interrupting the fee earner's flow.
The Adoption Framework
The success of the desktop prompt was supported by a focused change and adoption program, designed to embed new behaviours into daily practice.
Change Impact & Stakeholder Mapping
Stakeholders across legal, finance, HR, and IT were mapped and assessed by geography, team, and workflow. This enabled tailored communication and support based on real-world impact.
Communication & End-User Engagement
A clear, empathetic comms plan explained the "why" behind the change and how to use the prompt. FAQs, digital drop-ins, and team sessions ensured users felt supported, not monitored.
Leadership Sponsorship
Practice leads and senior stakeholders were engaged early to reinforce key messages and align the initiative with broader firm priorities, creating visible top-down support.
Planning & Monitoring
IT coordinated rollout schedules and ran live pilots to address issues early. Feedback loops enabled agile adjustments and smooth adoption across locations.
Adoption Tracking
Usage and behavioural data was tracked from day one. Prompt status changes and time entry frequency were benchmarked and reviewed regularly, showing clear uplift and sustained impact.
Results
Significant uplift in the timeliness and frequency of billable hour capture
Improved visibility of real-time revenue and utilisation data
Reduced pressure on month-end reporting and finance teams
Stronger alignment between internal operations and external billing cycles
High levels of engagement and satisfaction with the light-touch approach
Impact
By combining behavioural science with structured change enablement, Linklaters didn’t just roll out a new feature — they solved a long-standing operational pain point.
This case demonstrated that true adoption comes not from technology alone, but from understanding how people work, where resistance lives, and how to shape the environment around new habits. The solution is now embedded into daily workflows, helping the firm better manage one of its most valuable assets: time.