Digital transformation for a legacy legal directory

This was the first major project at Chambers and Partners to be led by a Design Thinking approach, requiring significant education, advocacy, and buy-in from multiple business units. It was rewarding to see the organisation begin shifting toward a more iterative, user-centered design process. However, this transformation required ongoing collaboration, frequent stakeholder engagement, and consistent reassurance throughout the project to build trust and maintain momentum.

The redesigned platform boosted data capture by 20% during submission cycles and significantly enhanced the structure and quality of collected data, unlocking greater value and cross-functional use across Chambers’ product suite.

This project not only delivered immediate operational improvements but also established a blueprint for user-centered design within the organisation. As Chambers’ first end-to-end Design Thinking initiative, it played a pivotal role in maturing the product team and embedding more agile, iterative development practices — setting the stage for faster, more strategic innovation in future product releases.

As Chambers rapidly expanded its product catalogue, user feedback from early releases revealed key areas for improvement and iteration. These continuous refinements were critical in supporting the company’s broader growth and geo-expansion objectives.

High-impact products such as Referee Management and the Rankings Data Hub — which demonstrated strong user engagement and alignment with business targets — were prioritised for enhancement. Expanding the functionality of these platforms became a strategic focus to further strengthen the value proposition of a Chambers subscription for law firms.

I was tasked with leading the iteration of several high-value products that had significant commercial impact on the business. To ensure these updates were both strategic and user-centered, we undertook an extensive discovery phase, combined with a strong focus on internal communication and stakeholder alignment. Building cross-functional understanding was critical, as these products were closely tied to revenue growth and customer retention goals.

Throughout this process, we conducted in-depth research sessions with over 200 users across four major product refreshes. This commitment to broad, qualitative insight enabled the team to build a strong, evidence-based foundation for decision-making. As a result, we were able to move away from subjective assumptions and instead deliver enhancements that were truly aligned with user needs and business objectives, driving measurable improvements in product engagement and satisfaction.

As we explored the product line, it quickly became clear that a unified design system was the key to ensuring consistency across workflows and reducing the need for bespoke code. Without a standardized approach, every product and feature felt disjointed, which impacted both the development process and user experience. Introducing this design system became a pivotal moment for aligning teams and streamlining how we built and iterated on the platform, ensuring that all touchpoints were cohesive and efficient.

In tandem with this, I recognised an opportunity to strengthen the connection between Chambers and its users through branding. By developing unique identities for each product and product family, we aimed to increase recognition and foster a sense of familiarity, regardless of whether users were seasoned or new to Chambers. The results from testing were overwhelmingly positive, and the branding initiative has since been seamlessly integrated into the company’s overarching brand identity, marking a significant step forward in how Chambers communicates with its audience.

Chambers experienced rapid growth in its product line and applications, accompanied by several branding refreshes. As this growth began to stabilize, it became evident that the entry points to these products, particularly the MyAccount homepage, needed to undergo the same level of attention and modernization.

The MyAccount homepage, serving as the gateway to all user processes, had been overlooked due to its complexity and outdated design. As a result, it was falling behind the advancements made in other areas, creating an inconsistency in the user experience and hindering the seamless integration of new products and features.

During the Discovery phase, I facilitated a series of workshops with internal teams to uncover ideas and understand the internal challenges they faced. These insights were invaluable, but I wanted to ensure we were also aligned with the needs of our users. To do this, we cross-referenced our internal findings with real user feedback, holding three smaller user workshops to validate our assumptions. The process culminated in a large, scenario-based workshop that focused on three critical areas: Navigation, User Management, and Notifications.

Throughout the project, we tested with over 50 users, gathering both qualitative and quantitative data. The Beta phase was particularly instrumental in refining our approach, providing us with key insights that directly informed the iterations of the MyAccount roadmap. This iterative feedback loop helped ensure that each decision was grounded in user needs, driving continuous improvements and aligning with the broader product vision.