Ex-DLA Piper boss Simon Levine on why Europe is the next big opportunity for UK firms

In this episode, we speak with Simon Levine, former global co-CEO of DLA Piper and now an adviser to Shoosmiths, about leadership, strategy and where Big Law is heading.

Simon recounts the move that brought him to DLA Piper in 2005, when he led a 50-person team across to build a global IP, media and technology practice - at the time, one of the largest lateral hires in the UK market. He went on to join the firm’s executive team and was elected managing partner and global co-CEO in 2014.

A central theme of the conversation is what it takes to run a truly global law firm. Simon reflects on spending much of his time on the road, and why visibility and regular communication were essential in a partnership of that scale. He explains how town halls, open Q&As and firm-wide vlogs became core to his leadership approach.

Looking ahead, Simon shares his view on the current wave of transatlantic mergers, why Europe is being overlooked, and why he believes a gap is opening up in the mid-market - a perspective shaped in part by his current advisory work with Shoosmiths.

Chapters

00:01 Introduction
01:20 Journey into Big Law
04:25 The move to DLA Piper and building a global practice
07:18 What it’s really like to run a global law firm
09:38 Why communication mattered more than spreadsheets
13:06 Defining DLA Piper’s strategy and market position
17:17 Why not every firm can chase top-tier private equity
19:06 What DLA Piper was really trying to be
21:49 Sector strategy, brand focus and resisting dilution
26:50 What’s driving the current merger wave
30:48 Why Europe is the missed opportunity for UK firms
38:19 M&A, lateral hires and the limits of external capital
42:07 How AI will change what law firms sell