Beyond Billable Hours: Exploring New Legal Practice Models
(CPD Guide: 1.5 PM, PS). Join Gerry Connolly, Managing Director, and Catherine Scott, Head of Legal, ConMoto for this interesting look at new legal practice models beyond the traditional billable hour.
CPD: 2 points (PM, PS)
Format: Livestreamed and In-person (Hobart)
Recorded: With presenter consent
Time: 3.30-5pm, Thursday 24 July
Format: Livestreamed and In-person (Hobart)
Recorded: With presenter consent
Time: 3.30-5pm, Thursday 24 July
Outline Summary
- Critique of Traditional Billing: Reliance solely on the 6-minute billable unit should be rejected as outdated, inefficient, and misaligned with client value and modern legal work.
- Shift Toward Output-Based Pricing: With technology reducing the time needed to complete tasks, should we be moving towards pricing models based on outputs or outcomes rather than hours?
- ConMoto’s Alternative Model: external focus on outsourced legal services - internal focus on career sustainability, mental wellbeing and output-focused, scalable legal services.
Key Takeaways
- Technology continues to accelerate change: With tools like ChatGPT reducing manual work, traditional time-based billing becomes less relevant – clients expect value, not time spent.
- Output and Solution-Based Pricing: Firms must shift up the 'value pyramid'– from time-based to outcome-focused models – to remain competitive and scalable.
- Best chance of continued success – differentiation, investment and people driven.
- Cultural Change is Crucial: A successful transition needs more than new pricing – it needs supportive leadership, a positive work culture, and smarter use of top talent across a range of disciplines.
- Presenters
- Gerry Connolly is ConMoto Group Managing Director and a dual-qualified lawyer with vast experience in the Agribusiness, Government and Renewable Energy sectors. He acts as an external General Counsel for a number of organisations both within and outside of Australia. Gerry has approximately 25 years’ experience in both private legal practice and in a corporate environment. Prior to establishing ConMoto Group, he spent a number of years in private legal practice including as Managing Partner of a mid-sized Australian law firm and before that in the structured finance team of top tier firm, Mallesons (now King & Wood Mallesons). He has also spent a number of years as an in house corporate lawyer with both National Australia Bank and Hydro Tasmania. Gerry’s specific legal background is in corporate and commercial transactions with a particular emphasis on: mergers and acquisitions; procurement (RFTs, acquisition of goods and services and works contracts); intellectual property / technology including software development and implementation contracts, SAAS contracts and IP licensing arrangements; regulatory compliance (particularly PPSA and Competition and Consumer Act issues); drafting and negotiating documents for renewable energy projects including PPAs, project funding and corporate governance and land access arrangements both in Australia and internationally.
- Catherine Scott is the Head of Legal at ConMoto Group with extensive experience in the areas of administrative law, environment & planning, discrimination and commercial litigation. She specialises in assisting major project proponents navigate the Tasmanian and Commonwealth statutory approval processes. Catherine began her legal career in private practice in 2002. Prior to joining ConMoto, she was a partner at a mid-sized law firm and served as the Federal Court Registrar and Administrative Appeals Tribunal Registrar for Tasmania. Over the past two decades, she has established herself as a leading expert in dispute resolution and administrative law, particularly in discrimination, and environment and planning. Catherine also specialises in assisting major infrastructure project proponents navigate the complexities of the Tasmanian and Commonwealth statutory approval processes. Catherine’s experience includes: Lead counsel for the groundbreaking “Ladies Lounge” MONA discrimination case. She is committed to improving the culture of the Tasmanian legal profession and was awarded the Law Society of Tasmania President’s Award in 2025 in recognition for her contribution to the legal profession which includes: Facilitating the mandatory Sexual Harassment, Promoting Positive Workplace Culture training seminar for all lawyers in Tasmanian between 2022 and 2025; current chair of the Wellbeing Committee of the Law Society of Tasmania; and member of the Law Society of Tasmania’s Senior Practitioners List, providing ethical guidance and advice.
- in-person (at the Society, 28 Murray Street) and livestreamed.
- 28 Murray Street, Hobart Tas 7000
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Contact Details
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- CPD Points: Any CPD points listed are provided as a guide and registrants should satisfy themselves about the nature and quantity of CPD points they can claim for the activity. Please refer to Practice Guideline no.4 HERE for details.
- Refund/Cancellation: By registering for this event you (as a member or non-member) agree to the terms and conditions under the Society's Refund/Cancellation Policy and Terms and Conditions of Registration.
- Non-Member Registrations: Conditions apply at the discretion of the Society. The Society will be in touch if you are not eligible to register and a refund will be issued.
- Important Copyright Notice: Papers and materials supplied in association with any Society event, activity and recording are subject to copyright and are provided for the registrant’s use only. They may not be shared, copied, reproduced, adapted, transmitted, or otherwise distributed, nor may they be modified or reposted to other sites in any manner
- 3.30-5pm Thurs 24 July In-Person Hobart - 3.30-5pm Thurs 24 July Livestreamed
- 3.30-5pm, Thursday 24 July
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Beyond Billable Hours: Exploring New Legal Practice Models
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