LVNx Session Highlight: "Why Law Firms Don’t Change and How to Overcome Inertia and Resistance"

Written by: Shawn Gross, LVN Education Committee Co-Chair

If you missed Richard Jolly’s session on Why Law Firms Don’t Change and How to Overcome Inertia and Resistance, you missed a presentation packed with practical insights and memorable analogies.

The Rider, the Elephant, and the Path

Jolly’s central story was the image of someone riding an elephant, navigating a path. The rider represents rational thinking and strategy. The elephant embodies emotions, habits, and inertia, while the path lays the foundation for easier, or harder change. Success requires all three plus one more thing, a herd.

Guide the Rider with Clarity

Change starts with clear, specific direction rather than vague aspirations. Instead of saying “eat healthier,” be precise: say cut back on soda (even if someone protests that sodas contain vegetable additives) or commit to 2–3 cups of vegetables daily. And don’t overwhelm people—ask for one manageable change at a time.

Motivate the Elephant through Emotion and Story

Data alone rarely moves people. Inspiration comes from role models, relatable stories, and human connection. Meet people where they are. Use examples they already nod along to, and they’ll want to come with you.

Shape the Path

Environment often influences behavior more than intent. Jolly compared organ donation in Spain versus the UK: Spain’s opt-out system leads to far higher participation than the UK’s opt-in system. To encourage better choices, design systems where the right behavior is easier and the wrong one harder—seatbelt alarms, rolling alarm clocks, or the subtle layout tricks of duty-free shops.

Build the Herd

Finally, people follow each other as much as they follow logic. Within law firms and beyond, the most powerful ideas often come from unexpected sources. Starbucks once improved coffee quality using medical blood-analyzer equipment—proof that insights can come from outside the usual circle. Build relationships before asking for changes. When new ideas feel social and shared, they gain momentum.

The Takeaway (well, one of them)

To use this in your own firm or company, first be clear and specific about the goals. Don’t assume they know. Next, build and strengthen your internal connections, and lead with stories your partners (and colleagues) understand.

Then create the right environment for the behavior you want and make it easier to follow the path. If a new process is harder for an attorney to follow, they will resist it. Finally, build a herd—people around you—who can help along the way.

And if you have the chance to see or hear Richard, do so! You’ll walk away with tools that can help you navigate the inevitable changes coming our way.

LVNx 2025 Session Speaker: Richard Jolly, Northwestern University – Kellogg School of Management & Stokes & Jolly LTD at the LVNx 2025 Conference Experience.