Outcome Study: Orion Legal Group

By The Numbers:

• £3.8M profit after transformation (up from £3.1M)

• 29% revenue growth in 12 months (£13M → £16.8M run-rate)

• 25% improvement in engagement profitability

• 3 months faster average sales cycle (8.5 → 5.5 months)

• 10 lawyers’ worth of capacity freed through better utilisation

• 40% more partner time dedicated to strategic growth

The problem

Too many practice areas, slow sales cycles, and slipping profitability.

Orion Legal Group has been a fixture in London’s professional services market for several decades. With 90 staff and £13M in annual revenue, the mid-tier firm looked strong from the outside. Inside, the partners knew things weren’t working.

“We were busy, but it didn’t feel like progress,” says one of the senior partners. “We had twelve practice areas running at once. That kept everyone occupied, but not every case was worth the time it took.”

Referrals and reputation kept the pipeline full, but the breadth of work created hidden problems. Proposals dragged on for months. Partners were directly involved in most new business. Associates were pulled into low-value matters that rarely covered their true cost.

“The numbers looked fine at a high level,” recalls the firm’s CFO. “But margins were under pressure, and it was getting harder to see where we were really making money.”

The solution

Focusing on the areas that created value and cutting what didn’t.

When Orion’s data was analysed through CoreTheorem’s Outcome Intelligence method, the patterns became obvious. Nearly 70% of profit came from just four practice areas: corporate law, commercial property, employment disputes, and regulatory compliance. The remaining eight practice areas were dragging returns below sustainable levels.

“That was a wake-up call,” says the managing partner. “We were good at many things, but great at only a few. The data finally gave us the confidence to focus.”

With that clarity, Orion restructured the business around its most profitable lines of work.

The team:

• Narrowed focus to four high-value practice areas

• Standardised proposals to cut pitch cycles from months to weeks

• Built a case study library to win targeted clients faster

• Trained mid-level associates to take on more delivery

• Transitioned non-core matters to referral partners

The shift was not without resistance. Partners questioned the narrower focus, worried about client loss. Staff in non-core areas had to be redeployed. It took time to implement the new delivery frameworks fully.

But the direction was set. Orion no longer measured success by how many cases it could handle, but by how much value each case created.

The results

Higher revenue, stronger margins, and renewed partner confidence.

Within twelve months, Orion’s transformation delivered measurable gains:

• Revenue run-rate increased from £13M to £16.8M

• Engagement profitability rose by 25%, lifting profit from £3.1M to £3.9M

• Average engagement value increased by 35% as the firm commanded premium fees in its core areas

• Sales cycles shortened from 8.5 months to 5.5 months

• Associate utilisation improved by 18%, freeing the equivalent of ten full-time lawyers’ worth of capacity

• Partner time dedicated to strategic business development grew by 40%

“It wasn’t smooth sailing,” admits the managing partner. “We had tough conversations and some difficult months. But once the numbers showed us where value was really created, it became obvious. We had to focus. The results proved it was the right call.”

Why it matters

Many mid-tier firms believe breadth equals strength. Orion’s story shows the opposite.

By using Outcome Intelligence to separate value-creating work from value-destroying work, the firm was able to grow revenue, improve profitability, and free its leadership to focus on strategy.

As one partner reflected: We’re no longer just grinding through each quarter. We’re excited about building the future of the firm.”

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Disclaimer: The company names, characters, and identifying details used in Outcome Stories are anonymised unless explicitly stated otherwise. Each story is derived from real client engagements and represents a synthesis of data, insights, and results drawn from CoreTheorem’s work with businesses in similar contexts. Figures, timelines, and outcomes are based on actual performance data but may be generalised, aggregated, or adjusted for confidentiality. Any resemblance to specific individuals or organisations, living or defunct, is coincidental where names are not disclosed with permission. Images, trademarks, and design elements remain the property of their respective owners and are used here solely for illustrative purposes. These stories are intended for informational use only and do not constitute guarantees of future performance or results.