The Referral Economy: how reputation actually gets you work

Some lawyers never seem to chase work. It finds them, through recommendations from colleagues, clients and peers, often before they walk into the room. This session brings together voices from across the referral economy to talk about how that reputation is actually built, and what every lawyer in private practice can take from it.

• Emma Levin, Group Legal Counsel, Onebright
  The client's view. Emma leads a lean in-house legal team and is on the Legal 500 GC Powerlist for Northern England 2026. She'll share what makes a GC call a lawyer again, not just once.

• Jemilla Wallis, Senior Commercial Lawyer, Founders Law
  Both sides of a referral. Jemilla has moved from private practice to in-house at ROLI, BBC Global News and WPP, so she has been the one deciding who to trust and recommend. She'll cover what makes a lawyer memorable enough to be passed on.

• Dale Langley, Partner, gb²
  The view from outside the law. Dale is an independent quantum expert with 24 years in construction and engineering. He works alongside lawyers but isn't one, and he'll share what makes them trusted and recommended, and how he has built his own client base.

1. A clearer view of what makes people refer work, from the people who do the referring
2. Real examples of how reputation gets built, and what tends to get missed
3. A few things you can start doing the following week
4. A room of senior associates from other London firms, and time to talk to them

Senior associates from London law firms. Places limited — book now to secure yours.

This event is aimed at senior associates, where referral relationships tend to be most active.

The Forge itself — membership, resources, and future events — is for associates and senior associates alike.

£122.36 incl. VAT and booking fee. This is a founding rate - it won't be repeated once membership opens.

If you join The Forge as a Founding Year member within 30 days of the event, your £95 ticket price is credited in full against your membership. Membership opens in January 2027, and details can be found here TheforgemembershipHome

Need to put this through your firm? Email [email protected] and we'll send over a short business case you can forward on.

The Forge is a membership for ambitious lawyers, run by Gemma Francis Consulting, giving associates and senior associates the BD skills the job depends on — backed by events, practical resources, and a professional network, so what you learn becomes part of how you actually work. The event is your first look. Shaped by a steering group of senior associates from Beale & Co, NautaDutilh, Stephenson Harwood, Vedder Price and Winston Taylor.