From Support to Strategy // A Message from our CEO
Claire Sundin reflects on her first steps as CEO, with a focus on trust, strategy, and the people that make Law Squared unique, below.
Stepping into the CEO role at Law Squared has been both energising and humbling.
Over the past decade, this firm has grown on a simple idea: trust isn’t a by-product of good work; it is the work. It’s built intentionally, interaction by interaction. And it’s the common thread that runs through how Law Squared shows up for clients and for each other.
One of my first impressions as CEO has been how Law Squared’s business model supports trust. A fixed-fee approach does more than provide cost certainty, it aligns incentives between our team and yours. It means we are invested in the outcome, not the hours. We take responsibility for scoping well, communicating early and delivering efficiently. And it creates space for the kind of relationship many in-house teams and business leaders actually want: trusted commercial advisers who feel like an extension of their organisation, not lawyers who have obligations to a timesheet.
I’ve also seen trust from the other side of the table. As a former Global Head of Legal, I learned that credibility certainly isn’t best earned by always saying “yes”. Often, it’s earned by giving clear advice, especially when it’s hard, and by having the judgement to say “no” when it matters. The best CEOs and Boards look for legal leaders who can protect the organisation and propel it forward.
That leads to a challenge I care a lot about, shifting the perception of legal from “support” to “strategy.” For in-house teams, that doesn’t happen through a business mandate, it happens through daily choices, behaviours and prioritisation. A few that consistently move the needle:
Lead with the business outcome. Start with what your organisation is trying to achieve, then find and frame the legal pathway to get there.
Bring options, not just obstacles. Be the person who translates risk into practical trade-offs and commercial alternatives.
Show up early, not just at the end. Legal becomes strategic when it’s embedded upstream where decisions are shaped, not merely reviewed.
Proactive not reactive: Be intentional about how your time is spent. Fighting fires in important, but pre-burning is even more effective.
Internally, I believe the same principle applies. Teams move at the speed of trust, and organisations move at the speed of their teams. My focus as CEO is to protect what makes Law Squared special, while continuing to attract and develop high performing team players with strong commercial instincts, calm decision-making abilities, and the confidence to speak plainly about risk.
I also want to acknowledge the big shoes I’m stepping into. Demetrio Zema has built extraordinary relationships across the firm and beyond. I’m looking forward to building on that foundation and earning your trust, one conversation at a time.
Trust is easy to talk about but it matters most when you can see it in action. This quarter, I’ve been proud to see it reflected in new partnerships with the Melbourne Mavericks and the Australian Institute of For Purpose Leaders. Our base of clients who trust us and our approach continues to grow, and we couldn’t be more grateful.
As always, if there’s a way we can better support you and your team this year, I’d love to hear from you.
Here’s to a great 2026!
Claire Sundin
CEO, Law Squared