Disrupting Tradition, Making Legal History: Adam Benedict’s Client-Centred, Award-Winning Approach

Disrupting Tradition, Making Legal History: Adam Benedict’s Client-Centred, Award-Winning Approach

Winners of the 2025 Reisman Award for Best New Law Firm, Adam Benedict has already made UK legal history while building a client-centred model that challenges the status quo. In just two years, the London-based firm has proven that innovation and purpose can drive real change in the legal sector.

From the outset, the firm’s founders—managing director Adam Creasey (a solicitor) and director Benedict Cressey (a non-solicitor)—designed a model that puts clients at the heart of every decision, from pricing to process. Inspired in part by Clio co-founder Jack Newton’s client-centred vision outlined in The Client-Centered Law Firm, they adopted Clio as their core technology from day one, using the tech to enable transparent communication, streamline workflows, and deliver efficient client management.

From its founding structure to day-to-day operations, Adam Benedict’s approach highlights what a modern law firm can be—award-winning, innovative, and entirely client-focussed.

Rethinking the traditional law model: award-winning innovation

Innovation has been a driving force at Adam Benedict from the start: the firm was established as a start-up commercial law firm with an Alternative Business Structure (ABS), allowing non-lawyers to take ownership and leadership roles. This non-traditional choice reflects Adam Benedict’s belief that diverse perspectives fuel innovation, and it underpins their vision of delivering “law as a force for good.”

The results of Adam Benedict’s innovative, client-centred, tech-supported approach speak for themselves: Adam Benedict has grown from a two-person startup to a team of more than 12, grew turnover value by over 200%, and expanded its client base by 150%.

Alongside rapid growth, the firm’s reputation has soared. Adam Benedict has been named one of The Times Best UK Law Firms 2025, awarded Top 20 status for Construction law firms in the UK, and—perhaps most strikingly—has already made legal history three times, including contributing to the creation of new UK law.

Transparent, flexible pricing goes beyond the billable hour

A key part of Adam Benedict’s client-first approach is its flexible pricing, which replaces the rigidity of traditional hourly billing. As Adam explains, “We’re steering the firm as quickly and efficiently as possible away from the hourly rate model.”

Hourly rates are unpredictable, often costing clients more than expected and misaligned with today’s tech-driven workflows. Adam Benedict instead tailors pricing—using fixed fees, caps, value-based models, subscriptions, or hourly rates when needed—giving clients greater predictability, fairness, and value while reinforcing the firm’s client-centred ethos.

“The way we want to do things is much more collaborative with our clients. The subscription model is something that I’m really passionate about,” Adam adds. “It’s not just saying, ‘We’re going to charge you X amount per month for these projects.’ Behind that membership account are value adds, such as access to our network, speaking events, seminars, and introductions to people.”

And, as Benedict notes, flexible pricing is increasingly what clients want and expect.

Making UK legal history

Though still a young firm, Adam Benedict hasn’t shied away from taking on cases with lasting impact—already contributing to UK legal history.

Adam describes one of his proudest achievements: representing the leaseholders and RTM in 381 Southwark Park Road Rtm Company Ltd & Ors versus Click St Andrews Ltd (in liquidation) & Anor. “We made legal history three times, technically: the first finding of relevant liability under section 130 of the Building Safety Act, the first Building Liability Order under the Building Safety Act, and the first information order under the Building Safety Act.”

He explains the wider significance: “That’s historically important because the Building Safety Act is the post-Grenfell legislation, Grenfell being the disastrous fire that killed a lot of people in a tower block in London in 2017.”

“Effectively, what it means is that so-called cowboy builders and construction companies that aren’t building things safely are now going to be held to account at a group level, as opposed to setting up special purpose vehicles, subsidiary companies that can simply wind up if a project goes wrong, and escape all liability.”

Community impact and social responsibility

At Adam Benedict, legal innovation and social purpose go hand in hand. From pro bono work to charity partnerships, the firm is committed to giving back. This includes supporting organisations like MCA Trust and Autism Apprentice, as well as helping to drive access to justice for vulnerable groups.

“I’m particularly proud of how we support a number of charitable organisations, including a children’s brain cancer charity that we support at their flagship event each year,” says Adam. 

“Recently the team have also been involved with helping children with autism, who have special educational needs but can’t get access to it because the council are putting blockers in the way for the parents.” 

This outward focus on community is matched by an equally strong commitment within the firm. Just as Adam Benedict strives to give back to society, it also invests in creating a supportive, people-first culture for its growing team, which is a key factor in sustaining its growth.

Cultivating a strong, people-first culture

In a profession where burnout and stress are all too common, Adam Benedict prioritises employee wellbeing through a workplace culture that balances professional excellence with people-first values. 

In practice, this means flexible working models supported by sector-leading benefits and wellness initiatives.

“Everybody here has a gym membership, access to private healthcare. Some people have club memberships,” notes Adam. The firm also operates on a nine-day fortnight—“which means everybody gets a day off every 10 days”—and offers an unlimited holiday policy, with some caveats.

Rapid growth and expansion

Adam Benedict’s people-first approach has supported remarkable growth in just two years.

“Financially—through client loyalty and some fantastic cases that we have managed to bring on board, punching way above our weight—we managed to triple revenue from year one to year two,” says Adam.

The client base has expanded significantly as well: “We’ve opened hundreds and hundreds of files, and the average count per month is going up and up,” he adds.

The firm’s footprint has grown too, from two founders working out of a 2×2-metre office to a team of 12 in a new office in the heart of the City of London.

For the Adam Benedict team, technology isn’t just about efficiency—it’s about enabling an entirely new way of practising law. With Clio as their foundation, they’ve been able to turn their client-centred vision into a practical, scalable reality.

Client-centred, tech-enabled experience

From day one, Adam Benedict knew that traditional legal operations—bogged down by tedious admin and slow communication—would hold them back from their vision of a client-centred, innovative firm. They needed technology that could replace inefficiency with transparency and free them to focus on strategy and results.

“We’re a small team,” says Adam. “There are always going to be bumps in the road and imperfections here and there, but we’re constantly looking at trying to make it better, and it has got better over time. That’s with the help of having a piece of software from people that really understand the problem that we’re trying to solve. It’s been incredibly important, and a bit of a game changer for me.”

With Clio as their practice management platform, Adam Benedict automates workflows, streamlines billing, and gives clients direct access to their case updates and documents through Clio’s client portal. 

“I love the fact that clients get an app on their phone, just for a one-stop shop for their legal needs,” says Adam. 

Clio hasn’t just supported the firm’s model—it’s helped power it. By embedding tech at the heart of their operations, Adam Benedict has been able to scale faster, innovate more boldly, and consistently deliver client value with clarity and confidence.

Looking ahead: leading the next era of legal innovation

Despite rapid growth and award-winning recognition, the firm isn’t resting on its laurels. Adam and Benedict note that Adam Benedict is just scratching the surface of what they can achieve by maintaining a strong client-centred approach and leveraging legal technology to reach more people and deliver services more efficiently.

For example, Adam envisions the firm providing “legal and holistic professional services, more quickly, more efficiently, with honesty, transparency, a dash of integrity—and even a little fun and innovation along the way.”

Benedict emphasises the importance of strong client relationships as they grow and innovate. “Things change all the time, but the key for us is to maintain regular contact with our clients, nurture good relationships, and take on board what they say. Then it’s down to us, as their lawyers, to look further ahead, so it benefits them in the future.”

Adam Benedict’s journey shows that a modern law firm can be innovative, client-centred, and socially conscious all at once. In less than two years, the firm has grown rapidly, made legal history, and earned national recognition, all without compromising on culture, values, or community impact. 

By combining forward-thinking leadership, flexible pricing, technology-enabled workflows, and a people-first approach, Adam Benedict is redefining what it means to practise law today—and setting a new standard for firms that want to deliver real value for clients, employees, and society alike.