Think Like a Client: Lessons from 40 Years in Law (March 2023)

Kyla Denanyoh
Dec 18
4 min read

Laurie Pascoe Think Like a Client You Are a Lawyer

Laurie Pascoe practiced law in Ottawa, Ontario for more than forty years while writing over fifty articles, teaching continuing legal education, and serving thousands of clients. In this episode, Laurie explains why lawyers must evolve, how client service impacts malpractice claims, and why thinking like a client can make your legal practice more effective and more enjoyable.

About This Episode

Background

Laurie Pascoe grew up in a family filled with dentists, doctors, and nurses in Toronto, Ontario. Law was not on his radar until he moved to Halifax, Nova Scotia, where he suddenly found himself surrounded by lawyers. His future father-in-law was a judge, his brother-in-law practiced law, and his wife had three uncles who were lawyers. During his undergraduate studies, he shifted from science to commerce and discovered that law, not dentistry, engaged his mind. A commerce law course sparked his interest and ultimately led him to enroll in the Schulich School of Law at Dalhousie University.

"I liked my commerce law course – I found it of interest and I did well in it, and everyone around me was a lawyer so why not," shares Laurie Pascoe on You Are A Lawyer.

After law school, Laurie moved to Ottawa with his wife, planning to stay for only a year. Instead, he built his entire career there. He partnered with a law school classmate, opened a firm with one secretary, and took any case that walked through the door. Over time, he narrowed his focus to family law, wills, and estates. He also became a trusted educator, writing articles, presenting CLE courses, and championing innovations that improved the client experience. His curiosity, writing practice, and commitment to service shaped his reputation as both a lawyer and a teacher of lawyers.

Why Law School

Laurie’s path to law was not linear. He began university planning to become a dentist like his father. When he discovered that he did not enjoy science and was not likely to get accepted to dental school, he shifted to commerce. Through that shift, he encountered law for the first time and realized it challenged him in a way medicine did not. The influence of the many lawyers in his wife’s family reinforced that possibility.

"I didn’t even know any lawyers growing up. Then I moved to Halifax and suddenly everyone was a lawyer. It just sort of fell into place," reflects Laurie Pascoe on Episode 79 of You Are a Lawyer.

Law school offered an intellectual fit that felt natural. What he did not receive, however, was any real training in running a law office. That missing piece became the foundation of his lifelong mission: teaching lawyers how to improve their practice not through legal knowledge but through systems, service, and analysis.

What Can You Do with a Law Degree

Laurie’s career shows how a law degree can support decades of evolving interests. He worked across multiple areas early in his practice, which gave him perspective on the realities of client needs. He then built a reputation in family law and estate planning, pairing technical knowledge with a deep focus on client relationships. He also became a writer and researcher, authoring more than fifty articles and a book published by the American Bar Association.

"Whenever I wrote a paper, I had to do the research so I would learn something. That made me a better lawyer," explains Laurie Pascoe, on this episode of You Are a Lawyer.

His law degree allowed him to practice, teach, publish, and build a community presence. It also prepared him to develop systems that improved client communication and drastically reduced negligence claims. For Laurie, a law degree was not just a license to practice. It was a platform for a lifetime of continual learning.

Lawyer Side Hustles

Writing has been Laurie’s creative and intellectual outlet. He has written articles for lawyers and articles for clients, using writing as a way to educate, clarify legal issues, and reduce client overwhelm. Long before law firm websites were common, he built one of the first in Ottawa and filled it with free educational content. He also became one of the earliest lawyers in the region to advertise legally after restrictions were lifted.

“I had so many articles that when the internet came along, I had a million things to throw on my website right away,” shares Laurie Pascoe in Episode 79 of You Are a Lawyer.

His most significant project became his book, Innovative Legal Service Applications: A Guide to Improved Client Services, published by the ABA. For Laurie, these writing projects were not hobbies. They were a way to teach lawyers, improve client outcomes, and share practical tools to help the profession evolve. His side work helped shape how many lawyers think about systems, client service, and ethics.