From Billing to Building: Paul Sams on Leading Law Firms with Culture, Courage, and a Lego Avatar

In this episode of This Legal Life, host Ben Chiriboga chats with Paul Sams, Managing Partner of Dutton Gregory Solicitors, about his unconventional path from biller to builder — and how leadership in law firms is evolving. Paul brings his trademark wit and authenticity to a wide-ranging conversation on firm culture, intergenerational leadership, communication, AI, and yes — even his famous Lego LinkedIn avatar. With refreshing candor, Paul shares the personal growth, mindset shifts, and management lessons that come with guiding a modern legal organization through change, complexity, and opportunity.

Meet Paul Sams:

Paul decided he wanted to be a solicitor at seven years old. Since then, he has become an award-winning, nationally recognised expert in the field of residential property, having been asked to lecture other lawyers across the country.

Paul has also been invited to speak on more than one occasion for Housing Associations and the RICS. Paul also deals with residential development work from site acquisition through to plot sales.

Paul was elected Managing Partner by his fellow Partners and stepped up to the role in April 2024. He proactively manages the firm alongside his fellow Partners and Senior Managers, always with a view to making sure both everyone within the firm and those who the firm interacts with have the most positive experience that they can. Paul strives to improve his abilities to aid his clients each day that he is alive. Known for disruption, Paul is not afraid to try something new.