At Jadek & Pensa Law Firm, we hosted the second edition of the Entrepreneurship in Law event, continuing an initiative launched last academic year after identifying law students’ desire to develop their skills of entrepreneurship and business development. The event was again organised in cooperation with the Slovenian Business Club (SBC), represented by Laura Bogataj, and Pravna Panda, represented by Miha Pilič Turk.
Law Firm as a Business
The event began with a roundtable discussion featuring Janja Zaplotnik, Eva Gostiša, Žan Šporn Krajnc and Žiga Urankar.
The speakers highlighted, among other things, that a law firm operates as a business within a regulated environment. In addition to legal work, it involves making business decisions—from developing services and setting pricing to managing client relationships, capacity and risk.
A key focus of the roundtable discussion was business development, which in legal practice is built on trust, long-term relationships and referrals, rather than traditional sales approaches. It is a long-term process requiring consistency and significant effort without guaranteed outcomes. The speakers emphasised that even junior lawyers can contribute early on by understanding client needs, being responsive and taking a proactive approach.
The discussion underscored the importance of an entrepreneurial mindset that goes beyond legal analysis and includes understanding the broader business context of clients. This enables lawyers to act not only as problem-solvers but also as trusted partners in business decision-making.
Simulating Meeting with a Demanding Client
The students then took part in a practical workshop focused on a holistic approach to a complex business-legal scenario and the simulation of meeting with a demanding client. In addition to core legal skills, particular emphasis was placed on understanding the business context of the matter, managing client expectations, responding to time pressure and making well-reasoned decisions in uncertain circumstances. Through direct feedback from experienced lawyers, the students gained insight into the practical aspects of legal work that go well beyond pure legal analysis.
Connecting with Practice
The event concluded with informal networking, where students continued discussions with our lawyers and gained further insight into the day-to-day work of a law firm.
By continuing such initiatives, Jadek & Pensa fosters the development of entrepreneurial thinking among future generations of lawyers.
