Creating value for your clients
The firms that will stand out in the next decade aren’t just the ones whose lawyers know their stuff (although that’s a non-negotiable).
They are the ones whose lawyers are truly the trusted advisors to their clients, who turn legal expertise into valuable and actionable advice.
They are the ones with a clear, strategic view of their future in a disrupted legal market where tech and data are rewriting the rules.
They are the ones who can communicate with people from diverse backgrounds and cultures, who can read the room while still maintaining their identity.
And they are the ones who can retain the best talent, not just by increasing pay.
This isn’t about coming in and telling you things you don’t already know. It’s about having the structure and space to get that knowledge into something you can actually use.
Concatena’s law firm support is designed to help your firm:
- develop practical expertise that clients really value
- make lawyers’ lives easier with actionable skills training that improves everyday work
- generate trust within teams and foster inclusion and psychological safety
- make better decisions with structured, externally facilitated workshops
Every approach can be tailored to your requirements, delegates and firm values, standards and precedents.
Concatena was set up by Gayle McFarlane in 2026 to “do law differently”.
Gayle has been where your lawyers are. And she sees where they could be.
She’s a qualified solicitor with more years PQE than she’d like to admit. Prior to launching Concatena, she was a technology and data partner in a global law firm specialising in technology and data protection law.
But her career wasn’t a straight path there. She spent over a decade as a professional support lawyer in two different international firms, sandwiching an adventure as one of the first lawyers in a legal start up. Towards the end of her last partnership role, she took a year long internal secondment to act as the firm’s interim Head of Data Governance across multiple jurisdictions , upskilling and restructuring the internal data governance team, and reinvigorating connections between the inhouse provision, business services and client facing communities.
She’s seen it all. She understands how law firms work, and how to work with them to get the best out of them.
Concatena works with commercial law firms of all sizes, from specialist boutiques to large national and international firms. The work is designed to be relevant for:
- Partners, team leaders and professional support lawyers who want to lead inclusive, high-performing teams and feel confident on complex tech and data topics.
- Strategic leadership teams who want to spend targeted time making the right decisions for their business, effectively.
- Legal specialists in data, technology and contract law, who want to dive deep or develop actionable content for their clients.
- Associates and trainees who need practical, applied training in contracts, technology, data protection and personal effectiveness.
- Business services, KM and operational teams who support legal work and need to understand how law, data, technology and inclusion fit together.
This list isn’t exhaustive. If your role touches legal services, technology or data, the work is likely relevant to you, whatever your background or career path.
Concatena was founded by Gayle McFarlane, a qualified solicitor with over 25 years’ experience in commercial, technology and data protection law. Law. Done Differently.
Gayle has been where your lawyers are. She spent over a decade as a professional support lawyer in two international firms before becoming a technology and data partner in a global firm. Along the way, she was one of the first lawyers in a legal start-up, and took an internal secondment as interim Head of Data Governance across multiple jurisdictions.
She understands how law firms work — how they buy, how they train, what their teams actually need — and she brings that understanding to everything Concatena delivers.
Every firm is different, and it might vary depending on the support you need, but the process is usually:
- Short call to understand your firm, audience and objectives.
- Proposal with suggested session outlines, format options and a clear fee proposal.
- Refinement of content so it aligns with your precedents, values and risk appetite.
- Delivery of the agreed sessions, pre-recorded, live and online or in person.
- Feedback and follow‑up – including optional materials or ideas for follow‑on sessions, and summaries of learning points for continuing competence evidence.
Sessions are usually priced on a fixed‑fee basis per session or per programme – more information can be provided on request.
We design all work with law firms – including training and facilitation – to be as accessible and neuroinclusive as possible. That may include clear agendas, multiple ways to participate, cameras‑off options, and materials designed with accessibility in mind.
If you or your colleagues have particular access needs, please let us know so we can plan accordingly.
Sessions can be delivered online or in person, in a format that fits your firm.
We can also provide bespoke tailored asynchronous training following a live session, making the learning points more accessible than simply watching a recording.
“Gayle is able to untangle complex legal and technical issues and explain them in a way which makes sense for those unfamiliar with data protection and technology.” IT Manager, UK law firm
“Very refreshing and inspirational.” Head of Legal, UK public body
“Engaging, relatable, and honest.” Senior in‑house counsel, major corporate
“Gayle is hugely knowledgeable with regards to her field and considers every angle.” Corporate partner, global law firm
“Her technical knowledge is second to none.” Senior in‑house counsel, major corporate
“Gayle’s approach is both engaging, and positively disarming.” Senior Innovation Manager, national law firm
“Days where you chat to Gayle are brighter than those you don’t.” Senior Associate, in‑house legal team, UK law firm