What we're making money on today isn't what we're making money on in 10 years
Good conversation isn't what business success is made of. But it's a great starting point. This certainly mirrors Hansen.
Sometimes the simplest insights are the most obvious: develop relationships, and the business will naturally follow. It's really that straightforward. While the legal advice must still be best-in-class, at Hansen, that’s a basic expectation. For us, the focus is entirely on relationships and conversations.
We recently spoke with Fredrik Granström, one of the founders of Hansen Law Firm.
At Hansen, you often say that you want to humanize business law—what does that mean?
Our primary goal at Hansen is to humanize business law, both internally within the firm and externally with clients. We strive to create a safe environment where employees can work efficiently while also having the opportunity to recharge. This concept extends far beyond just legal matters. We base Hansen on three core areas: law, business, and human beings.
Our clients expect us to be knowledgeable about the law, but it’s essential to consider what more we can offer beyond that. We can continuously improve the experience of working with us at Hansen.
Because we are a transactional firm, many people have preconceived notions that we embody a hard, hardcore, and macho culture, but we work to dispel that image.
How have you achieved this?
It’s entirely value-based; our goal is genuinely to humanize business law. Today, that perspective is rare. A central aspect of our approach is to provide opportunities for growth, to learn new legal skills, and to ensure that this process takes place in a supportive environment.
Constantly developing relationships is integral to our approach. When we establish a strong relationship with a client, we can work closely together to evaluate what is effective and what isn’t, facilitating meaningful dialogue. When done correctly, we all show vulnerability, which allows us to move from being mere service providers to becoming true partners. That’s the way we want to operate.
You keep returning to the importance of interpersonal relationships. You also mentioned that the idea for the retro model came from your clients—could you elaborate on that?
We initially lacked a tool for evaluating our assignments, so we consulted our tech clients, who introduced us to retrospectives as a model. Being in a constant feedback loop builds trust. Showing vulnerability fosters connection, and connection breeds trust.
Through retrospectives, we enhance our fundamental competencies and individual abilities to give each other constructive feedback. The retrospective evaluations enable us to facilitate this process within groups.
It’s an art to continuously evolve and learn from previous projects. What advice do you have for doing this?
It’s crucial to engage in ongoing leadership development, work based on evidence, and actively incorporate these practices into daily life. At its core, it’s about the human factor.
If you find yourself repeatedly addressing the same issues, you must look for ways to improve on your previous attempts. At Hansen, we focus on self-improvement and listening to our clients—through this, we continually enhance our effectiveness. By making our progress traceable, we accelerate our development.
While there’s inherent value in initiating conversations, we also notice that a lot of actionable insights emerge from how we capture information in real time. It’s the concrete actions that lead to greater sharpness and effectiveness.
You’ve just celebrated your 10th anniversary—what is your mission for Hansen over the next decade?
First and foremost, we want our employees to continue to thrive, develop, and grow with us while also helping our clients engage in meaningful and enjoyable business ventures.
Our dream is to inspire others in the industry to start thinking and operating the way we do!
We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to Fredrik for sharing your thoughts and your journey at Hansen! :)
