Practice Management

Three-quarters of law firms and in-house legal departments have found it difficult to hire staff in the last 12 months, new research has found.

There is “an emerging class” of law firms among the top 100 which have adopted brands “evoking emotional buy-in and defining themselves as social and client champions”.

A law firm is using teams of trainee solicitors to find problems that can be solved by artificial intelligence, develop solutions and present them to managers.

Mental health challenges are costing large law firms millions of pounds every year and reducing productivity by 19%, a report has indicated.

Lawyers’ approach to wellbeing should form part of their performance assessments, while firms should have “open and honest discussions” with clients about mental health.

The majority of large law firms outside of the top 10 are negative about the impact of generative artificial intelligence on their practices, new research has shown.

The traditional partnership model is losing its grip on solicitors, according to the boss of a private equity-owned firm who says it has been able to do things it could not before the takeover.

One in 10 smaller law firms are open to mergers or acquisitions, a proportion which has fallen steadily over the last two years, new research has found.

Scottish law firm Gilson Gray has extended its expansion south of the border by acquiring City of London-based PCM Solicitors, with plans to enter other markets too.

There remains a gap between policy and practice when it comes to diversity, equality and inclusion at both law firms and in-house legal departments.