Law firms “complacent” about market changes, says bellwether report


Client demands: key priority for firms

Law firms are at risk of being overtaken by changes in the legal marketplace if they do not rethink how their businesses are run, according to a new report.

It found that while three-quarters of firms recognised the fast speed of change to the legal landscape, only a fifth thought their own firms needed to adapt to keep pace with it.

Also, while all but a handful named client demands as a top priority for success, more than two-thirds reported their firms were doing little or nothing to meet these demands.

It noted that solicitors’ key preoccupations – such as coping with compliance, attracting new business, and meeting industry challenges – were much the same as they were five years ago, indicating a lack of reflection on the need to reform their own businesses.

The LexisNexis Bellwether report 2018, which gives an annual snapshot of the state of the profession, surveyed over 200 lawyers in a variety of positions at their firms, as well as conducted 12 detailed interviews in small firms and small offices of larger ones.

Part of the apparent complacency shown by survey respondents may be explained by the buoyancy felt about future performance at this time. Almost nine out of ten were ‘quite’ or ‘very’ confident.

In detailed findings, 97% believed that a “client-first culture” was an essential ingredient of success and 75% agreed the legal landscape was changing fast.

One solicitor told researchers: “The legal profession has taken an awfully long time to realise that we’re not in some highfalutin position where clients should be honoured to work with us. Actually, this is a business and we have to sell ourselves.”

The survey’s authors commented: “Previously, solicitors have been able to monopolise the market, thanks to the complicated and technical nature of the work. However, this is no longer primarily the case.

“Clients are more empowered than ever and, thanks to the rise of tools like digital searches and review tools, clients are able to redefine the framework of success for solicitors by using their own metrics.”

The survey found that solicitors were not happy with the new power clients wielded, complaining pressure to cut costs came at the expense of quality.

The survey concluded: “Complacency is no longer an option. With the fast pace of change currently being experienced across the industry, a ‘business as usual’ attitude may well prove disastrous for a firm’s business.”

John Whittle, LexisNexis’s market development director focusing on small law firms and sole practitioners, said: “Online search and price comparison is now the norm and client empowerment at an all-time high as a result.

“While our research reveals that most independent firms are aware of this shift, it also shows that too few are responding by taking proactive steps to adapt to this new world order.”

He added: “Our survey indicates that, year-on-year, many businesses are undertaking only small-scale development. Whether this stems from complacency or fear, firms risk the market moving on without them.”

Disturbingly for the Law Society, almost as many respondents felt it had its own interests at heart as much as lawyers, at around a third apiece. The Solicitors Regulation Authority fared little better.




Leave a Comment

By clicking Submit you consent to Legal Futures storing your personal data and confirm you have read our Privacy Policy and section 5 of our Terms & Conditions which deals with user-generated content. All comments will be moderated before posting.

Required fields are marked *
Email address will not be published.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Blog


Wills are changing but do your financial partners know?

The Law Commission reforms to wills make this an excellent time to reflect, not only on how they will affect your own clients and processes but also those of your financial planner partners.


GEO – the impact of AI on digital marketing for law firms

GEO represents the biggest change in online business generation that I can remember. You cannot afford to stick with the same old engine optimisation techniques.


What the law can learn from fintech’s onboarding revolution

Client onboarding has always been slow. It’s not just about the paperwork and manual workflows; it’s also about those long AML checks and verifications.


Loading animation