Practice Management
Law firms eye M&A as route to private equity or listing
Nearly half of law firms are considering mergers and acquisitions, with a surprising number looking to grow in a bid to attract private equity investment or to go public, according to new research.
City firm launches domestic abuse support service for staff
City practice Fieldfisher has launched a domestic abuse support service for staff, alongside more general awareness training to help people spot the signs that a colleague may be a victim of it.
Employee ownership “best way to deal with succession”, says Yorkshire firm
A Yorkshire law firm with over 230 staff and 20 salaried partners has become 100% employee-owned after its three owners decided it was the best way to deal with succession.
Record year for City partner recruitment in 2021
Last year was a record one for partner hires by City law firms, with the “legal boom” also triggering an associate salary war, legal recruitment consultants have reported.
Seven in ten legal sector workers suffer from poor mental health
Seven out of ten legal sector workers (69%) describe themselves as suffering from poor mental health, with their union saying it showed a “crisis” in the law.
Microsoft offers financial bonus to firms that meet its diversity targets
Law firms instructed by Microsoft will be eligible for a bonus of up to 3% of their annual fees next year if they meet the diversity targets set by the technology behemoth.
Start-up enables general counsel to compare law firms on ESG
A start-up launched by two former general counsel at Zurich Insurance Group has created a tool to help in-house lawyers compare the performance of law firms in addressing ESG issues.
Innovation the big benefit of remote working, law firms say
Remote working during the pandemic has accelerated innovation at law firms but made supervision more difficult, a survey has found.
Kent firm eyes major expansion as it offers efficient staff a ‘You day’
A Kent-based law firm has unveiled plans to increase its headcount and turnover by 30% over the next two years, while also allowing staff to do 10 days work in nine and have the extra day off.
Partners want to work less but have more time for unbillable activities
Three in 10 partners at large firms are unhappy with their working hours, with many also not keen to undertake non-billable work unrelated to business development, research has found.
Blog
CMA guidance on unregulated legal services must be applauded but…
There is little doubt that, with a staggering 3,800 unregulated providers of such legal services, the recent CMA action and guidance was required.
The rise of the agent
We believe AI agents are going to represent the biggest change to the way in which the general public interact with professional services business for generations.
The lonely role of a COFA: sharing the burden of risk management
Compliance officers for finance and administration in law firms can often find themselves walking a solitary path. But what if we could create a collaborative culture of shared accountability?
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