The Big Question
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| Analysis
Partners sceptical over split-profit mergers but Hogan Lovells seen as strong platform
By Suzi Ring | July 13, 2011
Doubts remain about verein-backed mergers but partners believe such unions can deliver a strong service for bluechip clients; Hogan Lovells and Bakers viewed as the most effective platforms. Suzi Ring reports
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| Analysis
Stress in the City only increasing, say partners
By Suzi Ring | May 5, 2011
The workload is far more stressful than 10 years ago say 90% of respondents – and law firms are not doing enough to combat the pressure
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| Analysis
Partner confidence bucks double-dip fears
By Simon Petersen | April 14, 2011
Confidence at commercial firms edges upward despite wider fears about strength of UK recovery, with 95% of partners expecting revenue growth over next 12 months
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| Analysis
One in two partners lack understanding of workings of SRA's new regulatory regime
By Sofia Lind | March 31, 2011
Nearly half of City partners do not understand the move towards principles-based regulation by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA), with a similar number believing the body has not been effective in its efforts to build links with commercial law firms. The results come as part of a Legal Week Big Question survey focusing on the SRA's move away from prescriptive rules-based regulation to a more risk-driven approach known as outcomes-focused regulation (OFR), which will come into effect on 6 October.
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| Analysis
Firms still confident of growth via laterals
By Sofia Lind | March 10, 2011
Senior lawyers remain convinced that hiring partners is an effective way to build their firm's business despite concerns over the difficulty of finding and integrating promising candidates. The latest Big Question survey found that 64% of respondents believed hiring partners laterally was an effective means of strategically developing a law firm, including 15% who said it was 'very effective'. A further 32% felt it was 'quite effective' while 4% said it either did not work or was counterproductive.
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| Analysis
'Near-shoring' garners approval in the City
By Suzi Ring | February 22, 2011
Nearly 60% of partners see relocating support teams to lower-cost regional centres in the UK or Europe as an attractive option, with even greater numbers predicting an increase in the number of law firms embracing 'near-shoring'. The results of Legal Week's latest Big Question survey show 59% of partners consider near-shoring to be either "very" or "considerably" attractive, with only 12% dismissing the concept altogether, claiming the saving is not worth the disruption.
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| Analysis
LawSoc failing to gain traction with City firms but partners want to build links
By Suzi Ring | February 8, 2011
One in two commercial partners has a negative view of the Law Society while a clear majority feel Chancery Lane is of little or no relevance to City law firms. These are the key findings of Legal Week's latest Big Question survey, which found that 48% had a negative view of the work of the Law Society, including 23% that viewed its work as 'poor'. A further 30% said the body was 'OK', while 22% viewed its efforts as 'good' or 'excellent'.
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| Analysis
Partners fear MoJ cuts will lead to 'brain drain' from publicly-funded work
By Friederike Heine | November 26, 2010
The overwhelming majority of partners at commercial law firms believe Ministry of Justice (MoJ) plans to cut £350m from its annual legal aid budget will lead to a 'brain drain' of talented lawyers from publicly-funded work. Just under half of partners responding to Legal Week's Big Question survey said the scale of cuts will lead to a considerable brain drain from a sector already contending with low billing rates, with 8% claiming they will have an enormous impact and a further 40% saying they will make a small contribution to lawyers moving away from publicly-funded work.
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| Analysis
Partners believe tuition fee hikes will damage law's diversity efforts
By Friederike Heine | November 9, 2010
Fewer than one in four partners are in favour of Government proposals to allow universities to charge students up to £9,000 in fees, with the clear majority of senior lawyers believing it will damage efforts to improve social diversity in commercial law. Legal Week's latest Big Question survey has found that 61% of partners believe plans to allow universities to increase fees to almost three times the current annual level will damage diversity, with a further 25% thinking it may have a minor impact.
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| Analysis
Public spending cuts dent the mood but firms still expect growth
By Sofia Lind | October 20, 2010
City partners are generally upbeat about the year ahead despite a dip in overall confidence levels as the full extent of UK Government spending cuts begins to emerge, according to Legal Week research. Legal Week's quarterly business confidence survey, which canvasses senior lawyers on their outlook for the year ahead, found that nearly three-quarters (74%) of partners expect revenues at their own firm to grow over the next 12 months, with more than four in five (83%) expecting revenues across the top 50 as a whole to increase.
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