Equity partnerships are shrinking
Major firms are redefining what it means to be a full equity partner
Litigators wait longer to make partnership
Disputes lawyers are back in fashion, yet being a litigator can hinder a lawyer’s partnership prospects. Corporate lawyers are more likely to switch firms than their litigator friends, and they are rewarded for that by being made up to partner at a much faster rate, analysis from The Lawyer Practice Analysis shows. The snapshot view […]
DACB and DWF are piling on debt but gaining market share
Utilising debt to finance growth is an uneasy concept for the legal profession. The booming cash reserves of the last year have done little to assuage this; lawyers would prefer firms use that money to make investments rather than take it from a lender. Bucking the trend here is a Top 30 duo that has […]
Your juniors need you
The physical manifestation of how firms are adapting their approach to learning and development for the hybrid workforce is evident in how firms are reimagining their offices. As well as adding a plethora of mod cons, they are drifting away from the traditional office floor space design. It may not be to everyone’s liking, but […]
You all want to be Slaughter and May’s clients
The last few years have been record-breaking for law firm office moves. In 2021 and 2022, law firms agreed leases on 2.85m sq ft of City space, according to property specialist Knight Frank. Demand hasn’t peaked just yet, however, with a raft of US City firms now looking for fresh digs to call home. Competition […]
Clifford Chance’s retention is a canary in a coal mine
Given the time, money and effort firms put into training up the next generation, it comes as a kick in the teeth when a fresh-faced NQ takes their ass elsewhere. But while firms might be able to shrug off a one-time dip in trainee retention rates, a sustained downward spiral could be cause for concern. […]
Lawyers need to know when to quit
A decade ago, an associate who perennially switched roles would have stirred suspicions among recruiting partners. That scepticism is fading against a backdrop of talent wars and wage inflation. For ambitious associates, knowing when to switch firms is not inherent. They can’t rely on a firm to signpost career crunch points. Talent retention is the […]
The best days to work from home in 2024
The darkest depths of depressing January. Wind. Rain. Snow. Insufferable people telling you how much better they feel for doing “Dry Jan.” Not typically a time associated with the nation’s summer game. But yesterday, the England men’s test cricket team began one of the sporting world’s most gruelling challenges: a five-match series in India. It […]
The A&O merger stopped Shearman’s London exodus
Mergers are fiddly, particularly when it comes to people management. Over the next few months, leadership at Allen & Overy and Shearman & Sterling will have to consider if it’s worth having 10 lawyers that can do the job instead of six. The view right now is that A&O is likely to play nice and […]
Too many associates spoil the real estate broth
Farrer & Co, Forsters and Fladgate don’t need high leverage to make real estate and private client work for them
BLP sold its soul and profited vastly
The transition from UK to US-led firm is almost complete at BCLP
Quiet quitting in US firms
The UK firms have the edge on their US competitors in some areas