Survival Strategies for Law Firms in a Competitive Marketplace

In today’s volatile marketplace, many law firms are losing their independence.

According to Altman Weil MergerLine, 2019 was a record-breaking year with 115 combinations, a number of which were high-profile, high-volume mergers.

2020 already has seen a new crop of mergers, of a bit of a different ilk – larger scale and, at least at first glance, from stronger platforms with strategic synergies than some of the mid-2000’s combinations.

Similarly, in last year alone, more than 3100 BigLaw partners found new homes; up from 2018. ALM/Decipher joint report estimates $17.1B changed hands with lateral moves from 2014-2018.

By the Numbers

  • Law firms’ demand growth hovers between 3 and 5%
  • Lateral hires have a success rate of about 50%, according to a recent ALM Legal Intelligence/Decipher report
  • 80-90% of organic revenue comes from a handful of clients. 10-20% of revenue comes from inorganic growth, the majority of which is lateral acquisition.

The question for law firms is simple: How do you grow on your own terms?

There are 5 Essential Survival Strategies

  1. Enhance Profitability
  2. Fortify and Grow Existing Client Base
  3. Cultivate the Right Culture
  4. Practice Strategic Discipline
  5. Develop Change-Oriented Leaders