L500 UK: Gender diversity hits new high – time to focus on the elephant in the room

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L500 UK: Gender diversity hits new high – time to focus on the elephant in the room

It’s fair to say that legal directories have come in for more than their fair share of flack over the years, particularly when it comes to speed of change. But if proof were needed that The Legal 500 is more than capable of setting the pace, then the latest UK gender diversity stats neatly provide it.

When I joined The Legal 500 three years ago, only 5% of leading individuals ranked for premium M&A in London were women. Today, that figure stands at more than 31%. And, crucially, this progress has been replicated across the wider guide, both in London and the rest of the UK. Continue reading “L500 UK: Gender diversity hits new high – time to focus on the elephant in the room”

Legalease Research Services: Held to account

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Legalease Research Services: Held to account

The team at BT Legal has spent the past three years changing the way it deals with external lawyers and manages its own lawyers. Most recently, it has brought in a new e-billing platform, MyLegal, which has overhauled how it manages legal spend.

David Griffin, head of legal and governance systems and change at BT, says the company wanted to move away from the smoke-and-mirrors approach to billing from some law firms, introducing more accountability and transparency to how matters are managed. Hopefully, this will mean the team can catch problems early and avoid getting unexpectedly large bills from their external counsel. Continue reading “Legalease Research Services: Held to account”

Access your print copy online – LB304

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Access your print copy online – LB304

While much of the country works from home we are providing more options for you to access your copy of Legal Business. Please see below for links to a limited version followed by a complete version. The complete version is only accessible to subscribers. Please make sure you are logged into the site to see the link.

Limited version Continue reading “Access your print copy online – LB304”

Legal Business 100: Main Menu

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Legal Business 100: Main Menu

Overview

Marathon, not a sprint

Events since coronavirus hit should have triggered a crisis of epic proportions. But our LB100 report makes it clear that, against all odds, the starter pistol on panic has yet to be fired

Main table

Partner earnings table

Core stats

Second 25

The great leap upwards

After a year of triumph over adversity, the LB100’s chasing pack are priming themselves to reach new heights

Second 50: City and Boutique

Percentage play

While the performance of the mid-market and boutique London-based firms in the second 50 is more muted than other areas of the LB100, these firms pack a considerable punch

Second 50: Regional View

Faster, higher stronger

The regional firms in the second 50 of the LB100 have proved that their stamina and talent can help them rise to meet the toughest of challenges

Methodology and notes

The Last Word

Going the distance

LB100 leaders give their views on another remarkable year and offer their prognosis on the 12 months ahead

 

LB100 Overview: Marathon, not a sprint

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LB100 Overview: Marathon, not a sprint

The phrase has long been a cliché among industry circles, but no-one is better at being cautiously optimistic than a law firm leader. For years, individuals have been compelled to temper any bullishness on market outlook with a healthy recognition that disaster is probably just around the corner. After all, few things make the sting of a downturn worse than the humiliation of hubris. Yet this year’s Legal Business 100 (LB100) has again seen all those risk-averse catastrophists not only surviving but thriving.

To say much has changed since our 2020 report would be an understatement. Last year in profit terms, the message was clear that firms were cutting their cloth accordingly in light of a seemingly inevitable bout of financial turbulence in the year to come. Continue reading “LB100 Overview: Marathon, not a sprint”