The chart below illustrates the overall key performance indicator (KPI) scores as defined by the Client Intelligence Report (www.clientintelligencereport.com), for 30 of the largest law firms in the world by size.
The overall KPI ratings show US firms are significantly outperforming their UK counterparts when it comes to client reviews. Of the 15 firms listed here, all but four exceed the average, while only one solely UK-headquartered firm hit comparable scores.
There are some specific KPIs in which UK firms shine, however.
Slaughter and May scores extremely highly in terms of the way it resources work for clients, in particular the quality of its associates and the standard of advice and level of engagement on offer from its partners.
In general terms UK firms scored highly for the level of industry knowledge applied to client work, for providing commercial advice and aligning with clients’ businesses.
However, UK firms fall significantly behind their US counterparts on a number of other client satisfaction indicators such as the adoption of innovation in working methods (including the use of technology and AI), project management and communication, and billing systems.
Broadly, the consensus among clients surveyed for the Client Intelligence Report suggests that while US firms are stronger in developing the systems and infrastructure surrounding the delivery of legal advice, elite UK firms are better at cultivating high-quality relationships and ensuring a consistently high level of expertise among associates and partners.