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24 March 2026
Issue: 8155 / Categories: Legal News , Profession
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It's tough at the top...we're off!

One in four partners at top 50 and one in five at top 250 firms are considering leaving their firm in the next three years, according to a survey by TBD Marketing

Almost all (96%) of the 160 partners surveyed would recommend their firm as a place to work. While earnings are typically high, however, the partners felt under-valued. Asked to assess how fairly their own contribution to their firm was measured, they gave an average score of 2.6 out of 10 with nearly a quarter of partners giving the lowest score of zero.

Practice and sector leads were among the least satisfied, giving an average score of just 1.3.

TBD Marketing founder Simon Marshall said: ‘There used to be an assumption that once you made partner you stayed for life.

‘That mindset is starting to soften. Lawyers are still deeply committed to their firms, but they’re thinking more actively about how partnership works in practice and whether it gives them the flexibility and recognition they expect.’

Issue: 8155 / Categories: Legal News , Profession
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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Haynes Boone—Jeremy Cross

Haynes Boone—Jeremy Cross

Firm strengthens global fund finance practice with London partner hire.

DWF—Stephen Webb

DWF—Stephen Webb

Partner and head of national planning team appointed

mfg Solicitors—Nick Little

mfg Solicitors—Nick Little

Corporate team expands in Birmingham with partner hire

NEWS
Contract damages are usually assessed at the date of breach—but not always. Writing in NLJ this week, Ian Gascoigne, knowledge lawyer at LexisNexis, examines the growing body of cases where courts have allowed later events to reshape compensation
The Supreme Court has restored ‘doctrinal coherence’ to unfair prejudice litigation, writes Natalie Quinlivan, partner at Fieldfisher LLP, in this week' NLJ
The High Court’s refusal to recognise a prolific sperm donor as a child’s legal parent has highlighted the risks of informal conception arrangements, according to Liam Hurren, associate at Kingsley Napley, in NLJ this week
The Court of Appeal’s decision in Mazur may have settled questions around litigation supervision, but the profession should not simply ‘move on’, argues Jennifer Coupland, CEO of CILEX, in this week's NLJ
A simple phrase like ‘subject to references’ may not protect employers as much as they think. Writing in NLJ this week, Ian Smith, barrister and emeritus professor of employment law at UEA, analyses recent employment cases showing how conditional job offers can still create binding contracts
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