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Legal squeeze

30 March 2022
Issue: 7973 / Categories: Legal News , Profession
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Nine out of ten law firms are facing pressure from clients to reduce costs and use different billing arrangements, according to a survey of 200 partners by litigation funder, Harbour

Moreover, clients are taking nearly twice as long to pay bills than the same time in 2020, with the average rising from 23 to 39 days (51 days for firms working in property, construction and environmental law).

Some 40% intend to lower overheads in response while 37% are investing in legal technology. Firms intend to make more use of conditional fee arrangements and litigation finance in the next 12-18 months.

Ellora MacPherson, Chief Investment Officer at Harbour, said: ‘This survey shows that all but the very largest law firms have been grappling with downward cost pressures, enduring in many cases beyond the pandemic.’

Issue: 7973 / Categories: Legal News , Profession
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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Pillsbury—Steven James

Pillsbury—Steven James

Firm boosts London IP capability with high-profile technology sector hire

Clarke Willmott—Michelle Seddon

Clarke Willmott—Michelle Seddon

Private client specialist joins as partner in Taunton office

DWF—Rory White-Andrews

DWF—Rory White-Andrews

Finance and restructuring offering strengthened by partner hire in London

NEWS
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In their latest Family Law Brief for NLJ, Ellie Hampson-Jones and Carla Ditz of Stewarts review three key family law rulings, including the latest instalment in the long-running saga of Potanin v Potanina
The Asian International Arbitration Centre’s sweeping reforms through its AIAC Suite of Rules 2026, unveiled at Asia ADR Week, are under examination in this week's NLJ by John (Ching Jack) Choi of Gresham Legal
In this week's issue of NLJ, Yasseen Gailani and Alexander Martin of Quinn Emanuel report on the High Court’s decision in Skatteforvaltningen (SKAT) v Solo Capital Partners LLP & Ors [2025], where Denmark’s tax authority failed to recover £1.4bn in disputed dividend tax refunds
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