A new, more demanding and more value-conscious client is challenging traditional working practices, according to the LexisNexis 2015 Bellwether report: The Age of the Client.
Interviews with 118 independent lawyers and more than 500 private clients reveal how sole practitioners and firms with up to 20 fee earners identified a gap between lawyers’ and clients’ views of the services that firms deliver.
About 80% of lawyers believe their service is “above average” but only 40% of clients agree. For example, providing regular progress reports ranks second on client’s priorities but lawyers rate it tenth. The report notes that the “priestly dominance of the professional adviser has disappeared…The power in the lawyer-client relationship has swung to the client”. Demand for fixed-fees is rising, although many lawyers equate this with “a race to the bottom”. Continuous innovation is required to combat clients’ expectations of 24/7 availability and the use of more internet-based DIY solutions. On a positive note, however, lawyers are optimistic—two-thirds anticipate growth over the next five years.
