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03 December 2015 / Dr Marc K Peter
Issue: 7679 / Categories: Features , Profession
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Smart investments

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Dr Marc K Peter explains how mid-sized law firms can use technology to succeed in a challenging marketplace

In today’s legal market, it is no longer enough for law firms to excel at providing legal advice to their clients. Consumers are getting smarter and, in response, law professionals have to increase the effectiveness of their client servicing, the quality of their legal information, and the business processes of their practice.

It is only by understanding the challenges facing the legal profession as we move towards the 2020s, that organisations supporting the industry can truly provide value and return on investment. In a series of interviews conducted in July this year, a number of partners of mid-sized law firms discussed the challenges and opportunities facing their business. During discussions, four core issues affecting law firms in today’s market were identified (see diagram below).

Attracting new business in a competitive marketplace

Finding and retaining new clients is a challenge for any business. However, since the legal industry was deregulated four years ago, lawyers have had to

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Thackray Williams—Lucy Zhu

Thackray Williams—Lucy Zhu

Dual-qualified partner joins as head of commercial property department

Morgan Lewis—David A. McManus

Morgan Lewis—David A. McManus

Firm announces appointment of next chair

Burges Salmon—Rebecca Wilsker

Burges Salmon—Rebecca Wilsker

Director joins corporate team from the US

NEWS
What safeguards apply when trust corporations are appointed as deputy by the Court of Protection? 
Disputing parties are expected to take part in alternative dispute resolution (ADR), where this is suitable for their case. At what point, however, does refusing to participate cross the threshold of ‘unreasonable’ and attract adverse costs consequences?
When it comes to free legal advice, demand massively outweighs supply. 'Millions of people are excluded from access to justice as they don’t have anywhere to turn for free advice—or don’t know that they can ask for help,' Bhavini Bhatt, development director at the Access to Justice Foundation, writes in this week's NLJ
When an ex-couple is deciding who gets what in the divorce or civil partnership dissolution, when is it appropriate for a third party to intervene? David Burrows, NLJ columnist and solicitor advocate, considers this thorny issue in this week’s NLJ
NLJ's latest Charities Appeals Supplement has been published in this week’s issue
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