The Lawyer Podcast

If this year's UK200 is anything to go by, the majority of UK law firms are in robust health. Indeed, they are finally fighting back against the growth of US competitors.
So why are so many upending their partnership models?
In part one of our two part podcast series celebrating the 20th edition of The Lawyer's UK200, editors Catrin Griffiths, Christian Smith, Matt Byrne, Katy Dowell and Richard Simmons sit down to discuss what this year's UK200 report tells us about the health of UK law firms and how a partnership evolution is changing the way law firms operate.
Come back in a fortnight for part two, when we reveal our picks for the five law firms to watch - for good or for ill.

Regional offices have long been critical to some of the UK’s biggest law firms.

The essential components of today’s DLA Piper came from across the country, legacy Eversheds was formed of four firms from outside London, and Pinsent Masons was a Birmingham and Leeds outfit before it opened in London.

But in recent years, some of those firms’ regional offerings have started to look like the offices they are housed in: old, crumbling, unloved.

So on this episode of The Lawyer Podcast, we take a look at what Big Law is doing in England and Wales outside London, and why upstart regional firms are stealing their lunch.

Grabbing the attention of aspiring solicitors and spectators alike, criticism of the Solicitors Qualifying Examination has torn through the media over the weeks following the most recent set of results.

From City firms dropping training contracts from offer holders after failing on their first attempt, to questions over whether the exams really equip candidates for life as a newly-qualified solicitor.

This week, The Lawyer asks – what the hell is going on? Catrin and Christian are joined by deputy editor Rich Simmons and reporters Lucy Floydd and Charlotte Lear to discuss the trials and tribulations of this new exam.

Law firms leaders love saying they don’t want growth for growth’s sake, but the truth is, without any growth at all they soon find themselves floundering.

So as the financial year draws to a close, litigation editor Christian Smith and deputy editor Rich Simmons are joined by head of insight Matt Byrne, Horizon editor Katy Dowell and international editor Alex Taylor to look at what law firms are doing to find good, profitable growth - and whether they need to grow at all costs.

In part two of our two-part podcast series, celebrating the 20th edition of The Lawyer's UK200, editors Catrin Griffiths, Christian Smith, Matt Byrne, Katy Dowell and Richard Simmons are back to reveal the five firms they are watching in the coming years – for good or for ill.

With a list of 200 law firms, it’s not difficult to find some which pique our interest...but why have they?

Tune in as we discuss Freshfields, Hill Dickinson, BDB Pitmans, Osborne Clarke and BCLP.

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