Year-end results show less growth than expected for big firms

Apr 1, 2014 7:50 AM CDT

Law firms have shown little growth in recent years

Graphics by Jamie Gannon Click here (PDF) to see the 2014 Report on the State of the Legal Market. This article originally appeared in the March 2014 issue of the ABA Journal with this headline: “Paralyzed profits? Law firms have shown little growth in recent years.”

Mar 1, 2014 8:49 AM CST

How correct were predictions about firms’ 2013 profits?

Graphics by Jamie Gannon This article originally appeared in the February 2014 issue of the ABA Journal with this headline: “Just how right were those predictions?”

Feb 1, 2014 8:20 AM CST

Face time holds steady, but digital interactions are changing client communications

Graphics by Jamie Gannon This article originally appeared in the January 2014 issue of the ABA Journal with this headline: “Let’s Talk: Face time holds steady, but digital is changing client contact.”

Jan 1, 2014 8:40 AM CST

2013 surveys foresee future doldrums in legal spending

Two reports from early autumn may have brought on the chills for the legal profession. Citi Private Bank’s Law Firm Group polled law firm leaders, finding a drop in expectations for 2013 profits and revenue. According to the poll of 72 firms, 39 percent of respondents expected 2013 profits to…

Dec 1, 2013 8:50 AM CST

Legal data storage is moving online

Graphics by Jamie Gannon This article originally appeared in the November 2013 issue of the ABA Journal with this headline: “Room at the Top: Legal data storage is moving online.”

Nov 1, 2013 6:40 AM CDT

Rough winter ahead, in terms of law firm growth

Jeff Grossman, senior director for banking for Wells Fargo Private Bank’s Legal Specialty Group, describes the six-month figures on law firm growth as “anemic.” The bank surveyed more than 120 firms, with 60-plus Am Law 100 firms. The remainder are Am Law 200 and regional firms. “We took a look…

Oct 1, 2013 7:40 AM CDT

Lawyers—if not jobs for lawyers—are trending upward

YOU ARE HERE A snapshot of the legal profession from the 2013 ABA National Lawyer Population Survey. Graphics by Jamie Gannon

Sep 1, 2013 7:50 AM CDT

Going mobile: A special tech trends report (gallery)

The data used in this special report was taken from The 2013 Legal Technology Survey Report.

Aug 1, 2013 6:55 AM CDT

Shrinking legal spending: Corporate clients cut back on outside representation

A survey of in-house law departments shows corporate clients netting major savings by using certain tactics to reduce spending on outside law firms. Huron Consulting Group’s 2013 report, the Huron Legal Impact Benchmarking Survey, found participants realizing up to 54 percent lower external legal spending as a percentage of company…

Jul 1, 2013 7:29 AM CDT

Social standings: A special tech trends report

This month for Law by the Numbers, we present a special tech trends report. The following are data excerpts from the 2013 Legal Technology Survey Report. The six-volume 2013 Legal Technology Survey Report is available for purchase by volume or in its entirety through the Legal Technology Resource Center webpage…

Jun 1, 2013 7:40 AM CDT

Lawyers say they like storing data online

For a profession sometimes criticized as being slow to change, the law seems to be flying into use of cloud computing for legal work. The ABA Legal Technology Resource Center’s 2013 survey of ABA lawyers shows a heady amount of satisfaction with online-based software solutions. Among this year’s findings in…

May 1, 2013 7:20 AM CDT

Predictive coding is on the rise in courts

Last April, Law by the Numbers first appeared in the ABA Journal with a study of the effectiveness of technology-assisted review in e-discovery cases. For our first anniversary, we return to the subject with a study showing TAR and predictive coding are getting increased attention in America’s court system. Kroll…

Apr 1, 2013 7:20 AM CDT

2013 raises to peak for midlevel associates at midsize firms

Smack dab in the middle may be the best place to be as far as 2013 salary increases are concerned, the Robert Half Legal 2013 Salary Guide reports. “Average starting salaries for legal professionals in the United States are projected to rise 3 percent overall in 2013,” reports the legal…

Mar 1, 2013 8:00 AM CST

Should firms move to the cloud? Legal IT professionals are split

Legal IT Professionals’ online survey of its readership presented a split decision on whether key technology functions should become Internet-based–a process commonly known as moving to the cloud. The online news publication covering international legal information technology asked readers: “If your law firm’s management asked for your advice regarding moving…

Feb 1, 2013 8:20 AM CST