Texas is the second largest US state by population and, in turn, has a very diverse legal market in the major cities of Houston, Dallas and Austin. Of these cities, Houston has the largest legal market, followed by Dallas and then Austin.

Despite not being a niche area of the legal sector, Private Client Solicitors are becoming much more sought after following the pandemic. COVID made a large impact on every industry, including the legal sector and as private client law surrounds issues in later life such as death, estate administration, lifetime gifts and intestacy, COVID has meant this area of law has had to expand and adapt since early 2020.

The majority of working sectors acknowledge that their employees are their most valuable asset. However, for a law firm this claim is probably even more significant. Law firms are of course selling legal expertise in exchange for fee earner time. As a result, there is constant pressure to maximise fee earning time. A fee earner with a billable target of 1,400 hours per year is considered modest by the profession’s normal standards, but it equates to keeping up around 6 hours of chargeable time every working day. A tall order for the employees behind on their numbers.

Global talent shortages for Corporate, Banking & Finance, TMT, Project Finance and Construction Lawyers have led firms, both in the UK and the US, to start headhunting their good friends Down Under as they become increasingly appealing and in demand in the current unprecedented legal circumstances.

In an extremely competitive marketplace, it remains a priority for national and mid-sized law firms to continue to grow sustainably. While many US firms have the luxury of deep pockets to invest in expensive Partner moves and High Street firms are content to maintain a local client base, it is mid-sized law firms that need to prioritise sustainable long-term growth to establish themselves within the market.

All legal markets are different and offer different challenges. The West Yorkshire legal market is very positive right now, with a great mix of clients including local, national and international law firms.

New York is home to over 175,000 Attorneys and the legal market generates over $430B on an annual basis. However, over the past 2 years the legal market in New York has seen a dramatic shift. The extensive working hours, intense office culture and lack of flexibility had Associates and Partners alike working their fingers to the bone to hit deadlines and achieve bonus targets, with what appeared to be no end in sight. While the pandemic brought uncertainty in both professional and personal aspects of day-to-day life, it seems to have sown the seeds of the future landscape of a legal office. While many law firms were forced to close offices, cancel client meetings and transition to remote working during the pandemic, a shift in the power that Associates hold was seen across legal markets all around the world.