2023 Bright Insight: The 2023 National Legal Sector Benchmark Survey Results

Amidst the changes in the industry, the partner structure continues to be the expected norm. Only 7% of respondents indicate that law firm structures of today will not even be recognizable when compared to the changes coming over the next 10 years. Firms outside of the Am Law 100 are the least likely to implement these dramatic changes; in fact, not one of the respondents at those firms selected this as the likely outcome in 10 years. On the other end of the spectrum, the Global 100 are the most bullish on significant changes in partnership structures occurring with 20% saying that is their expectation. Approximately one in ten firms expect no changes to the partnership structure and 75% imagine there will be select shifts, but the general outline of how law firm partnerships work will remain similar to today. These perceptions remain consistent with last year. In 2022, 10% of respondents indicated that partnership structures would change beyond recognition and 61% of respondents noted that select shifts would likely occur.

Approximately one in ten firms expect no changes to the partnership structure and 75% imagine there will be select shifts, but the general outline of how law firm partnerships work will remain similar to today.

THE 2023 NATIONAL LEGAL SECTOR BENCHMARK SURVEY RESULTS | 33