The SME Legal Market: A Sector in Evolution

We’re pleased to have contributed to this article from BCL Legal which analyses the latest LexisNexis UK Bellwether Report 2025.

The report offers a candid look into the realities facing small and mid-sized law firms today, revealing a picture of targeted, strategic investment.

According to the results of the survey, firms are investing “better” rather than bigger.

And whilst over 60% of SME law firm respondents felt optimistic about the future, many still grapple with business resilience, succession planning, and talent retention.

These are exactly the issues we’ve built our practice model to address — with a virtual structure that empowers senior lawyers to work flexibly, efficiently, and with commercial autonomy.

We believe the SME legal market is not just surviving — it’s adapting and thriving through a gradual, steady and strategic approach to growth, as Managing Partner, Robert Marcus explains in the article.

He said: “The results of the survey are heartening and reflect our own journey over the past decade. There is something to be said for a gradual, steady and strategic approach to growth for small law firms and it is reassuring to see this echoed in the report.

“Growth with purpose not only ensures you can maintain quality of service for clients, it also allows you to invest in an appropriate way – from technology, to taking the time to attract the right personalities for your culture.

“We’ve invested more in technology over the past year, and would describe our approach to AI as cautious. Having trialled various specialist legal AI applications, we recognised that we don’t need to be trailblazers – it would be better for our clients if we waited for a proven technology to emerge.

“This sort of cautious yet purposeful approach, as opposed to growth for growth’s sake, is what sets a small business up for success – both for your people and your clients.”

Read the full article from BCL Legal here.