Inaugural Actionstep UK midsize law firm priorities report
Leaders admit time constraints and inconsistencies across the business are the biggest barriers to delivering better client experiences, with 35% also agreeing they lack the technology to fully support their clients digitally, according to new law firm research from Actionstep for 2025, carried out in partnership with LPM
Actionstep partnered with LPM to conduct the survey and analysis of the business priorities, resource challenges, stress factors, and technology realities and trends of UK midsize law firms.
The research includes perspectives from 60 law firm leaders including managing partners, chief executive officers, chief operating officers, practice directors and managers, and heads of law firm support areas representing firms employing between 20 and 500 people.
Access the full report here.
Top findings include:
Leaders are most focused on employing top talent and driving client growth
- Leading business priorities include recruiting and retaining talent (78%), followed by winning new clients to drive revenue growth (60%).
- Improving client satisfaction was only cited by 33% of survey respondents as a key growth strategy.
- Hiring and retention are the toughest challenges (69%), far outweighing concerns about client experience, which only 26% consider a significant hurdle.
Leaders recognise need to deliver client services with greater efficiency, consistency, and impact — driving investment in digital experience
- Leaders acknowledge time constraints (70%) and inconsistencies across the firm (59%) as their biggest barriers to delivering better client experiences.
- 35% agree they lack the right technology to fully support their clients, and ‘digital experience’ is the top area for improvement.
- Under two-fifths of firms offer client portals (38%), document collaboration (31%), automatic updates (19%), or digital appointment-setting (12%) – missing key opportunities to enhance efficiency, transparency, and communication with clients.
Most firms have invested in process automation, but adoption of generative artificial intelligence (genAI) for legal work remains minimal
- 74% of leaders say their firm actively seeks new technology to help them to operate more efficiently, yet 73% want more tools that introduce automation.
- Process automation is already in use at 54% of firms, although widespread adoption remains low (21%).
- Legal-specific genAI remains in its infancy with only 26% either using it or experimenting with it for some business applications.
- Nearly half (46%) say cost is a major barrier to investing in the technology they need.
Leaders are highly confident in their ability to manage risk while acknowledging restrictions
- 96% of leaders are confident in their firm’s ability to comply with evolving anti-money laundering (AML) regulations.
- Yet, staying up to date (54%), training staff (47%), and executing due diligence (41%) remain key compliance pain points.
- 85% feel prepared to manage cybersecurity threats (11% are ‘neutral’), but 72% see human behaviour as the biggest risk to their firm’s security.
Get your copy of the full research and supporting interviews here.
Actionstep identified key areas for midsize law firm management teams to address based on the report’s key findings:
Pursue a balanced approach to enhancing technology in support of legal teams: Investment in technology can enhance efficiency and appeal to modern talent, but firms need to strike the right balance of leveraging tech to support, not replace, their unique human touch. Rather than replacing human expertise, technology should enhance it. From workflow automation to AI-driven risk analysis, the right tools can help lawyers focus on high-value tasks while reducing manual burdens.
Invest in the client experience — consider all the touchpoints for transformation: Midsize firms must rethink how they engage clients with a range of digital touchpoints, from initial onboarding to ongoing case updates. Digital client-facing tools can enhance convenience, but they must be balanced with personalised service, including client listening or feedback mechanisms. The key is to transform the client journey holistically, ensuring every touchpoint strengthens trust and satisfaction with your law firm.
Automate with care — identify where it’s appropriate for a process: Leaders at midsize law firms see both AI and automation as quality control mechanisms rather than replacements for human expertise. The goal is to streamline operations while maintaining the integrity and oversight that legal work demands.
Robust risk management requires constant diligence: Compliance remains a formidable challenge, with midsize firms grappling to keep pace with ever-evolving regulations and cybersecurity threats. To sustain the confidence around compliance and cybersecurity resilience, firms must continually refine their processes, leveraging technology to support efforts while maintaining rigorous human oversight. The interplay between human judgement, training, and technological support will define the future of firm security and success.
For more insights and discussion from a panel of experts, join Actionstep for The Future of Mid-Market Law: 2025 Insights for Law Firm Leaders event on 6 March in London.
