Why size matters in law firms

The move from a legal giant (a dozen UK offices, 2,500 people)
to a much smaller practice (two offices, 35 people) might seem like a retrograde step.

However, the many hidden and not-so-hidden benefits of working in a niche firm make such practices the ideal environment for ambitious lawyers to grow and develop.

Labyrinthine world

As I found when I made such a move, both career satisfaction and learning accelerated in a way which would have been difficult to envisage, to say the least, in the labyrinthine and highly structured world of most big legal practices.

Moving to a smaller firm felt like a kind of liberation, with more responsibility, more self-determination, more autonomy, and more opportunity to make my mark.

Critically, it meant I could start to develop my business skills, rather than just my legal skills, and I could play a small but satisfying role in the strategic direction of the business I was part of.

Try influencing business direction when you’re one of 2,500 fee earners.

I also believe I am a more complete professional thanks directly to my experience.
I’ve had to quickly hone those all-important client relationship skills; learn how to pitch for and win business; and understand the importance of being able to build and capitalise on referral networks.

I also had closer and more direct and effective mentoring from the senior members of the team after moving firms.
At smaller firms, the expertise and experience of the senior partners is equal to that of the senior partners in the larger firms, but the difference is that I get to learn from those brilliant practitioners on a daily basis.

The culture is very different too. I’ve benefited massively from the culture of a company that strives to get under the
skin of its clients so that it
can enjoy proactive, ongoing relationships which aren’t simply driven by those extraordinary events where legal counsel is required.

We regularly sit in on client board meetings, for instance,
so that we can offer strategic advice and help them identify impending issues.

Such immersion in our clients’ companies is invaluable as it develops awareness of business strategy and commerciality. After all, effective commercial lawyers need to understand commerce as well as law.

Collegial atmosphere

That cultural issue is an important one. We enjoy a collegial atmosphere where support is more common than rivalry and where an open and friendly manner is the rule of the day. In other words, I feel like I work in an organisation made up of human beings, rather than in a fee factory.

For those of us with family commitments, who need to build flexibility into our working lives, this culture is priceless.

There is also often a clearer path to progression. In smaller firms, ambitious lawyers are less likely to be obscured in a sea of identikit colleagues. It’s easier to make your mark and, once your reputation is assured, the path to promotion and eventually partnership is often more straightforward.

Smaller firms may not be
for everyone. But for those who wish to learn, who wish to have autonomy, and who wish to make their mark – no matter what stage they’re at in their career – then small really is beautiful. SJ

Tom Evans is an associate in the employment and HR team at DTM Legal