Major, Lindsey & Africa has issued its predictions for 2018. The recruitment company says that both firms and in-house teams alike will need to double down on their strengths and keep efficiency high in 2018. The firm says stratification in the market will continue as top-tier firms appeal to a different set of clients than middle-market firms. The law firms that will fare the best in 2018 are the ones that know what they’re good at and stick to it.

Sucession planning

It also predicts issues over succession as law firm associates face a more challenging path to partnership than ever before. However, that is not deterring them from pursuing it. The path to making partner for associates is ambiguous and lengthened, and it could mean trouble for firms’ succession plans in the years to come.  Furthermore, with more babyboomers now exiting partnerships, this is shaping up to be a major challenge for many firms.  

Other predictions from the recruiters include:

• The aftershocks of the summer 2016 associate salary hike are still being felt throughout the industry. Exceptional associates not only have to have a sound legal mind but must also be adept at attracting and retaining clients.
• Law departments are proving their value to the business more than ever before. Faced with pressure to do more with less, the legal operations team will continue to draw from a mix of cost-effective providers, alternative staffing models and evolving technologies in 2018. 
• GCs increasingly find themselves with a seat at the executive table. The expectation is that more GCs will rise to CEO level in the years to come.
• Using data to improve operations will continue to grow across the industry to ensure efficiency. Data analytics enables firms and legal departments to more easily examine large amounts of information to find patterns and correlations.