A report produced by consultancy Fitzpatrick Associates shows very mixed fortunes in Ireland. For instance, gross income for solicitors who are self-employed has shrunk by an average of 43 per cent. The slowdown has most affected lawyers outside Dublin. In some parts of the country the fall in income was as high as 53 per cent.

Leading law firms

The largest 15 law firms in the country employ nearly a quarter (22 per cent) of solicitors in the country. The medium-sized firms appear to have suffered from 'extreme price competition' with their larger rivals, according to the report. Source: Irish Times