Dwyer Consulting has told Lawyers Weekly that some of the biggest firms are deleveraging. Dwyer's principal, Ted Dwyer says: 'The bottom line is major firms are getting smaller [and] they will keep high-performing partners, so they don’t go somewhere else, and only promote really exceptional senior lawyers to partnership.' The new approach is not happening in response to economic problems - but is, rather, a new way of working in which firms will make existing staff work harder rather than increasing the headcount. He thinks, for instance, that senior associates who miss out on partnership will, nevertheless, be well compensated.