‘Add value’ warns new head of property at law firm Raworths

Ann Laverty, who will oversee the newly-combined commercial and residential departments at the Harrogate-based firm, told The Yorkshire Post it’s not a question of whether there is enough work, law firms need to add value and show they are agile if they are to thrive.

She said: “We’re finding the property market ok at the moment. There is a little bit of caution and slowdown but overall we’ve not seen an impact on client work.”

She added: “It’s not about is there enough work out there, because there is enough work out there. It’s about showing clients you are adding value and are agile.”

Ms Laverty said the winners in the legal profession will be the ones giving clients options around pricing and payments and being flexible with their time.

She added it was a slow process but the industry was being forced to change. “We are working really hard on pricing and looking at how the work is delivered, investing in our offices and technology,” she said. “We want to give our clients different options and show we are working with them.”

She added: “It’s quite a big job but once all the processes are set up it should be fairly easy. We’re not resting on our laurels.”

Business transformation is the buzz term of the moment within the legal profession.

PwC’s Resilience Through Change report 2018 said that recent years have seen significant change in law firms’ operating models.

Tony Hodgson, consulting partner at PwC, added: “Change is becoming a constant across the sector and that in itself is an important area of focus. How quickly can your firm adapt to new ways of working?”