The last several years mark some of the highest levels of recurring profitability growth ever experienced for many law firms, outpacing historical profitability growth by a significant margin. Between 2019 and 2020, Profits per Equity Partner (PPEP) among AmLaw 200 firms grew 12% on average, and the Compensation Average for All Partners grew at 10%. While year-end data for 2021 is not yet publicly available, our work with law firms confirms that these growth rates will be met, if not exceeded when ultimately reported for 2021. Given that we are still early in the year, it is hard to predict whether law firms will experience another banner year in 2022. Headwinds around geo-political uncertainty and rising costs, including ever-increasing associate compensation, are likely to pressure profit growth to some degree. However, demand at this early stage appears strong, and results thus far indicate solid financial growth.
Each year we look ahead and make predictions for the coming year. The last two years have been unpredictable in almost every way, but clearly demonstrated the resilience of the legal industry.
Over the past several years, we have seen a growing gap between the highest performing firms and the rest of the market. In working with and observing law firms across market segments and jurisdictions, we see clear differences in how firms respond to market changes. The most agile firms benefit from a strategic advantage based on their ability to respond to change and capitalize on opportunities more effectively. This agility frequently drives superior performance relative to the rest of the market. By contrast, firms lacking agility seem to fall behind, whether through inertia or because their focus is elsewhere.
As we enter the second quarter of 2021, the picture looks fairly rosy for many law firms. Preliminary signs point to the potential for another growth year in terms of demand across a number of practice areas. Signs of increased demand, combined with strong 2020 financial performance, indicate that some firms are poised for material revenue and profit growth and the potential to leapfrog competitors over the coming years.
Succession of client relationships is a top-of-mind issue for many law firm leaders. Yet it remains a challenge for leaders to make meaningful progress, often because partners resist succession efforts. In some cases the resistance is for legitimate reasons, but in other instances it is based on myths. Our work with law firms and our interviews with the clients of law firms highlight many of these illusions.
