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Original poster

solicitors and barristers how is business?

77 replies

andhessixfeetten · 08/04/2020 19:58

I thought work would drop off a cliff two weeks ago (business lawyer) but thankfully so far it hasn't happened.

There are some pretty dramatic chances going on for the clients, some good and some bad, but so far their need for me seems steady.

How are others finding it?

OP posts:
CardinalCat · 09/04/2020 09:43

Mid-market M&A lawyer- some deals have stalled but I'm busier than ever. My cash rich acquisitive clients are going to pounce and clean up. Some sectors will be fine and lots of consolidation M&A still happening. I also advise govt so that is keeping me extremely busy day and night and weekends (equity stake acquisitions coming to a market near you).

bluetongue · 09/04/2020 09:45

Not a solicitor but a related job with criminal law in Australia.

Courts here have really as many hearings as possible by video conference but courtrooms are still operating as well, with social distancing in mind.

Jury trials are mostly postponed apart from a few murder trials that were part way through when restrictions came in. Juries members are seated throughout the courtroom. At this stage trials by judge alone are still proceeding and even being brought forward to take advantage of the gap in the trial list left by jury trials.

Personally I’m still working full time and going into the city office.

EmmaC78 · 09/04/2020 09:53

I am in-house (commercial) and still busy. We are a team member down on our usual numbers at the moment though so if we were at normal numbers we would be pretty quiet.

BreastedBoobilyToTheStairs · 09/04/2020 10:07

Commercial and technology solicitor in an large international firm - we have a lot of public sector clients so the run up to the start of April was a bit of a rush. Projects are still trickling in now but nowhere near as quickly as they were.

Private sector work has also slowed down considerably. Projects and contracts which were a priority are now way down at the bottom of the pile for clients while they try and deal with everything else. Still moving, but at a snail's pace.

No furlough yet but I expect there might be within our team if this continues. Other teams are incredibly busy but I'm not sure how long that will continue. It is also making me worry that things are going to be horrifically busy when life gets back to normal and all the projects that were on hold are suddenly reinvigorated.

Deanetta · 09/04/2020 10:10

Immigration lawyer - massive slowdown as no-one can submit any applications. But I would say enquires are starting to pick up again as employers are realising that this won't go on forever and they need to a) protect the status of their current employees and b) want to be ready with visa applications as soon as the centres re-open.

I am self employed but fortunate that I had a really busy February so not feeling the pinch too much yet.

Xenia · 09/04/2020 10:19

I've worked from home since 1994 and for the last 2 years not even given public talks (I used to give 50 a year), resigned by committees and try to advise clients by email and phone so in a sense I have had years of this lock down situation.

I know some people including lawyers are very hard hit. The first week of lock down I felt it was quiet for me as clients were not in touch but the last 2 have been quite busy. One of my two solicitor daughters does a lot of loan agreements for a City firm and they have masses and masses of large and medium sized clients involved in loans at present so I know they are rushed off their feet (and she and her husband are juggling working from home with a 2 and 4 year old and a closed nursery so my situation just with student sons at home is a walk in the park compared to how it is for parents working from home with under 5s there too including toddlers). Other solicitor daughter very busy too working from home as still has a lot of contracts to look at and then there are disputes and issues over contracts being terminated (same for my practice too), can I get out of this contract and that kind of thing.

As I do disputes as well as the other side and have since I set up in 1994 I have found with earlier recessions (sadly I have lived through quite a few) that does tend to protect a practice - litigation busier in recessions, deals off other than emergency insolvency type deals)., Property lawyers will be having big problems. Lots of lawyers are on furlough or redundant already in a good few sectors.

I have been suggesting to my student sons (one of whom starts the GDL in Sept) that this proves why it is worth having professional qualifications but as their older (graduate) brother who drives a grocery delivery van for living currently has the most secure job of us all other than perhaps my doctor brother I am sure they can shout me down on that argument....

Ozgirl75 · 09/04/2020 11:33

I agree @Xenia. I started in insurance litigation in 2000 and worked through dot com bubble bursting, financial crisis etc and litigation has always remained steady.

HasaDigaEebowai · 09/04/2020 11:52

Employment here. I've been really busy but I suspect it will start to drop off since if employees are furloughed there are not going to be as many employer clients having employee issues.

DH does corporate and most of the deals are falling over due to the uncertainty.

Xenia · 09/04/2020 12:04

Ozgirl, similar to me except I also remember the 1990s crash too when I set up my own firm, never mind very early 80s when I just started, before the 80s boom.

I am sure we will weather this but iti s very hard for lots of people including solicitors. I believe the Government is advertising for contracts lawyers urgently at something like £40 an hour by the way if anyone does lose their jobs - i suspect a lot of Government lawyers or procurement people may be off sick and there is a lot of stuff to procure such as medical equipment.

Original poster
andhessixfeetten · 09/04/2020 12:10

I was trained up on stories about the early 1990s (1989)crash - My training boss impressed on me that litigation had seen the firm through. So agree with everyone else basically.

OP posts:
HasaDigaEebowai · 09/04/2020 12:18

DH is an equity partner at a large firm and they are going to start furloughing solicitors in various departments. There isn't enough work to keep everyone busy.

ChrissieKeller61 · 09/04/2020 12:24

Can I ask a question ? Given the courts aren't closed ... what would be reasonable "slippage" in these circumstances ? Is there a point where it becomes a piss take ?
Thank you

StrawberryBlondeStar · 09/04/2020 12:26

@ChrissieKeller61 in what context? CPR has been amended to allow parties to agree 56 day extensions on deadlines

ChrissieKeller61 · 09/04/2020 12:27

So family court .... he was meant to file 20th March, before any of this kicked off .... still hasn't

StrawberryBlondeStar · 09/04/2020 13:23

How do you know he hasn’t filed the document? Have you had something from court saying that?

ChrissieKeller61 · 09/04/2020 13:33

@StrawberryBlondeStar - I'm meant to receive copies.
The solicitor emailed me the week before it was due suggesting she should have "some slippage" - this was 4 weeks ago.

Treanor · 09/04/2020 13:35

I'm an employment lawyer. Lawyer friends assumed I was busy but I'm not and have now been furloughed. I work for a small high street firm and mostly act for claimants. We have had a million calls from employees about furlough but that isn't work we can charge for. However, I expect our work will pick up once employers start making redundancies.....

PersonaNonGarter · 09/04/2020 15:39

What is happening to all your trainees? This is pretty hard on ours as they are receiving very little supervision.

cologne4711 · 09/04/2020 17:09

I do some work for a law firm and their trainees are doing research and writing articles as far as I can tell. Employment and dispute resolution are busy, other teams have been asked to drop hours and salaries, and they asked for volunteers for furlough. I suppose people like the receptionists are being furloughed whether they like it or not.

Original poster
andhessixfeetten · 09/04/2020 17:45

" I'm an employment lawyer. Lawyer friends assumed I was busy but I'm not and have now been furloughed. I work for a small high street firm and mostly act for claimants. We have had a million calls from employees about furlough but that isn't work we can charge for. However, I expect our work will pick up once employers start making redundancies....."

seems a pity as you could be building relationships with those potential clients instead of sitting at home doing nothing....

OP posts:
Alwayscheerful · 10/04/2020 08:56

How are divorce cases being affected?

ChrissieKeller61 · 10/04/2020 09:02

How are divorce cases being affected?

Apparently being dragged on

Ledkr · 10/04/2020 09:03

Jumping on the thread.
Can anyone reassure me that a completion date of end of May with a simple chain will stil go ahead.
My ds is shielding in a tiny flat with no garden with his pregnant gf and I'd love to give them some hope.

StrawberryBlondeStar · 10/04/2020 11:54

@Ledkr if your DS is shielding then he’s not going to be able to move until at least 23 June (end of 13 week period).

Ledkr · 10/04/2020 13:44

He can as long as we take certain precautions and the benefits if being able to walk around and get out in the fresh air will outweigh the risk.
The only time he will be out will literally be one move to the new deep cleaned house which will have been stood empty for a week.
He will be in ppe and moved by car