2023 Predictions

I am heading to year 7 of the Steve Cornforth Consultancy ! Where did the time go? It always was my intention to develop training work for lawyers with back up consultancy support. One surprise has been the growth of Housing work which I first did at the Vauxhall Law Centre in the 1980s! It is now about 65% of my work. But it isn’t everything!

So what are my top 5 predictions for 2023?

1.??????I expect to spend more time helping firms with costs and retainer work and developing strategies to manage the arrival of Fixed Recoverable Costs in the fast track and in Clinical Negligence. I have previously warned that the threat of action by former clients to recover deductions has not gone away after Belsner. In fact, the arrival of FRC will see an increase in the need for deductions. Firms need to be taking action now to ensure that their retainers are carefully drafted.

2.??????I expect to see more ‘moving and shaking’ in the profession. Firms are moving into new areas of work, especially as much of the old ‘bread and butter’ RTA work become less appealing to all but the biggest players. Others will be looking to consolidate and recruit strong players. I certainly expect my small recruitment work to grow!

3.??????Most lawyers are now familiar with Social Media. 10 years ago, I was one of a small number of legal bloggers. This is now important marketing forum for most forward-looking businesses. The pace of technology reform is going to move into the fast lane with a vengeance. I just read an article about an entire novel written vis Chat GPT -

This entire book on Amazon was written by AI, even the illustrations! | by Eser Gozcu | Dec, 2022 | Medium.

I think the days if a blue notebook and BIC Biro are numbered. Pleadings by AI? We have all seen Zoom move from being a handy way of conducting distance meeting to being a verb!

4.??????I don’t expect to see any great changes in the work from home/office debate. Most firms that I work with now seem to have settled into a post lockdown consensus. This involves a mix of say 2 days office/3 days home. Or maybe 3 days office and 2 days home! Interestingly this flexibility has helped with recruitment. It widens the geographical options if travel can be reduced. Having said that, is important that we all have the opportunity interact with real people! I have ranted for years about the need for legal businesses to nurture culture of openness with staff. Any manager will tell you that a problem shared does less damage than a problem hidden. I know that others disagree and prefer the full on option one way or the other!

5.??????A few years ago, many of us were predicting consolidation in the legal profession, with small firms leaving the sector and big players sweeping up. In fact, I now think that the opposite could happen. Increased flexibility, technology, reduced overheads, work – life balance and other factors seem to have led many to set up their own small businesses. I have helped more new start-ups in the last few months than ever before. I expect this to increase gojng forward.

So there we have my random expectations for 2023. It is certainly not going to be a quiet year!

I also predict that Everton will stay up by the skin of their teeth - again!