Dear colleague,

From the early stages of the continuing pandemic, the Council of the Law Society resolved to support member firms through the immediate crisis and into the next phase: business recovery. We also agreed that the support offered by the Society had to be part of an evidence-based, coherent plan.

To inform this plan, the Business Recovery research was conducted by Crowe on our behalf between March and May of 2021. The research explored solicitors’ experiences of the business impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and the type of member supports required from the Society and Government into the future.

Today, I am sharing the resulting Business Recovery Survey Report.

Concerns about future impact

As you might imagine, the report shows that high levels of impact from Covid-19 have been experienced by practices. The impact varies across practice areas but financial pressures were consistent throughout.

Responses and solutions to working

Practitioners have adapted quickly to innovative new ways of working such as remote working, remote client interaction and adoption of digital processes. The benefits of this transformational shift in use of new technologies were widely reported.

Members reported that the use of information and communications technology (73%) and changed work practices (65%) will have the most positive impact on their businesses in the next six to 12 months. The report recommends that the Society:

• creates and facilitates more connections within the sector, stakeholders and representative organisations,

• supports the profession in new ways of working to take advantage of digitalisation trend in legal services, and

• regularly reviews, evaluates and monitors the economic environment.

Continuing impact

This report demonstrates that the continuing impact of Covid-19 will require ongoing agility and resilience for some time. What is most encouraging is how adaptable practitioners have been in using new technologies and ways of working.

The Council of the Law Society has approved the Report, and implementation plan. You can find out more about these on the Law Society website. I will also keep you informed about the progress of this work through future Bulletins. I encourage everyone to read the Report.

• Download the Business Recovery Survey Report

Finally, I thank our committed and effective Practice Support Task Force, and everyone who contributed to this research.

With kind regards,

Michelle Ní Longáin,

President