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What Law Firm Expenses Lead to Growth?

How law firms spend money can shape future growth and success. Spending decisions can set the foundation for sustained growth and competitive advantage—or hold firms back from reaching their full potential.

By determining where money is being spent and whether law firm investments are translating to improved performance, law firms can make informed decisions that support their growth and long-term success.

  • CH4 - Icon - Technology Spending

    Technology spending is rising

    Firms have increased spending 20% each year

  • CH4 - Icon - Productive Firms

    Productive firms spend even more on tech

    …and are 21% more profitable

  • CH4 - Icon - Solos Spending

    Solos lead spending increases

    Solo lawyers are increasing their technology spend at 2x the industry average

“Law firm spending has been increasing across the board since 2012—and outpacing the average inflation rate of 2.6% over the same period.”

Firms are investing more in technology

Since 2013, firms have increased their spend on software by an average of 20% each year—at a greater pace than growth in revenue.

The most productive firms spend more on technology and marketing

Firms with utilization rates above the industry average of 33%—which amounts to 3 hours of billable hours per day—spend 12% more on software and 41% more on marketing. These firms are also 21% more profitable.

The most productive firms spend more on technology and marketing

“The growth in software spending has surpassed growth in revenues.”

Solo law firms are quickly accelerating their technology spend

Solo lawyers spend the least of their overall expenses on technology, but their spending on software is growing at a rate of 56%—more than twice the industry average.

 

“New advancements in technology—and AI in particular—stand to have dramatic influence on efficiency and success in law firms.”

Read more into law firm expenses and growth

Download the full analysis on law firm expenses and growth to get:

  • Detailed comparisons on where firms invest
  • A closer look on what types of technologies firms invest in most
  • How firms prioritize their marketing budgets
  • And much more…
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FAQs

What do law firms spend money on?

Law firms spend their money on a range of expenses that include investments in its people through salaries, as well as other day-to-day costs that include rent, marketing, technology, insurance, and more.

What is the typical overhead of a law firm?

A typical overhead for a law firm can vary depending on its size and needs. For example, firms that invest in technologies like cloud-based practice management software can store all of their documents electronically, saving them the need to spend on office rents to house all of their files.

What should law firms spend money on?

Firms should spend their money on expenses that are best suited to helping firm owners achieve their goals. What this looks like for individual firms will vary, but having processes in place to spend wisely and measure impact will help ensure that each investment is having its intended impact.

Legal Trends Report published by Clio

The Legal Trends Report provides information on the most important issues faced within the legal profession. By analyzing aggregated and anonymized data from tens of thousands of legal professionals in the US, supported by extensive survey research, the report offers unique insights into law firm efficiencies, hourly rates, and other key metrics for success.