Australia’s legal sector is experiencing a significant transformation, shaped by strategic competition, technological disruption – particularly around GenAI – and an increasing demand for adaptability as firms reimagine how legal services are delivered and valued.
At the end of the 2025 Australian financial year (FY 2025) in June, the market wrapped up one of its most dynamic periods, characterised by intense competition, strategic evolution and technological disruption.
To explore these developments in greater detail, the Thomson Reuters Institute has released the Australia State of the Legal Market 2025 report, a collaborative publication with the Melbourne Law School to provide an in-depth analysis of the changing Australian legal market landscape.
Two Distinct Approaches to Market Leadership
This report uncovers a market divided between two dominant groups pursuing markedly different strategies. The established Big 8 law firms continue to rely on their traditional strengths of reputation and premium rates, while the rapidly emerging Large law firms have started to edge ahead through aggressive growth and scaling initiatives.
When FY 2025 began, Large firms appeared positioned to maintain their momentum of aggressive expansion, consistently outpacing the Big 8. Yet the final months of the financial year brought shifting conditions that may fundamentally alter the competitive landscape moving forward.
Critical Market Insights
Large Firms Challenge Traditional Rankings
Large firms have surpassed the Big 8 in both growth metrics and profitability through aggressive scaling and strategic market share acquisition.
Global Economic Shifts Benefit Established Players
As international conditions shifted, Big 8 firms experienced notable performance improvements while Large firms encountered obstacles.
AI Technology Transforms Operations
Australian legal firms are at the forefront of global AI adoption, utilising cutting-edge technology to enhance operational efficiency, professional development and client service delivery.
Emerging Challenges and Market Pressures
While the sector demonstrates robust performance overall, firms face mounting challenges that demand immediate attention. Talent management has grown increasingly complex as organisations grow and compete for qualified professionals, with direct operating expenses experiencing rapid escalation.
For years, Australian firms have pursued aggressive growth strategies to capitalise on abundant legal demand. As demand growth shows signs of slowing, these firms now face difficult decisions regarding continued workforce expansion and operational costs.
The emergence of GenAI is simultaneously transforming client expectations and disrupting established pricing frameworks, driving firms to reconsider their service delivery models and value propositions. Although GenAI may enhance firms’ capacity to deliver greater value per billable hour, it also presents challenges to traditional service delivery methods and productivity measurement approaches. Australian firms have invested substantially in digital transformation initiatives, and these innovations may soon face their first major market test.
Strategic Imperatives for Future Success
This report demonstrates that adaptability will prove essential for sustained success. Australian law firms must leverage their current profitability to refine operations across all areas – from technology integration to client engagement approaches.
Organisations that embrace transformation and align their business models with evolving client requirements will be optimally positioned to succeed in an increasingly volatile and rapidly changing legal environment. Conversely, firms that assume historical strategies will remain effective may find themselves competitively disadvantaged.
Large law firms have demonstrated the value of embracing change and maintaining a growth-oriented mindset since the pandemic began. However, the Big 8 firms now indicate that another pivotal shift is already underway.
The Path Forward
The future of Australia’s legal market will not be determined solely by firm size or established reputation. The outcome of this competitive race will ultimately depend on how effectively these organisations adapt to evolving market conditions.
