For partners and associates alike, manual work allocation is time-consuming and prone to the mismanagement of resources. In this article, we’ll explore the main challenges partners and associates face at law firms with manual work allocation and how resource management technology is the solution.

1. Associates are siloed due to a lack of partner visibility

For partners, limited visibility into associate capacity, skills, and goals presents a significant challenge in legal work allocation. Without comprehensive data, 36% of partners rely on personal preferences, leading to unconscious bias and unequal opportunities. This inequitable work distribution also undermines a firm's diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives by restricting development opportunities for all associates. 

For associates, this results in being siloed into hyper-specialized roles, limiting their growth and reducing team flexibility. Resource management technology offers a solution for both groups. Partners can access data-driven insights on associate capabilities and capacity, enabling more informed and equitable decisions. Associates can input skills, ambitions, and interests to support their career development. By implementing this technology, firms break down silos and create a more inclusive, dynamic work environment.

“People were pigeonholed into doing a lot of the same work, or they weren’t getting opportunities to do things they wanted to do. [...] The advantages we’ve seen have been instantaneous. Fee earners are so much happier. They are able to access the type of work that they want. If they want to develop in particular areas, they can do that.”

- Sarah Day

Partner at DLA Piper on the benefits of BigHand Resource Management

2. Lawyers are overworked and burning out

While some associates may be overlooked for certain opportunities, many others are at risk of burnout due to uneven workload distribution. Without proper visibility, partners can unintentionally overload certain associates, driving them toward exhaustion. Maintaining a healthy work/life balance is essential, not only for productivity but also for retention, as overworked associates are far more likely to leave. In 2024, 69% of lawyers reported anxiety and 36% reported depression, with 23% of junior associates and 19% of equity partners citing work/life balance as a reason for leaving their firm. 

Traditional resource allocation processes can’t support the balance that both associates and partners need. Resource management technology solves this issue by offering real-time utilization forecasting. Partners can track actual workloads and forecast capacity using real-time data, rather than relying on rigid, pre-determined targets. With this data, partners no longer need to send blanket emails for work requests - they can see which associates are underutilized and assign tasks in a more informed manner.

“The work allocation process has been great to manage capacity levels. It’s easy to communicate at any time whether I can take on additional work or say no, without judgement.”

- Associate

Top 100 Law Firm

3. Client relationships are breaking down

High talent attrition disrupts continuity, with frequent turnover leading to delays as new team members get up to speed. Service breakdown will hit firms hard, with client attrition skyrocketing - 96% of firms have lost clients in the last 12 months, and 29% saw more than 10% client attrition. 

Clients, who invest significant time and money in educating lawyers about their business, increasingly prioritize cost-efficiency, with 33% citing cheaper alternatives as a reason for leaving. There is also a demand for greater transparency, including alignment with DEI principles, with 33% of firms losing clients to competitors that better align with their DEI criteria. 

If partners can’t demonstrate value, clients will find a firm that can. Tech-first firms are gaining the edge, with 64% reporting efficiency improvements after adopting technology in requests for information (RFIs). By implementing a resource management solution, firms can prove their worth and retain more clients.

“It’s crucial for me to understand how a firm is evolving to drive greater efficiencies through technology and greater fairness when it comes to DEI and who is being allocated the work. We’ve seen firms struggle to produce relevant data for this when they don’t have the right technology and reporting in place.”

- Sally Swift

Senior Director, Global Legal Operations & Innovation, NBCUniversal

4. Partners are wasting time and losing money

Manually allocating work isn’t just tedious, it’s costly. Without automated tools, tracking work allocation and associate performance can keep partners mired in admin rather than focusing on valuable strategic initiatives. Our research shows that 12% of partners spend over five hours a week on non-billable work, such as internal administrative work. This is time that could be spent on billable tasks. 

BigHand recently worked with a top 100 law firm in their deployment of BigHand Resource Management. The firm saw outstanding efficiency gains, with a response time of less than one day for 72% of work requests through our platform. Many other firms are seeing efficiency gains with BigHand - at one firm, lawyer utilization increased by 20% and saved seven hours of partner time a week. 

This turnaround saves partners time and ensures associates receive timely and equitable assignments, promoting a more streamlined workflow. In embracing technology, leading firms are driving both efficiency and profit margins while improving the work experience for associates.

“I see great benefits in terms of improvement in utilization [...] it frees us up to go out and do much more client winning and client management.”

- Ann Grewar

Partner, Addleshaw Goddard

Watch how Ann went from “a massive skeptic” to a legal tech champion with BigHand Resource Management

From bias and inefficiency to burnout and client attrition, the challenges of legal work allocation underscore the urgent need for a robust solution. Resource management technology tackles these issues by streamlining work allocation and improving resource utilization. Join the many other partners and associates benefiting from optimized work allocation with BigHand Resource Management by reaching out to one of our experts today.