Keystone Law: A Study into the Characteristics and Implications of Change in an International Platform Law Firm

This research encompasses a group of legal practitioners in the London based law firm, Keystone Law, a pioneering legal practice, and the first of the so-called platform law firms – one predicated on remote working with a centralised support function. The research is founded upon a qualitative design with an interpretivist perspective. The UK legal marketplace has changed considerably in the last twenty years or so and the Keystone model of business has grown, such that in three years’ time it is estimated that over 25% of lawyers will be employed in such firms (Codex Edge, 2022). This work-based project considers two groups of current Keystone lawyers who joined the firm approximately 10 years apart. Its aim is to ascertain their personal motivations for joining, whether the demographic of such lawyers has changed in the intervening period, and why. An inductive phenomenological approach was employed, looking within each group at lawyers’ personal reasons for moving from the traditional law firm model. Braun & Clarke’s (2006) model of thematic analysis was utilised with each group; identifying four main themes in each data set which were then evaluated. By assessing the themes, it was possible to identify differences in the type of individual joining the firm, furthermore, compare with recent 2022 studies on the rise of the platform firm in the English legal sector. This research observed that the newer recruits tended to be more entrepreneurial; considering other business interests to lie alongside their legal practices, with such lawyers prepared to take more personal risk in the pursuit of work/life balance. The finding of this research is important for the management at Keystone Law when considering future employment requirements in a time of increased applications, as well as whether the future business plans need to consider the changing demographic when addressing future strategy and business efficacy.

Name dc:type.qualificationname

dprof

Level dc:type.qualificationlevel

doctoral

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

University of Wales Trinity Saint David

Year dc:date.issued

2024

Author dc:creator

• Hadley-Piggin, Jonathan

• HD Diwydiannau. Defnydd tir. Llafur
• K Cyfraith (Cyffredinol)

Dc Identifier Grantnumber

UWTSD

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:repository.uwtsd.ac.uk:2906