Actionstep Publishes 2026 UK Midsize Law Firm Priorities Report
UK Midsize Law Firms Chasing Growth but Overlooking Client Satisfaction, New Research Finds
[London], [19 March 2026] — Actionstep, a leading provider of cloud-based law firm operations software supporting nearly 5,000 law firms globally, today published its 2026 UK Midsize Law Firm Priorities Report, revealing a market investing heavily in technology while underestimating the revenue impact of client experience.
Actionstep’s third annual Report provides detailed analysis of the investment priorities, operational pressures, and competitive dynamics shaping the UK mid-market legal sector.
Conducted in partnership with specialist legal publication LPM, the research gathered insights from 52 law firm leaders, including managing partners, CEOs, COOs, finance directors, and heads of IT, risk, and people functions, across firms with between 20 and 300 employees.
The findings reveal a market in confident growth mode, with digital transformation (66%) and talent investment (70%) firmly at the top of the agenda. The Report also identifies a critical strategic blind spot: despite cross-selling and client retention being cited as a primary growth driver by 57% of respondents, only 30% say improving client satisfaction is a top priority for driving revenue growth.
Key 2026 Report findings include:
- 66% cite digital transformation as a top priority for 2026, up from 46% in 2025
- 57% identify cross-selling and client retention as a primary growth driver, yet only 30% say improving client satisfaction is a revenue priority
- 63% are implementing or considering automation, with 38% calling greater automation “essential” within 12 months
- 26% are actively using legal-specific AI—triple the figure recorded in 2025, but 64% say AI use remains individual rather than embedded in firm-wide workflows
- 36% of leaders identified an “AI transparency gap”, stating they do not know how their clients feel about AI being used in service delivery.
- 55% report friction in client onboarding and compliance; 43% in financial and cashflow management
“Midsize firms have a genuine competitive advantage: closer relationships, clearer points of contact, and stronger continuity,” said Oliver Tromp, Regional VP, UK at Actionstep. “But relationship-led service alone is no longer sufficient to meet rising client expectations around speed, transparency, and accessibility. The firms outperforming their competition underpin their personal service strengths with connected, automated workflows, turning individual relationships into scalable, consistent service delivery.”
The full 2026 UK Midsize Law Firm Priorities Report is available to download here. A detailed write-up with additional findings and details can be viewed here. Actionstep’s 2026 Australian Midsize Law Firm Priorities Report was released in February with the US edition due to be published in April.
About Actionstep
Actionstep is the leading law firm management platform for midsize firms around the world. Built to adapt to a firm’s unique strengths and goals, Actionstep empowers firms to modernise operations and build lasting advantages in the legal marketplace. Connected capabilities like client intake, matter management, document management and automation, time tracking, billing, legal accounting, and business reporting, support nearly 50,000 users globally. Learn more and request a demo at www.actionstep.com.
For more information, press inquiries, or to arrange an interview, please contact:
Jobst Elster
Envision Agency
elster@envisionagency.com
+1 (850) 459-4947
