Inside the Minds Working at US Midsize Law Firms: 2025 Priorities Revealed

As we move through 2025, one thing is clear. Midsize law firms are at a pivotal moment of transformation. These firms are facing rising client expectations, increasing operational costs, and a shifting talent landscape that are motivating firms to make bold moves to stay competitive, efficient, and client focused.  

At Actionstep, we are proud to share insights from our third edition of the US Midsize Law Firm Priorities Report, a deep dive into what’s driving decisions in midsize firms this year. Our research captures the priorities, challenges, and opportunities that law firm professionals are navigating. Let’s dive into what we uncovered.  

Who we surveyed 

Our research consisted of 264 law firm professionals across the US including legal staff and administrative support roles. These individuals all work at midsize law firms with employee headcounts of 50 to 250 employees and represent a wide range of practice areas including litigation, family, and criminal. The diversity in responses ensured a well-rounded perspective on sector-wide challenges and a window into the trends shaping midsize firms today.  

The top five priorities for revenue growth in 2025 

When asked about key business priorities for driving revenue, law firm professionals at midsize firms focused on five main areas:  

• Improving client satisfaction (43%) 

• Managing the cost of doing business (41%) 

• Diversifying or adding new practice or service offerings (39%) 

• Recruiting and retaining top talent (38%) 

• Investing in digital transformation and technology (31%) 

These priorities signal a shift away from reactive cost-cutting and toward strategic, client-driven growth. Midsize firms aren’t trying to keep up, they’re looking to lead with better service, smarter operations, and broader offerings.   

Cost management is now a strategic focus 

What stood out to us was managing the “cost of doing business” jumped from 33% in 2024 to 41% in 2025. This is a significant increase that tells us firms are feeling the pressure to operate leaner without sacrificing the quality of their work.  

Interestingly, midsize firms see their size as both a strength and a challenge with 44% saying cost control is an advantage, while 37% say it’s also their top obstacle. This duality highlights the unique position midsize firms occupy: they’re big enough to compete with larger sized firms, yet nimble enough to adapt. But only if they have the right systems in place.  

Client experience is a core growth lever 

Delivering excellent client service isn’t new, but the urgency to improve it has increased. 43% of the law firm professionals surveyed named improving client satisfaction as their top revenue-driving priority, and 63% are actively working on client service areas they’ve identified as needing improvement.  

Even more telling is the number of midsize firms with documented client service expectations, which has grown 33% since 2023, indicating a shift toward more consistency, accountability, and measurable improvement. 

Firms are recognizing that exceptional client experiences aren’t just a nice-to-have, they’re a powerful business growth tool.  

Technology is wanted in midsize law firms, but not the end goal  

The report makes it clear: midsize firms know that investing in the right technology is key to scaling operations, improving service, and reducing costs. 

• 59% of law firm professionals say their firms are “very motivated” to invest in technology in 2025  

• 46% say their firm’s clients would benefit “a lot” from more technology 

• 88% believe technology improves client relationships 

But the reality of daily workloads tells a more complicated story. On average, law firm professionals use 6.6 different tools to manage a matter, leading them to inefficiencies and duplicative work. Unfortunately, 73% agree their current law firm’s tools don’t support how they actually work, and 47% say that a single platform would boost efficiency most. 

So, law firm professionals want better technology, not just more, and midsize law firms need to prioritize tools that connect seamlessly, reduce admin, and support the way their teams operate.  

Automation and AI are emerging differentiators for midsize law firms 

Law firm professionals at midsize firms are starting to embrace AI and automation to reduce low-value work and increase strategic output. The top areas where firms have already experimented with AI include:  

• Legal research (36%) 

• Document drafting (33%) 

• Workflow and task automation (33%) 

What’s more, 54% expect the value of AI to increase in the future, with younger professionals preferring AI capabilities added to their existing tools rather than standalone tools.  

This points us to a growing interest in intuitive automation, technology that really understands a law firm’s workflows, adapts to how certain roles work, and enhances human performance without requiring a technology background.  

Midsize firms are distinct and ready to win 

One of the most important findings from our research is that midsize law firms don’t want to be compared to BigLaw or small firms. They are distinct. 

• 42% say their agility gives them a market advantage 

• Their biggest competitive differentiators? Ability to adapt quickly to market changes, strong business development mindset, and policies to wisely recruit and retain top talent 

Firms that understand and lean into their midsize identity, while building a solid, scalable foundation, are better equipped to meet the demands of today’s legal clients and team members. 

Turning insights into action 

At Actionstep, we believe midsize firms are uniquely positioned to lead the next phase of legal industry evolution. With the right mix of vision, technology, and strategic focus, midsize firms can improve profitability, enhance their client services, and empower teams to succeed.  

Our practice management and legal accounting platforms are designed specifically for midsize firms that want to simplify their operations, improve workflows, and scale sustainably—with intuitive automation, configurability, and interconnected features.  

To dive deeper into the insights that matter to your firm, download the full report here.  

Let’s shape the future of legal work together, book a demo here.