How sole practitioners and SME firms can stay competitive in a changing legal landscape

The first-of-its-kind event will feature three streams dedicated to sole practitioners and SME law firms, general counsel, and BigLaw.

The boutique and bar stream is designed for professionals ready to embrace change, with smaller firms ideally positioned to deliver agile, accessible, and AI-powered services to stand out in a competitive legal market.

The Australian Law Forum will arm legal professionals with the practical tools and insights needed to understand the evolving landscape and capitalise on emerging opportunities.

Hosted in partnership with principal partner Thomson Reuters, the forum will take place on Thursday, 14 August 2025, at The Star in Sydney. Click here to buy tickets.

How boutiques will benefit

VIEW ALL

SME firms and barristers are operating in a market defined by change. The spectre of AI and automation looms large, while new market entrants, evolving client expectations and blurred professional boundaries are reshaping how legal services are bought and delivered.

The Australian Law Forum offers a session examining how smaller practices are navigating these external pressures. During the session, the expert panellists will discuss what competitive dynamics are at play and how legal professionals can embrace emerging opportunities for collaboration in a legal market insistent on change.

The session will also dive into how traditional roles are shifting as boutique firms increasingly integrate AI and automation systems into their workflows.

Approximately 41 per cent of small and medium enterprises are currently integrating AI, according to recent data from the Minister for Industry and Innovation and Minister for Science Tim Ayres’ AI Adoption Tracker.

The rapid escalation of AI and automation is already redefining results, with 22 per cent of businesses seeing improvements in decision-making speed, and another 18 per cent noting increased productivity.

These developments present a real opportunity for smaller firms to ride above their weight and compete on a larger scale.

However, alignment with SME firms’ unique operational needs is critical when integrating AI. SME law firms don’t have the resources to experiment on the same scale as larger firms and, therefore, must be precise when assessing the real-world benefits of automation beyond the hype.

In an increasingly technology-dependent market, smaller firms and barristers must maintain their unique identity. The final panel in the boutique and bar stream will outline how firms can succeed without losing sight of the values that underpin an authentic, sustainable practice.

The panels:

• Stepping out of the shadows: The competitive forces affecting smaller practices

• The art of technology integration: Adapting to the new state of play

• Strategy over size: Human-centred approaches to a technology-motivated world

Speakers:

• Adam Butt, barrister, 8 Wentworth Chambers

• Yogesh Patel, head of family and estate, InfoTrack

• Sharon Kermath, barrister, Barrister at Law

• Laina Chan, barrister, 2 Selborne Chambers

• Renee Roumanos, principal solicitor, Renee Roumanos Legal

More speakers will be announced in the coming weeks – stay tuned for updates here.

The event will conclude with a lunch and networking session for attendees and speakers to collaborate following the sessions.

To learn more about how sole practitioners and SME law firms are adapting to change, come along to the Australian Law Forum 2025.

The Australian Law Forum will be held on Thursday, 14 August 2025, at The Star in Sydney. Click here to secure your tickets.

To learn more about the forum, including the agenda and speakers, click here.