Drawing on insights from 700 legal professionals across multiple markets, LEAP Legal Software’s Profitability in Law: Global Report 2026 explores how firms perceive staff turnover issues and the problem of burnout in their workforce.
The majority of firms (80%) report challenges with staff turnover, with 8% saying it is already having a significant or critical impact on their practice.
Key stats you need to know
- 80% of firms across AU/NZ, UK/IE, and US/CA say staff turnover is a problem for them.
- Firms in AU/NZ were less likely to report staff turnover as an issue compared to firms in other markets.
- 1 in 10 believe that burnout causes retention issues or turnover in their firms.
Staff turnover is an issue for the majority of legal firms globally
- 80% of firms believe that staff turnover is a problem, including 8% that say it is a significant or critical issue.
- 1 in 5 firms say it is not an issue for them.
- AU/NZ firms were less likely to report turnover as a problem (73%) compared to UK/IE (84%) and US/CA firms (84%).
8 in 10 firms globally report problems with staff turnover. While most (40%) reported it to be a minor issue, 8% say losing experienced staff has a significant or critical impact on their firms.
Staff turnover problems are less prevalent in AU/NZ firms (73%) than in their counterparts in the UK/IE and US/CA markets (both 84%), suggesting a more pleasant and flexible working environment in AU/NZ firms. As a partner in an AU-based firm noted, “We look after our staff and provide a great place to work.”
“Turnover may be seen as a minor or moderate challenge, but its impact on continuity, client service, and capability is significant,” said Michael Johnson, Director at Agile Market Intelligence.
“Firms that are managing this effectively tend to differentiate on culture, flexibility, and workload management.”
1 in 10 law firms believe burnout is causing retention issues and turnover
- 10% of firms report burnout is already causing retention and turnover issues.
- 3 in 4 firms (75%) describe burnout as a minor or moderate problem.
- 14% say that burnout is not a problem for their firms, with a higher proportion of AU/NZ firms (16%) sharing the sentiment compared to UK/IE (15%) and US/CA (11%).
Burnout is a major problem for 10% of firms globally and is believed to already be causing retention or turnover issues. The problem is more pronounced in the US/CA and UK/IE markets, where 16% and 11% of firms, respectively, share this sentiment, compared to only 7% in AU/NZ.
On the other hand, a higher proportion of AU/NZ firms (16%) do not see burnout as a concern in their practices than in the UK/IE (15%) and the US/CA (11%). However, a higher proportion of AU/NZ firms (50%) flag burnout as a moderate concern compared to 43% globally, suggesting that the region has widespread awareness of the issue despite not reaching critical levels.
“Burnout is not yet a crisis for most firms, but the fact that it is already driving retention and turnover issues for one in ten highlights a clear and growing risk,” said Michael Johnson.
“Early awareness in Australia and New Zealand markets may prove critical in preventing more severe outcomes.”
About the research
LEAP Legal Software’s Profitability in Law: Global Report 2026 is based on quantitative research conducted by Agile Market Intelligence, reflecting the sentiments of 700 legal professionals across Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Ireland, the United States, and Canada, and collected between 10 and 28 November 2025. The report outlines how strategy, people, technology and AI drive profitability in legal practice, with data-driven recommendations on how to close the gap between profitability potential and execution.
You can download the report here.
