Published at the IBA’s 2025 Annual Conference, ‘Navigating Global Growth’ shows how independent firms are matching global players through agility, collaboration and trusted cross-border networks
London and Toronto, 3 November 2025 – A new report published at the International Bar Association’s 2025 Annual Conference in Toronto, Canada, highlights the growing importance of independent law firms in cross-border instructions. It sets out the ways independent firms are competing, and collaborating, with global law firms.
‘Navigating Global Growth: A Playbook for Independent Law Firms’ draws on insights from law firms across the Americas, Europe, offshore jurisdictions, the Middle East and Africa, revealing how their networks, business development strategies and client service models drive both competition and collaboration.
The report was compiled by London-based PR and reputation consultancy MD Communications. Among its findings:
- 91%of independent firms report that many international clients become repeat clients, based on a European survey sample.
- For 83%of independent firms surveyed, up to a quarter of their instructions can be traced to contacts and networks built through the International Bar Association.
- 62%of independent firms have clients who previously used international firms in their jurisdiction.
- Independence emerges as an advantage, not a limitation.
- A third of independent law firms have direct experience of international law firms leaving gaps in the market because of conflicts.
Melissa Davis, founder and chief executive of MD Communications, said: “The firms we spoke to are redefining what global growth looks like. It’s no longer about scale or office count -it’s about trust, agility and the quality of relationships. The IBA community plays such a vital role in that, giving firms a platform to learn from each other and build the relationships that underpin real cross-border collaboration.”
Matt Cockburn, Managing Partner at Torys LLP, Canada, said: “Independent firms have a vital role in the global legal market. Our ability to collaborate seamlessly across borders without the constraints of a single global structure allows us to deliver the right expertise for every client and every deal. Canada’s legal sector has always been outward-looking, and our clients’ ambitions reflect that as almost every transaction we handle today has an international dimension. What unites strong independents is a shared commitment to quality, trust and enduring relationships that transcend geography.”
Jeff Davis, General Counsel at Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan, who wrote the report’s afterword, calls independent firms “equally deserving of our attention as the larger international players,” highlighting their growing importance to global clients.
Sarah Carnegie, Director of Legal Projects at the IBA, added: “Small and medium-sized independent firms – those with under 50 partners – are hugely important members of the IBA, representing 44% of our global group membership. The involvement of local firms ensures that the IBA remains truly representative of the worldwide legal profession, to further its aim of being the global voice of the profession.”
Melissa Davis added: “It’s particularly special to launch this report in Canada, a jurisdiction that embodies the global mindset of independent firms. We’re delighted to welcome IBA delegates to Toronto and to share these insights at such an important moment for the profession worldwide.”
A full copy of the report can be downloaded here.
NOTES TO EDITORS
‘Navigating Global Growth: A Playbook for Independent Law Firms’ was compiled using interviews, written contributions and survey data across 10 jurisdictions in early Autumn 2025.
