All hands needed for regional firms to retain competitive edge

More than a half of law firms in Birmingham have vacancies which they are finding hard to fill, a survey of the region's financial and advisory sector has found.The survey commissioned by Birmingham & Solihull TEC and lobby group Birmingham Forward found that 55% of law firms reported hard-to-fill vacancies, a little below average in the sector.

But it said the region has a lower level of vacancies in the sector than is generally the case across the UK.All those with hard-to-fill vacancies said it was having a detrimental effect on their businesses in terms of loss of business, lower quality of service, restricted business development, damaged staff morale and increased running costs.The survey said there are 314 law firms in Birmingham and Solihull, making up 7.2% of the employers in the sector.

Five firms have in excess of 200 staff, 20 have 50-199, 101 have 10-49 and 184 have fewer than 10.A third of law firms forecast strong growth over the next few years, and the report concluded that the financial and advisory sector is set for an employment boom in the next ten years; currently employing 90,000 people, there are a further 56,000 new jobs predicted in that time.

But these jobs will not automatically be created in the region, the report warned.

'Technological advances and a complacent attitude by business bosses could lead to the region missing out on the golden growth opportunity,' it said.Diane Benussi, a leading family lawyer in the region, and Robert Halton, director of human resources at the Birmingham office of DLA, were on the taskforce behind the report.Meanwhile in Manchester, the solicitor chairman of Pro Manchester, which promotes the city's professional community, has called on local businesses to utilise local professional resources.

Speaking at the organisation's annual dinner, Edward Pysden, a partner at Eversheds, said: 'We have been working hard over the last 12 months to get the message across to businesses that all the advisory skills they need are right here on their doorstep.

The professional community is the city's largest employer, with over 56,000 people, so there is no need to go to London for advice, particularly on deals.'

Neil Rose