Legal Week has set out to discover which law firms are most innovative in the eyes of their clients with the launch of the 2015 Best Legal Adviser survey.

The survey, which is in its 12th year, has been updated to test whether the drive by commercial firms to improve their efficiency and modernise – especially through more innovative use of technology – is resonating with clients.

Respondents will include GCs at FTSE 350 and Global 500 companies as well as attendees at Legal Week's Corporate Counsel Series of in-house events: Legal Week Corporate Counsel Forum, which took place at the Four Seasons Hampshire on 24-25 September, and its sister events in Dubai, Johannesburg, Hong Kong and Singapore.

Respondents are being asked to rate how the firms they instruct are performing across a range of measures, carefully chosen to encapsulate overall client service.

Alongside questions on the quality of legal advice, fee arrangements and value-added services, GCs will also be asked to rate their firms' use of e-billing, automation and low cost legal centres. In all, there are 12 measures (see box), including, for the first time, 'value for money', a consideration that is becoming increasingly important as clients come under pressure to manage dwindling budgets effectively.

Jonathan Smith, interim chief legal officer at Metaswitch Networks and an associate at consultants LBC Wise Counsel, was among a number of general counsel, consultants, partners and business development directors who advised on the survey questions.

He said: "While the level of fees charged has always been important, GCs will increasingly prefer law firms who offer transparent flexible fee arrangements which match their own budget needs.  And as their employers look for more business focus from their GCs, so will GCs look for firms that get closer to their businesses and take a commercial approach."

Tony Williams, founder of consultants Jomati, added: "I think law firms are getting better at pricing and being flexible on fees and they are also doing more project management and reducing their fees for routine work. But we're still in the foothills of this and my feeling is that law firms need to get more proactive in their dealings with GCs: not just asking them what they want and providing it but having grown up conversations about their challenges and coming up with original solutions."

In recognition of the continued importance of traditional, partner-level contact, Legal Week's research arm, Legal Week Intelligence, is also asking respondents to name their favourite partners. The most-cited partners will be shortlisted for Client Partner of the Year at the British Legal Awards on 25 November.

Last year's winners were Norton Rose Fulbright corporate partner Jonathan Herbst and David Jackson, head of Shoosmiths' technology, media and communications practice.

Meanwhile, the top performing law firms in the survey will named Best Legal Advisers 2015.

Julia Chain, RPC Consulting's newly appointed director of general counsel services, said the survey results would also be useful for general counsel, who receive a respondents' copy of the research.

"It's very helpful when partners and firms are identified, for better or worse, and this is often difficult to do in a confidential space.  Personal recommendation is very powerful and I think this type of information will be useful for GCs.  
 
"I also think a focus on automation and technology is important. Everyone is talking about the need for e-billing or matter management and the like but it will be interesting to see how many GCs have actually taken the plunge."

We have now finished collecting feedback from 1,000 in-house lawyers. The report is being written by senior journalist Dominic Carman – it is available to purchase now and will be published in January 2016.

Click here to find out more about Legal Week research.

For more information about the survey email [email protected]