So that was 2025. Just a year, says the calendar, but deep down inside, it felt like a lifetime.

The year, of course, began with the arrival of new occupants at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, in Washington, D.C., a transition of power that continues to reverberate around the world and inside the halls of many professional services firms. Some of the biggest names in the legal sector came under unprecedented fire from the White House.

Executive orders and agreements between the Trump administration and US-based law firms had widespread implications for communications and marketing teams. At the same time, new economic policies were introduced at a head-spinning rate, creating headwinds for businesses around the globe.

While some of these changes were unprecedented, the playbook for communicating opportunities to clients amidst the chaos is not new. We saw firms position themselves as steady sources of sound analysis, communicating trust when it was needed most. Perhaps it’s no surprise that many in the professional services sector are having their most successful financial years.

Of course, nothing in the future is guaranteed. Amid this backdrop, global organizations continued to leverage AI on legal operations, identify opportunities for strategic growth, and find new ways to differentiate their unique offerings in a crowded market. Several themes emerged that are likely to gain momentum in the coming year.

The big AI aim

The big theme for professional services sectors, as with the entire world, continued to be the march of AI. What can it do? What can’t it do? And who is doing what with it?

Judging by the headlines around Harvey’s multiple funding rounds this year, professional services firms are as keen as anyone else to make sure that they are AI-forward. But what about the comms teams?

Our breakfast roundtable in September brought together senior leaders at some of the largest law firms in the world to talk about where communications teams were in terms of their use of AI.

The results were eye opening. Some teams have embraced a highly structured approach, embedding AI at all levels; others are going for a more organic path, evolving their AI usage slowly under umbrella principles. Some of our delegates were convinced that AI was going to change the face of law firm communications, others were confident that only by continuing to let people take the reins of law firm communications would those firms be able to differentiate themselves from the fray.

One thing was agreed: for the time being, AI’s real value is unlocked with a great deal of planning and preparation, which means that it’s not ideally suited to crises. When hairline decisions have to be made at short notice, there’s still no equivalent to human expertise.

Standing out in a crowded market

The thorny issue of brand differentiation came up several times at events we attended this year.

At the Legal Marketing Association’s European conference in July, it was clear from the discussions that professional services firms are talking the talk, not just walking the walk, when it comes to content that cuts through. Content has been king for some time, but in the age of AI, it’s only impactful content, pitched in exactly the right places, that will rise above the fray and get social and media visibility.

For more on communications campaigns that resonate with audiences when and where you want them to, see here.

The merger moment

Given the economic uncertainty that characterised much of 2025, it would have perhaps been reasonable to assume that merger activity might slow. In practice, the opposite has often been true. Despite the headwinds, numerous professional services firms have continued to pursue deals this year, underlining a sustained appetite for strategic growth even in the unsettled conditions.

Transatlantic mergers proved especially popular this year with US firms looking to broaden their footprint in London and across Europe, and UK firms striving to gain a presence in the US to better serve their client base. Other drivers included the pursuit of a broader reach, rising client demands, and the ongoing search for top talent.

It’s clear that any successful merger announcement starts with a clear narrative that articulates the strategic rationale behind the decision and keeps the benefits for clients and stakeholders front and centre.

We’ll be watching closely in the year ahead for any further merger announcements and the communications strategies that accompany them.

And finally

No discussion of the professional services sector in 2025 could go by without a reference to the shifting sands of tax policy in the U.K.

Many of our clients in the sector have been working closely with their own clients over the last year, to navigate the changes brought in by last year’s Budget. As we heard at the Spear’s 2025 conference in May, many internationally mobile individuals and businesses have already chosen to move on to more tax-friendly jurisdictions. There is no doubt that the Government has its work cut out if it wants to convince naysayers.

And what’s the communications takeaway here?

It's this: keep your communications house in order. Both this year’s, and last year’s Budgets, have been trailed by endless leaks, with policies ditched as soon as the angry op-eds start to pour in.

The leak-fests have done nothing for public confidence, with already unpopular measures being flavoured with a distinct whiff of incompetence.

So here’s our key message for 2026: if you’re going to communicate something, communicate it. Be wary of background briefings on key announcements, be wary of leaks in your organization, and try not to post key documents in advance of big announcements.

Happy holidays!