As a result of several anomalies under civil law, a legal profession ,separate from other professions, was not created. The result is that attorneys are able to practice law within institutions with non-lawyers. The consequence is that the Big Four have directly or through affiliated establishments have a legitimate and legal beachhead in the legal services market in a number of European countries. They are now attempting to extend this market penetration worldwide. In 1997, despite this restructuring, the fundamental assumptions remain open as to which groups or groups' clients prefer purchasing legal services.
Lawyers see it as a profession.
As a profession, lawyers have imposed limitations on themselves which limit their capacity to offer competitive and cost-effective legal services. Because clients' needs are not being met, the Big Four are able to provide the business services clients want. In the new global economy, lawyers do not have global operations that are comparable to those of the Big Four. Small practices and networks cannot provide the same resources that managed local offices are able to provide. Therefore, law firms are unable to fully service clients' needs.