Beyond the document: Rethinking how law firms pitch (Part 1)

Interview with Tina Glover, Senior Manager in the Strategic Proposals team at White & Case.

Pitching is one of the most important ways law firms can demonstrate value to prospective clients, yet it’s also an area where mistakes are common. Too often, proposals are treated as standalone documents focused on formatting and fees, rather than as part of a wider relationship-building process that starts with understanding the client’s goals.

To explore what best practice looks like and how technology is shaping the future of pitching, we spoke with Tina Glover, Senior Manager in the Strategic Proposals team at White & Case, responsible for managing and implementing the firm’s pitch content, infrastructure and technology solutions.

In Part 1 of our conversation, Tina shares what the most successful partners do differently when pitching, and how mindset, structure and preparation can transform outcomes.

Meg: From your perspective, what do the most successful partners do differently when approaching a pitch opportunity? Are there habits or approaches you’ve seen that consistently make a difference?

Tina: The most successful partners I’ve worked with treat each pitch as a genuine opportunity to connect, not just a document to deliver. They invest time to understand the client and use that insight to shape everything: the team, the tone of the proposal and the win strategy. Even if they know the client already, they’re not afraid to look beyond their own experience for more insight.

On the process side, partners that know their role and take the lead when it matters, can make a huge positive impact. Bringing the right people together, aligning other key partners on scope and making sure everyone involved understands the value of their contribution – these behaviours build momentum, clarity and a cohesive team, helping everyone pull in the same direction towards a common goal.

Finally, they always follow up. Win or lose, they ask for feedback. The best partners see pitching not as an individual task, but as part of an ongoing conversation to continually strengthen and deepen the relationship.

Meg: How important is it to have a conversation with the client before putting together a proposal? What are the key things you’d want to learn from that discussion to make the pitch really relevant?

Tina: It’s absolutely crucial to have a conversation with the client before putting a proposal together. Clients expect questions; they see them as a positive sign of engagement,

enthusiasm for the work and a genuine desire to tailor the response rather than send a generic document.

I would want to know their business drivers, challenges and what’s keeping them up at night. It’s also really important to get crystal clear on scope. Misunderstanding scope can derail a pitch and seriously damage credibility.

Even if it’s a long-standing client, it’s still worth having the conversation. Things move quickly – people change roles, new pressures emerge, priorities shift. Checking in shows that you’re not making assumptions and that you value the relationship enough to keep listening.

Finally, use the discussion to understand how the client evaluates proposals and who really influences the decision. Procurement teams, for example, can have far more sway than many realise. Getting clarity on this early, helps you shape a pitch that speaks to the right people.

Meg: What makes a pitch stand out from the client’s perspective, beyond just demonstrating legal expertise? Are there small touches or approaches that tend to leave an impression?

Tina: There are a few ways to think about what makes a pitch stand out – from how the written document lands to how the in-person or virtual presentation feels.

On the written side, balance and clarity are everything. Being too vague leaves clients unconvinced, while overly granular or technical detail can lose them altogether. Even the most sophisticated clients don’t want a mini legal opinion – they want you to get to the heart of the issue quickly, show you understand their pain points and explain how you can help.

For presentations, there is one golden rule: rehearse. Clients notice how you interact, whether you listen, share airtime and show mutual respect. Rehearsing refines that dynamic and helps you present as a cohesive team.

After dozens of proposals and meetings, what clients remember most is the overall experience: how you make them feel, how clearly you communicate and how genuinely you connect. It’s that lasting impression often tips the balance.

Meg: We often see proposals where the messaging gets lost under the structure and formatting. How do you balance the need for a neat, professional document with keeping it personal and client-focused?

Tina: A clear, well-structured and professional-looking document is absolutely important, especially if the client has requested a specific format. It shows respect for their process

and makes it easier for them to navigate your proposal. But structure and design should never take centre stage over the content itself. A beautifully formatted proposal that doesn’t speak directly to the client’s needs will never win the work.

I always start with content first, focusing on crafting relevant, tailored messaging that addresses the client’s specific challenges and objectives. Once that’s right, I’ll shape it around whatever structure or formatting requirements the client has set. Often, the two will inform each other – structure can guide the flow of your thinking, but the substance is what truly matters.

Meg: In your experience, how much weight does the pitch document itself carry compared with the conversations and relationship-building that happen around it?

Tina: In my experience, the pitch document itself rarely wins the work on its own. For firms on an equal footing, it’s extremely difficult to differentiate on paper.

Of course, you still want your proposal to make an excellent impression: clear, relevant and well presented, but what truly helps a firm stand out is the effort made to connect with the client on a more human level. It’s about building trust and rapport, showing genuine curiosity about their business, and engaging in conversations that feel thoughtful and personal rather than transactional.

Yes, there’s often a fairly scientific evaluation exercise at the start of a pitch process to ensure basic requirements are met. But beyond that, decisions are emotional. Clients choose people they like, respect and believe will make their lives easier. The pitch document may open the door, but the relationship and how you make the client feel is what gets you through it.