Interview with Tina Glover, Senior Manager in the Strategic Proposals team at White & Case.
In Part 2 of our interview with Tina Glover, we explore how BD teams can work more strategically with partners, the role of technology in pitching, and how firms can prepare for what’s next.
Meg: For associates and junior partners getting involved in pitching, what small but practical habits can set them up for success?
Tina: First, take time to understand the roles and responsibilities of everyone involved, from the lead partner to the BD team and any support functions. Knowing who is doing what, and assigning tasks in the appropriate way, keeps the process focused and efficient. It also helps avoid duplication or gaps, which can easily derail a pitch under time pressure.
Second, try to approach each pitch with a beginner’s mind. Even if you know the client or have worked on dozens of proposals, stay curious and open to new ideas. Fresh thinking often comes from people who aren’t weighed down by “how we’ve always done it” and can persuade more senior partners to see things differently. Ask questions, challenge assumptions and look for creative ways to do things differently. Even suggesting small changes can shift the conversation in powerful ways.
Meg: What are the most common mistakes you see partners making when working with their pitch or BD teams? And how do you encourage lawyers to see pitching as a strategic activity, and their BD team as a real partner, rather than just admin support?
Tina: A common mistake partners make is involving the BD team too late. In the final stages, BD can polish the document, but it’s too late to add the real strategic value they bring.
Another pitfall is seeing BD as “document producers” rather than strategic advisors. The most successful pitches happen when BD and lawyers collaborate early and when BD are viewed as part of the client relationship team, instead of a support function.
It’s also vital to be clear with BD on scope and objectives. Without context about the opportunity, the client relationship or what success looks like, it’s impossible to produce a cohesive message.
Meg: In your view, how should fees be presented so they support the client conversation rather than overshadow it?
Tina: A well-crafted fee proposal is framed as part of a collaborative discussion about value – how both sides can work together efficiently, transparently and creatively to achieve the best outcome. When fees are presented this way, it shows flexibility, a willingness to listen and a focus on finding solutions that make commercial sense for everyone.
If the emphasis shifts too quickly to numbers on a page, it risks becoming a negotiation rather than a conversation and can also limit opportunities to explore alternative pricing models or efficiencies that might benefit both parties.
Meg: Technology can clearly help with research and content, but what role do you see it playing in improving how firms pitch overall, from collaboration to delivery?
Tina: Technology has an increasingly important role in how firms pitch. The best tools create efficiency and consistency, but can also create value in other ways, like helping teams across offices and time zones to collaborate. At their best, these platforms become shared spaces for building ideas, not just for storing templates. Technology can also enable smarter decisions – by tracking outcomes, client feedback and win rates, firms can spot trends and continuously refine their approach.
I think the key thing to remember about technology, is that it is more an enabler than a differentiator. It shouldn’t replace human input, but it can give people more time to think strategically, tailor their message and connect meaningfully with clients which is still where the real impact happens.
Meg: Looking ahead, how do you think pitching might evolve over the next five years, and how should firms start preparing now?
Tina: I think pitching will become less about glossy documents and more about demonstrating value and efficiency. Clients are still under pressure to do more with less, so they’ll expect firms to show how they can deliver work through repeatable, tech-enabled processes that save time and reduce cost without sacrificing quality. AI will clearly play a growing role, but the way firms apply it will be more important than the technology itself.
Firms will also need to get better at capturing and presenting meaningful outcomes; evidencing their claims rather than just relying on the narrative.
I think the seamless client experience will also become a real differentiator. From first contact to final follow-up, the firms that win will be those that make it simple, transparent and enjoyable to engage with.
Even if you know the client or have worked on dozens of proposals, stay curious and open to new ideas. Fresh thinking often comes from people who aren’t weighed down by ‘how we’ve always done it.’
With almost 25 years’ in the legal sector, including time as a qualified solicitor and over a decade in pitching and business development, Tina brings a unique mix of experience helping legal and business development teams create efficiencies and optimize the way they work.
