About us

A no-nonsense team of professionals here to help you succeed.

Who we are

We’re a fast-growing team with over 15 years of experience in-house at global and boutique law firms and patent attorneys. We’ve worked for and with firms of all sizes across almost all practice areas and industries.

We’re known for being straight-talking and creative, and genuinely love what we do – we believe that BD doesn’t have to be difficult (just consistent) and we take great pleasure in seeing our clients succeed.

We’re also big believers in setting clients up for success – we don’t want clients to be tied to us if they don’t want to be. So, every project comes with training and tools to ensure you can implement what you’ve learned for years to come.

What makes us different

Two people meeting about work with charts

Strategic

We pride ourselves on being able to cut through the noise and help you focus on the activities which will have the most significant impact on your business. We do this with thoroughness and depth, but without getting lost in the weeds. Above all, we take the complex, and sometimes onerous, task of BD and make it manageable.

Working with the Life Sciences team of a well-known patent and trademark attorney firm to develop and implement a strategy. We helped them define their target market, and undertook extensive industry research to tell them where they needed to be active, and which emerging markets to focus on. This was all wrapped up into a succinct and bespoke strategy with every task broken down and prioritised.

Dynamic

The legal industry is fast-paced, and firms today are innovating at a speed we’ve never seen before. One of our biggest strengths is our dynamism, which we achieve by two means: a) careful planning of client projects to ensure we can dedicate sufficient time to quickly deliver the results you need, and b) by staying up to date with market movements so you don’t need to worry about upskilling us when you instruct us.

Leading a boutique firm’s directory efforts, which resulted in a first-time listing in the Legal 500. For this client we took the project almost entirely off their hands: interviewing the key partners about every matter and drafting the entire submission from start to finish. The firm got a new ranking for one of its most important practice areas, without any of the heavy lifting.

Two people standing in an office environment
Illustration of a woman at a desk working on a laptop

Creative

One of the advantages of being independent is the ability to be innovative. Where most partners and BD teams can be hindered by past precedents, we’re able to approach every task with an impartial, and often creative, approach which we know will get results. It’s why we work so well with engaged, open-minded clients who prioritise outcomes over tradition.

Developing a bespoke package of BD and marketing training for associates within the Private Client team of a global law firm. The package included six training sessions (which were chosen after consultation with the associates), two one-to-ones for each associate to create their own personal development plan and apply what they learned as they went along. After the six-month programme every associate had a PDP and had learned something new.

Testimonials

“Gemma has become a crucial business partner, combining imagination, curiosity and insight with strategic vision and immensely effective execution skills. She has a rare ability to motivate team members at any levels of a project, and takes great care and responsibility (but always with a light touch) to get the job done, and done with flair, imagination and results.”
Sean Nesbitt - Head of International Employment, Pensions & MobilityTaylor Wessing
“Working with Gemma transformed our approach to making submissions to the legal directories. She made a world of difference to the firm’s submissions. We could not recommend her highly enough.”
PartnerBoutique disputes firm
“Gemma rapidly understands what needs to be done and then delivers it, always with charm and a sense of humour. She has a commercial focus and the intellectual agility to move smoothly between influencing strategic thinking and taking the practical steps for implementation.”
Elizabeth West, former Head of Organisational DevelopmentReddie & Grose
“I have learned so much from Gemma over the past six months and I am so grateful, I don't know where I would be without her support. Having her mentorship has really been invaluable and I have taken so many tips from working with her, from management of meetings, addressing difficult situations and continuous focus on how to get the best out of the team. She is a huge role model to me!”
Business Development ExecutiveLarge law firm
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Meet the team

Picture of Gemma Francis

Gemma

Founder

Gemma is a former Legal 500 researcher and Business Development Manager with over ten years of experience running successful pitches, directory submissions, integrated campaigns, and managing global client relationships for both international and boutique firms in London. Prior to working in the legal sector Gemma studied law, journalism and marketing. Gemma left London to move to France four years ago, which is when GF Consulting was born.

Picture of Megan

Megan

BD & Marketing Advisor

Megan brings over seven years of experience gained in a Top 100 firm in Bristol where she was a Property Litigation Solicitor. In 2021, driven by her desire to travel more, Megan transitioned into the world of marketing and BD and became a freelance adviser, joining GF Consulting in June 2023. Megan’s unique perspective as a former solicitor equips her to understand and tackle the challenges faced by lawyers and law firms in the realm of BD and Marketing.

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