Align your BD strategy with the new financial year: simple steps for legal professionals
The start of a new financial year is a great moment to hit pause, reflect, and refresh your BD strategy after what is usually a hectic year-end. Most lawyers jump straight into the new year without a second thought, but checking in on your strategy now can set you up for stronger client relationships and better results over the next 12 months. Here are five straightforward ways to make sure your BD activity is working hard for you in the year ahead. 1. Look back before you move forward Start by taking stock of what’s worked (and what hasn’t) over the past year. What activities brought in new clients or strengthened existing relationships? Where did you invest time but saw little return? Be honest about the gaps so you can make changes that count. 2. Set goals that are clear and achievable It’s tempting to set broad goals like ‘win more work’, but the more specific you are, the easier it is to stay focused. Think in terms of what you want to achieve and by when. That might be growing your client base in a certain sector, improving retention, or increasing your visibility in legal directories. Try using the SMART approach (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) to shape your goals into something practical and trackable. 3. Be realistic about your time Busy client demands can often push BD down the to-do list. If that sounds familiar, it helps to think small and consistent. You don’t need hours each week to make an impact – just 10 or 15 minutes spent writing a LinkedIn post, checking in with a contact, or sharing a relevant article can go a long way. If you’re short on time, this article – Short on time? 6 quick BD tips that won’t eat into your chargeables – has some helpful ideas. 4. Don’t underestimate the power of the follow-up Sometimes, it’s not the initial outreach but the follow-up that brings in the work. Whether it’s a quick email after a networking event or a check-in with a dormant contact, staying in touch shows you’re proactive and thoughtful – two qualities clients, prospects and intermediaries really value. Besides, everyone is busy – make their lives easier by giving them a nudge. 5. Put your clients front and centre Finally, take a step back and look at your approach from your clients’ perspective. What challenges are they facing right now? Where can you offer value beyond your usual service lines? When you shift the focus from what you want to sell to what they need to solve, you build stronger, more trusted relationships – and that’s what really drives long-term success. In summary You don’t need to overhaul everything to make an impact – just a few smart adjustments can set you up for a successful year. Reflect on the last 12 months, be clear about what you want to achieve, and make BD manageable within your schedule. Most importantly, keep your clients’ needs at the heart of your efforts. That’s where the real value lies.
Tip of the month: Finding your niche
Lawyers often resist niching because they fear limiting their opportunities. But the truth is 1) finding your niche doesn’t mean you can’t do other work, and 2) it also doesn’t mean there won’t be enough work out there for you. It does mean that you’re focusing your marketing efforts on the areas where you want to become a recognised expert or thought leader, and it’s likely to have a bigger impact. Still not convinced? Keep reading: Why should you niche? Your message becomes clearer and resonates more with your target audience (see our image – if you’re speaking to everyone you’re speaking to no one). You can command a premium by being seen as a specialist. Marketing becomes more efficient and focused. Clients with specific needs can identify and trust you more easily. It’s easier for you to become a real specialist because you’re dealing with the same types of work and issues routinely. How to do it Look at your existing work – what types of matters do you enjoy most? Where do you already have strong experience? Identify patterns in your client base – are you frequently advising a particular industry, type of client, or issue? Consider profitability and demand – some practice areas are easier to grow than others. Focus on where you can add the most value. Test and refine your positioning – start by tailoring your LinkedIn, website, and BD conversations towards your chosen niche. Double down on thought leadership – speak, write, and post about your niche consistently to build authority and recognition. Final thought: The best niches aren’t just about what you do, but who you help and how you differentiate. Get specific, and you’ll stand out.
What clients want: Survey results from the Law Firm Marketing Club
A recent survey on what law firm clients want, need, and expect by Law Firm Marketing Club revealed some clear themes (and some shockers). Read on for some easy opportunities for firms and lawyers to improve their client relationships and retention. 1. Clients aren’t being asked for feedback This isn’t surprising to us, but it is still shocking, nonetheless. Nearly 50% of clients said they were never asked for feedback, and 21% didn’t remember. This means firms are clearly missing a huge opportunity to understand what clients actually think. Practical fix: Make feedback a standard process – whether through short firm surveys, informal/ post-deal check-ins, or third-party interviews. The best firms don’t just assume they’re doing well; they ask. Don’t shy away from asking out of fear or hesitation; it’s a demonstration of how much you value the relationship (and in fact Gemma wrote a post on this recently – see here). 2. Firms are losing clients without realising why 37% of clients switched firms because they didn’t realise their original firm handled other legal areas. That’s a clear cross-selling failure, and money down the drain. Practical fix: Be proactive in educating clients about your full-service offering. A simple email, LinkedIn post, or mention in a conversation could prevent them from looking elsewhere. Keep it tailored though – no one wants war and peace about practice areas or services that aren’t relevant. 3. Credibility matters (and directory rankings play a role) 66% of clients say Legal 500 and Chambers rankings are vital or preferable when choosing a law firm. External recognition is an important trust factor. There is a lot of chat about this in the market at the moment, and lots of conflicting research; our advice is not to boycott them unless you’re sure this isn’t important to your clients and prospects. Do your own research. Practical fix: If your firm is ranked, use it. Showcase rankings on your website, LinkedIn, pitches, and email signatures. If you’re not ranked, focus on building client testimonials and case studies as alternative proof of expertise. The bottom line? Most of these improvements require small tweaks, not overhauls. A few strategic changes can strengthen client relationships and stop business from walking out the door.
Top 5 tips for starting your year right
Kick off your BD year with purpose – whether you’re setting ambitious targets or simply looking to improve on last year’s efforts. We spoke to Kerry Jones, Executive Coach for Lawyers and Founder of Kerry Jones Coaching, who has helped countless lawyers set and achieve meaningful goals. Here are Kerry’s top five tips to set yourself up for BD success in 2025: 1. Start with honest self-reflection “The first exercise I do with my lawyer clients is to help them ‘take stock’.” Before setting new goals, take stock of the past year. Ask yourself: What went well? What did I enjoy? What didn’t go as planned? By understanding your wins and lessons learned, you’ll be better placed to set meaningful, achievable goals. 2. Set goals you’re excited about “Ask yourself: ‘Do these goals excite me? Do I REALLY want to achieve them this year?’” Choose goals that genuinely excite you. Think about what you want to achieve, why it matters, and how it will positively impact your career or life. Popular goals for lawyers often include: Income targets Expanding your client base Increasing your visibility (internally and externally) 3. Build accountability into your plan “Accountability is a game-changer in both personal and professional life, so it makes sense that if we really want something, we build it in.” Regular check-ins with yourself, a trusted colleague, or a coach can significantly improve your chances of success. Set quarterly reviews to assess progress. Consider using an accountability partner to stay on track. Reward yourself when you hit key milestones.
Small Habits, Big Wins: The 3 in 30 Challenge
As we kick off the year, we’re challenging you to make 2025 the year of consistent, small wins that build momentum for the rest of the year. Introducing our “3 in 30 Challenge”. Why 3? Trifecta represents three things that we believe will increase your knowledge and make you better at BD, so we’ve set a challenge of three small actions that you can commit to for the next 30 days. By focusing on just three things, you’ll keep it manageable, and these small wins will stack up over time. So, here’s your challenge: Choose 3 things to do every day, or 3 things you’ll commit to over the course of 30 days. These should be small, achievable actions that will help you make steady progress in your business development and build great habits for the year ahead. Here are some ideas to get you started: 1. Connect with one person a day Reach out to someone in your network each day – whether it’s a colleague, client, or new contact. A quick message to check in, wish them a happy new year, or share a helpful article helps strengthen relationships and keeps you top of mind. 2. Set aside time for reflection or planning Take just 15-30 minutes weekly to review your BD goals. Check progress, adjust focus if needed, and stay on track with your plan. 3. Share one insight or resource a week Once a week, share an article, report, or valuable insight with your network or team. This positions you as a helpful resource and builds your profile as a trusted advisor. These small, everyday actions may seem minor, but when done consistently, they can yield significant results over time. The key is to stay consistent, even when life gets busy. As we’ve seen from other successful professionals, it’s the small habits that eventually lead to big wins. So, what will your 3 in 30 be? Share your challenge with us and let’s hold each other accountable! We’re excited to see how these small habits will help you make 2025 a year of big wins.
Disappointed with your 2025 rankings? Read on
Amongst the influx of celebratory LinkedIn posts, a good number of individuals or teams are usually disappointed with their rankings. Perhaps they feel their submission didn’t reflect the strength of their practice, or their referees didn’t deliver the feedback they were expecting. Legal directory rankings can be a powerful tool for your practice, so when results fall short of expectations, it’s natural to question where things went wrong. For many firms, paying the directories for feedback isn’t an option. However, there are some practical steps you can take to troubleshoot and improve your future submissions without the extra expense. Here are some potential issues that may have contributed to your ranking falling short. Referees You didn’t warm up your referees Did you remind your referees ahead of time that they’d be contacted, and explain why their feedback was so important? Your referees were too senior or too busy to respond Did you select referees who were realistically available to respond promptly, rather than those who might not prioritise the request? Your referees were listed by multiple firms Chambers generally contacts referees only once per submission cycle, even if multiple firms list them. Due to their ‘3-month rule,’ referees will not be re-contacted within three months of their last feedback request. If you selected referees who were also listed by other firms, they may not have provided feedback specifically on your submission. Learn more about Chambers’ approach to referees here. You didn’t provide enough referees Did each leading individual have at least three strong referees who could vouch for their capabilities? Your referees weren’t briefed Did your referees understand what to expect and know the key areas they should focus on in their feedback? Leading individuals and team members You didn’t have enough leading individuals Legal 500 recognises and highlights leading individuals who demonstrate consistent, high-quality work and impact in their field. If your submission lacked a sufficient number of these standout individuals, it may not have reflected your firm’s full strength. Did you identify and feature enough key individuals who could be distinguished as leaders? Your leading individuals didn’t have enough references Were your leading individuals each supported by at least three quality referees, ideally connected to standout matters? The rest of the team members weren’t well-represented It’s easy to centre your matters around your leading individuals, but you also need to demonstrate depth and breadth for the wider team. It needs to be a balancing act. Referees weren’t tied to your standout matters At least some of your referees should be able to speak to significant, high-value matters you have handled. Quality is more important than quantity (particularly when it comes to the Legal 500 where there is no cap on referees). Matter descriptions You didn’t provide 20 matters Unless you’re working in a brand-new area of law with developing case law, you should be submitting the full 20 matters to demonstrate depth and consistency. Your matters didn’t show the full scope of your expertise Did the matters you submitted cover a wide range of work, showcasing your team’s versatility and unique strengths? Your matter descriptions weren’t clearly explained Provide concise but comprehensive descriptions of the matters, including the complexity, your team’s role, and the outcome. Remember that the researcher is usually a layperson, so if the matter is overly complex, the important facts can easily get lost.
It’s that time again…making the most out of your directory rankings
Legal directory rankings are worth so much more than a humble brag a couple of times a year. Given that they take BD and lawyers an obscene amount of time to compile, it seems like a missed opportunity to just use them for marketing purposes. If all you’re doing is updating your website or sharing an “I’m delighted to be ranked” post on LinkedIn, you’re missing out on some serious business development opportunities. Here’s how you can make your rankings work harder for you: The basics Share on LinkedIn While we joke about the ‘humble brag’, sharing your rankings and testimonials does make marketing sense. Some tips for maximising the post: Include one or two testimonials Ensure you have sufficient spacing between paragraphs to make it easier to read Tag the Legal 500 or Chambers in your post Make sure to thank clients and intermediaries (it’s good manners) Link to the webpage of the ranking (though please note that linking to pages outside of LinkedIn may impact your reach If your firm has created imagery be sure to include this – posts with images tend to fare better Add to your website profile Adding the logos, rankings, and testimonials is standard procedure for most firms, and it’s a sensible approach—directory accolades are external validation and can sway some clients. Add to your pitches and proposals As with the website, rankings are an excellent way to build credibility in pitches and proposals. Incorporate relevant quotes and logos from the directories to show how your strengths align with a potential client’s needs. Use in your marketing collateral While the tendency is to just add the logos or quotes onto marketing brochures, there is absolutely no reason why you cannot include a quick note in your regular newsletter about your rankings. Go further than the usual content and perhaps link it to an anonymised case study. Add to email signatures This one doesn’t need any explanation, really. Our tip is that if you’re going to add them to your email profile, ensure that you have a page set up on your website that talks about your rankings and has a clear user journey mapped out after this (i.e., you’ve thought about where you would like your audience to go next). Linking to the Legal 500 or Chambers & Partners just directs your website traffic elsewhere and potentially to your competitor profiles. Next level Use it as an excuse to connect with clients and intermediaries Your ranking is a perfect excuse to check in with clients and intermediaries. At the very minimum you should be sending a personalised thank you note to each client or contact that agreed to be a referee, but you should also be using this as an excuse to catch up, continue the conversation and learn (and possibly win work). Analyse your market The directories have a wealth of information that firms rarely use. Think about: What trends are emerging in your practice area/sector? What are your competitors doing? Who’s climbing the ranks, and why? Use this data to help you spot new opportunities and areas where you need to improve. Learn what clients are really interested in Client feedback (and not just your own) is hidden gold, in our opinion. Personally, I love to know why clients are raving about my competitors and benchmark myself against them. Law firms should be doing the same thing. A note on best practice Keep a database for future submissions This is aimed more at BD and marketing teams, but the last-minute scramble by organising your testimonials, client feedback, and rankings in one place. By keeping a central repository, you’ll not only be able to track how your rankings evolve over time but also make your lives easier. Start preparing now If you haven’t already started thinking about the process for the upcoming 2026 submissions – start now. Chambers & Partners has some deadlines as early as November (see below). If you’re a lawyer, start thinking about your biggest and best matters from the last 12 months and any clients or contacts who might be willing to give positive feedback about you. If you’re in BD start pulling the data, and case studies, check on the recent changes to the submission templates and enjoy the calm before the storm!
Back to School BD Best Practice
As we return from summer and gear up for the new term, a quick BD refresher seems timely. Summer isn’t typically the busiest period for business development, so let’s start the autumn with a strong, strategic edge. Let’s start with our 10 BD essentials – how many can you tick off? Know your niche: Focus on your area of expertise, and tailor your content and messaging accordingly. Specialising allows you to stand out in a crowded market and attract the right clients. Build relationships: Network and cultivate relationships consistently, not just when you need something. Genuine connections are built over time, so make relationship-building a regular part of your routine. Follow up: This cannot be overstated: Always follow up after meetings or networking events, otherwise you’re leaving money on the table. A quick message can reinforce your interest and keep you on the radar of potential clients. Listen more: Understand client needs before pitching solutions or your services. Active listening helps you tailor your advice and services to what the client truly needs. Be visible (in the right places): Attend industry events and seminars that are going to increase your visibility with your target audience. Your presence in the right places keeps you relevant and top-of-mind for opportunities. Share value willingly: Share relevant articles, insights, and your knowledge with your network, whether via LinkedIn or on a more personal level. Providing real value sometimes seems counterintuitive (there’s that feeling of giving too much away for free), but this is THE best way to position yourself as a thought leader/expert in your field. Be consistent: They say success is built on 5% brains and 95% consistency, so plan accordingly. If you post on LinkedIn do it regularly, maintain consistent touch points with clients (whether you have an ongoing deal or not), ask for feedback consistently. Ask for and use testimonials: Testimonials provide social proof that can make your pitch more persuasive and credible – using them in your pitches demonstrates your experience rather than asserting it. Be proactive: Anticipate client needs and offer solutions before they ask. Proactivity shows clients you’re invested in their success and builds long-term trust. Have you seen or written an article you know a certain client would benefit from? Send it on. Track your efforts: Monitor what works and refine your strategy. Regularly reviewing your BD activities and plans ensures that you’re focusing on what delivers the best results.
Legal BD: Why doing a good job isn’t good enough
In today’s legal landscape, merely doing a good job is no longer sufficient. Clients are more discerning than ever before, seeking value and expertise beyond the basics of legal services. Gemma recently sat down with legal copywriting expert, Becky Whittaker to delve into why exceeding expectations is crucial in today’s legal industry. Clients now expect their legal team to go above and beyond, providing not just excellent legal work, but also strategic advice, exceptional client service, and innovative solutions to their problems. Doing so builds trust, fosters long-term relationships, and sets firms apart in a competitive market. Gemma highlights common mistakes firms and lawyers make in their legal BD and marketing efforts, stressing the importance of avoiding a cookie-cutter approach and sharing actionable tips on how lawyers can elevate their BD efforts, emphasising the need for authentic engagement, compelling storytelling, and consistent nurturing of client relationships. Key takeaways from their discussion include: Going the Extra Mile: Clients expect more than just good legal work; they want strategic guidance and personalised solutions tailored to their needs. Avoiding Common Pitfalls: By understanding and sidestepping common mistakes in legal BD and marketing, firms can better position themselves for success. Levelling Up BD Efforts: Implementing best practices in client relationship management and marketing can help firms reach their legal BD goals effectively. Breaking the Cycle: Instead of getting caught in an endless loop of legal BD activities, focus on targeted approaches that yield meaningful results. Creating Value: Effective marketing for law firms involves showcasing expertise, building trust, and demonstrating tangible value to clients. While doing a good job lays the foundation, it’s the extra effort and strategic approach that truly set legal professionals apart in today’s competitive market. By embracing innovation, prioritising client relationships, and refining legal BD strategies, firms can not only meet but exceed client expectations, driving success and growth in the legal industry.
5 lessons for new and junior partners
Stepping into the role of a partner in a law firm can feel like diving into uncharted waters. Many junior partners find themselves lacking the necessary business development training, leaving them scrambling to find their footing. With the weight of expectation on their shoulders, the pressure to win new work on top of everything else can be totally overwhelming. If you’re a new or aspiring partner, here are five straightforward pointers to help you navigate this journey and succeed in your role.