Corporate clients increasingly are demanding diverse attorney teams and legal advice on their own diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) efforts. Mary K. Young observes that chief marketers are increasingly tasked with ensuring companies get a diverse team of attorneys, that their diverse lawyers are being promoted in the media and retained in-house, that law firms’ internal DE&I efforts are being promoted to attract new clients, and that companies are getting the proper legal advice surrounding their own DE&I efforts.

Several U.S. law firms have rebranded to abbreviated names this year, with Quarles & Brady becoming one of the latest to debut a shortened name and updated logo. Mary K Young observes that the shift to shorter law firm names is far from new and has been happening for about three decades. The shift towards shortening firm names probably started with the trend towards law firms getting bigger and following more traditional marketing principles.

Mary K Young writes about the process of law firm mergers, the growing urge for firms to combine, the sensitivity around post-merger firm names, and retaining brand equity.

Zeughauser Group's 2021 Pocket Guide to the American Lawyer Rankings of the Am Law 200 by Profits Per Equity Partner and by Value Per Lawyer; The A-List; The Global 100; The Global 200; The China 50; The Asia 50; and The Corporate Scorecard.

If you would like a hard copy of the 2021 ZGuide, please send an email to zgadmin@consultzg.com with "2021 ZGuide Request" in the subject line and provide your mailing address.

Marketing a law firm has been a challenging proposition during the pandemic, with offices closed and clients working in their homes. Some law firms have added entertaining relationship events to their marketing strategies, like wine tastings or book clubs over Zoom. Arent Fox enlisted the help of two popular celebrities for interviews before a Zoom audience that included clients and potential clients. Mary K Young observes that many of these efforts were very successful. She notes that “if you’re going to do something that’s outside the practice of law, it’s best to totally focus on that and do it right, without trying to insert any legal substantive or marketing component. Some people might object that it doesn’t have anything to do with the business of law, but that’s the point of events like this - law is a relationship business. These events bring people together.”

Complacency and the assumption that what is working now will always work can put a darker tint on a successful financial year for law firms. What worked last year isn’t guaranteed to work this year, and relying on that principle could in fact have a detrimental effect on success down the road. Mary K. Young observes that a small number of firms tend to move forward in a halting fashion, taking two steps forward and then one step back. But she believes that most firms recognize that being static after success isn’t the way to replicate it moving forward. It isn’t so much that firms have a great year and then rest on their laurels. The firm could have had a major litigation matter settle and have comparatively lower numbers the next year.

Budgets and costs are top concerns for legal buyers. Frequently, this means an increase in rate pressure and demand for discounts. In this webinar sponsored by the LMA Education Advisory Council, Mary K Young will moderate and Alex Dimitrief will participate in a panel discussion focusing on how law firms can reframe the conversation around pricing to focus on what clients truly value: efficiency, predictability in costs, and appropriate staffing.

Date: March 23, 2021
Time: 12:00 pm CT

For additional information and to register, go to LMA Pricing Webinar

By bringing in-person client interactions to a virtual halt, the COVID-19 pandemic has triggered a digital content explosion as law firms compete for the attention of clients and prospects. A new study of in-house counsel shows that providing substantive, actionable guidance remains the best way to rise above the noise, preserve existing client relationships, and win new ones.

These findings are detailed in the report, “How to Win and Protect Client Relationships in the Age of Remote Engagement,” released by strategic communications firm Greentarget, legal consultancy Zeughauser Group, and B2B branding agency Right Hat. The August 2020 survey of 75 in-house lawyers, including 37 general counsel, offers important guidance for law firms anticipating an extended period of remote outreach

There are a lot of ways for attorneys to reach prospective and current clients, and the pandemic has only increased the importance of an all-hands-on-deck approach, as lawyers try to replace the face-to-face interactions that used to occur at lunches, networking events and conferences. A new survey of general counsel, conducted jointly by strategic communications firm Greentarget, legal consulting firm Zeughauser Group and B2B branding agency Right Hat LLC suggests that when the messaging is relevant, timely, novel and useful, a simple phone call will do the trick. While law firms have gotten creative in their outreach and content production, the simplicity of a personal, relevant message goes a long way. Norm Rubenstein observes that the fundamentals of marketing and business development have not changed. It really comes down to whether your content and service delivery are aligned with what the client wants.

Zeughauser Group's 2020 Pocket Guide to the American Lawyer Rankings of the Am Law 200 by Profits Per Equity Partner and by Value Per Lawyer; The A-List; The Global 100; The Global 200; The China 45; The Asia 50; and The Corporate Scorecard.

You can download the ZGuide here.

If you would like a hard copy of the 2020 ZGuide, please send an email to zgadmin@consultzg.com with "2020 ZGuide Request" in the subject line and provide your mailing address.

Zeughauser Group's 2019 Pocket Guide to the American Lawyer Rankings of the Am Law 200 by Profits Per Equity Partner and by Value Per Lawyer; The A-List; The Global 100; The Global 200; The China 45; and The Corporate Scorecard.

You can download the ZGuide here

If you would like a hard copy of the 2019 ZGuide, please send an email to zgadmin@consultzg.com with "2019 ZGuide Request" in the subject line and provide your mailing address.

Results of our survey conducted in partnership with Greentarget that focuses on the information consumption attitudes, behaviors and tendencies of in-house counsel. The report includes practical guidance to help law firms compete for greater share of voice among corporate legal departments.

It’s natural that law firms overhaul their image to win and keep clients. But experts say recruiting and retaining talent should be key considerations too. Mary K Young points out the importance of defining the target audience when developing a branding approach and that other industries that rely heavily on talent have made more of an investment in crafting their image and brand around employees and hiring considerations.

Mary K Young offers some insights into how law firms could handle changes at the firm - specifically, attorney departures - and how to communicate these changes internally as well as to firm clients, and how law firm culture can impact the hiring and recruitment process.

Zeughauser Group's 2018 Pocket Guide to the American Lawyer Rankings of the Am Law 200 by Profits Per Equity Partner and by Value Per Lawyer; The A-List; The Global 100; and The Corporate Scorecard.

You can download the ZGuide here

If you would like a hard copy of the 2018 ZGuide, please send an email to zgadmin@consultzg.com with "2018 ZGuide Request" in the subject line and provide your mailing address.

Content that's useful, timely, credibly sourced and delivered through headlines conveying why – rather than what – to read will break through. Mary K Young comments on the importance of strategic thinking in firm-generated articles, alerts and newsletters.

Results of our survey conducted in partnership with Greentarget that focuses on the information consumption attitudes, behaviors and tendencies of in-house counsel. The report includes practical guidance to help law firms compete for greater share of voice among corporate legal departments.