Leadership for Lawyers

The future of law practice

When consulting with law firms, I frequently get asked about the future of law practice.  What will it look like?  How will firms compete?  How will services be delivered? How will it be priced?

I think I saw a glimpse of the future in what Seyfarth Shaw is doing today.  Several of their leaders made a presentation on how they use six sigma process improvement tools to improve efficiency and client service and lower cost to the client. 

They believe that corporate buyers of legal services want high quality legal work and more predictable and lower legal costs.  Cutting rates (and profit margins) is not a sustainable strategy, so they dug in and started to re-design work flows and processes as a manufacturer might value-engineer a production process.  Using "lean" process improvement tools, they found ways to save clients as much as 50% off their bill while maintaining or improving quality.

Think that will sell?

To clients, yes. But to the partners of the firm who realize that they have to produce twice as much work to get the same revenue, well, that's another kettle of fish.  Profit margins increase and client loyalty improves, but the essence of the law firm revenue and compensation model changes significantly.  I have so much respect for any firm who can make such significant cultural change to not only serve clients but to essentially set the standard for a new way think about delivering legal services. 

Interested in learning more? Read these articles:

Re-Engineering the Practice of Law - New York Times

Six Sigma Makes a Comeback - Business Week

Seyfarth Shaw Says Six Sigma Method Has Cut Client Fees by Up to 50%

New Buzz Phrase in Efficiency Efforts: Process Management

Making It Lean: Lisa Damon, Seyfarth Shaw

Top Innovative Law Firm

and information on Seyfarth Lean Consulting.

If Seyfarth Shaw can make the implementation (and cultural change) stick, they will certainly have a competitive advantage serving cost conscious corporations. 

 

What's in the Marketing Budget for 2010?

Greenfield Belser asked CMOs at Amlaw 200 firms what they are planning for next year.  Here's a summary.  Read the full article here. 

• The top two marketing/business development projects are investing in social media (92%) and investing in client loyalty interviews (92%)
• When asked what marketers plan on doing differently, they indicated that they will "Focus on business development efforts" (15.6%) and "Client Centered business development efforts" (12.5%).  Taken together, they represent the largest category of "innovation".  "New enhanced ways of marketing" (18.8%) and "Using Social Media" (12.4%) rounded out the top four.
• 50% of law firms are looking to redesign their website.  Belser suggests that firms, "Convey what you want the visitor to do, create a dialog and position the firm as important, confident and a leader in the field."
• Surprisingly, "Alternative Billing Arrangements" were on the bottom of the "To-Do List". 
• There seems to be a paradox between the 92% who say they are investing in client loyalty interviews but only 6% say that conducting client satisfaction interviews would be "radically different" next year.   Perhaps most of the Amlaw 200 think that they already have sufficient client visit programs.

Authors Burkey Belser and Sue Allison conclude:

"Fortunately, there is life after Lehman Brothers and the panics and declines across the market over the past year. Law firm marketers are making concrete plans for reaching out and cooking up new business, even though in some cases they have to do it with one hand tied behind their backs. (Read slashed budgets, decimated staffs and gun-shy partners.) Many firms and lawyers now seem to realize that their business development and sales efforts cannot be successful without strong support from marketing. And that’s a cause for hope among true believers in marketing."  -  Greenfield Belser

BTI Research Reveals Shift to BD and Client Service Priorities

BTI Research published their annual benchmark survey of law firm marketing activities last month.  You'll have to buy the survey to get all of the details, but here are some trends illustrated by the data:

•   The AmLaw Second Hundred (firms 101 to 200) is catching up with the AmLaw 100 in marketing spending per attorney. 
• Dollars dedicated  to salaries climbed 22% on a per FTE basis at the largest law firms.
• Marketing spending per attorney increased by 20%
• Marketing staffs are expanding significantly (30%).  Growth primarily in business development and client service areas.
• CMO tenure declined to an average of 3.6 years.  CMOs are increasingly lured away by more lucrative offers at other firms.
• While firm leaders say they are open to hiring CMOs with experience outside of the legal world, 61% of top marketers are hired from other law firms.
• Client Surveys and Client Teams are top priorities for law firm marketers in 2008.  Both practices are now mainstream - with the vast majority of firms engaging in them.

Cordell Parvin Launches BD Blog

Cordell Parvin, a former construction lawyer for the Texas firm Jenkins & Gilchrist, has started a second career as a business development trainer and coach.  His blog, www.lawconsultingblog.com, tells stories of his clients' success and gives a number of business development tips. 

Lawyer 2 Lawyer podcast

A few weeks ago I discussed lawyer ranking websites, along with Lawdragon.com founder Katrina Dewey and legal ethicist Ben Cowgill.  The conversation was moderated by host Robert Ambrogi, co-author of Legal Blogwatch.   You can listen to the show at Lawyer2Lawyer, or download the MP3 here. 

New Book on Business Development for Lawyers

Veteran law firm marketer and consultant Sally Schmidt has come out with a new book on business development for lawyers.  Years ago Sally wrote the definitive book on lawyer marketing.  I'll review the book on this blog in the future.  In the meantime:

Read the Google Book Preview.   Buy the book on Amazon.  Visit Sally's website.

Integrating Business Development Staff into a Marketing Team

Marketing staffs are growing in major law firms.  Only a few years ago the ratio of lawyers to marketing staff ranged from 35:1 to 50:1.  Today it is closer to 24:1.  Firms are not hiring more PR or advertising folks.  They are investing in business development professionals who help lawyers be more effective in attracting clients, building networks, establishing relationships, and professional sales.  I wrote a brief article on structuring a marketing/business development team on Larry Bodine's LawMarketingPortal.   I'd appreciate your comments on article.

Brand You

It has been 10 years since Tom Peters wrote an article in Fast Company called, "Brand You", but the principles of personal branding (read:  reputation) remain the same.  Lawyers especially rely on their reputation as a niche specialist for referrals and new business. Read the article here.   

One way to measure your brand is to see how you are perceived on the internet.  This article has several tips on building your on-line presence and an on-line assessment of your on-line brand.  What's your Google IQ?

Marketing Moxie: Law Firms that 'get' marketing

In this month's issue of Law Firm Inc, reporter Karen Dean writes about three law firms that "get" marketing in its cover story.  Dean profiles marketing and business development initiatives at Holland & Hart, Foley Hoag, and Thompson Hine.   The article describes Holland & Hart's partnership with Frontier Airlines, a client of the firm, featuring 5 minute business profile videos on their airlines in-flight television network, Wild Blue Yonder.  Read the article here .

LMA Leadership Matters Conference, Nov 1-2, 2007

The Legal Marketing Association is holding its first conference for senior marketers focused on leadership in law firms.   On one hand, I am very excited to have an opportunity to speak with fellow marketers on the topic of leadership in law firms, on the other hand, our panel will be following a presentation by poet David Whyte, who will be talking about Courageous Conversations.   David is an insightful and talented poet, and a gifted speaker.  It will be worth the price of registration just to hear David.

Title:        Leadership Matters: Creating and Cultivating Leadership
Date:        November 1 - 2
Location:  Chicago, IL
Details:     Click Here  and Registration Form

Speakers: 

Dr. Richard (Rick) Bommelje, President, International Listening Institute

David Whyte, Author, Poet and Corporate Consultant, Many Rivers Company (see post)

Panel Discussions:
Motivating Change and Leading the Marketing Department

Roberta Montafia, Moderator
Panelists: Catherine MacDonagh, Director of Business Development, Day Pitney and Beth Cuzzone, Director of Business Development, Goulston & Storrs

Leadership by Our Lawyers

David Freeedman, President, David Freeman Consulting, Moderator
Panelists: Mark Beese, Director of Marketing, Holland & Hart, Francis Dunne, Senior Counsel, Dykema and Rick Anderson, Principal & Patent Group Practice Leader, Fish Richardson PC