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27 July 2017 / Kristina Oliver
Issue: 7756 / Categories: Features , Profession
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Marketing: a view from the inside

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Kristina Oliver explains how in-house marketers can add value to law firms & the bottom line

For many legal marketing departments, one of the biggest frustrations is how partners and fee-earners interact with them. The hierarchical divide alongside the preconception of being a cost centre does little to help this situation. However, by changing your approach and adopting the changes outlined below you can revolutionise collaboration levels and improve relationships across the firm.

Think like a business owner

Marketing mangers should think of their team as their own marketing agency. Start thinking and treating lawyers as if they were clients—ask questions and find out exactly what they are looking to achieve. A happy, engaged client will almost certainly return and spread the word about your services. Equally, an unhappy client will be just as vocal about their experience so always put them and their needs first. Respond quickly to contact—even if it is just an acknowledgement that an email has been received.

Know your brief

While a brief might seem like

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Clarke Willmott—Matthew Roach

Clarke Willmott—Matthew Roach

Partner joins commercial property team in Taunton office

Farrer & Co—Richard Lane

Farrer & Co—Richard Lane

Londstanding London firm appoints new senior partner

Bird & Bird—Sue McLean

Bird & Bird—Sue McLean

Commercial team in London welcomes technology specialist as partner

NEWS
The legal profession’s claim to be a ‘guardian of fairness’ is under scrutiny after stark findings on gender imbalance and opaque progression. Writing in NLJ this week, Joshua Purser of No5 Barristers’ Chambers and Govindi Deerasinghe of Global 50/50 warn that leadership remains dominated by a narrow elite, with men holding 71% of top court roles
A legal challenge to police disclosure rules has failed, reinforcing a push for transparency in policing. In NLJ this week, Neil Parpworth examines a case where the Metropolitan Police required officers to declare membership of groups like the Freemasons
Bereavement leave is undergoing a quiet but profound transformation. Writing in NLJ this week, Robert Hargreaves of York St John University explains how the Employment Rights Act 2025 introduces a day-one right to leave for a wider range of losses, alongside new provisions for pregnancy loss and bereaved partners
Courts are beginning to grapple with whether AI-generated material is legally privileged—and the answers are mixed. In this week's issue of NLJ, Stacie Bourton, Tom Whittaker & Beata Kolodziej of Burges Salmon examine US rulings showing how easily privilege can be lost
New guidance seeks to bring order to the growing use of artificial intelligence (AI) in expert evidence. Writing in NLJ this week, Minesh Tanna and David Bridge of Simmons & Simmons set out a framework stressing ‘transparency’, ‘explainability’ and ‘reliability’
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