Among a law firm’s eternal questions is how to best market to in-house counsel. Because in-house counsel are clients of our clients, we are always seeking venues to hear firsthand perspectives on how to do this. What breaks through the barrage of material they receive and differentiates an attorney or law firm? What has motivated them to take the leap of faith required to give a lawyer his or her first chance doing work for the company? What then makes them willing to expand that share of the available work?
After hearing from a range of corporate counsel over the long term, I’m struck by several aspects. First, the core messages are essentially the same from venue to venue. Second, what the speakers advise outside counsel to do in terms of marketing and building relationships is really simple, straightforward and common sense if you think about it from a customer service perspective. This raises the question: If in-house counsel are talking about how these simple steps can differentiate you from your competition, why wouldn’t you start taking them? What an opportunity!
