Lawyers urged to embrace thought leadership

In the rapidly evolving legal market, thought leadership has emerged as a critical tool for law firms aiming to attract and retain clients. However, new research from Passle’s Legal Marketing Leadership Survey 2024 highlights significant internal challenges that firms must overcome to fully leverage this strategy.

The survey, which gathered insights from managing partners and chief marketers at 200 top law firms in the UK, US, and Canada, found that nearly three-quarters (76%) of respondents believe the value of marketing is not fully understood across their firms. This disconnect is hindering efforts to build online presence and establish thought leadership, despite these being identified as top priorities for driving growth.

Connor Kinnear, Chief Marketing Officer at Passle, emphasised the importance of thought leadership in the current legal landscape. “Law firm leaders recognise the importance of marketing, particularly content marketing, and how much it is valued by clients in helping them to keep abreast of relevant legal news and developments,” Conno Kinnear explained. “What many firms still struggle with is engagement from lawyers, with lack of a collaborative culture, time, and technical skills cited amongst the reasons they do not get more involved.”

The study revealed that 76% of firms have senior marketers on their boards, signaling a recognition of marketing’s strategic importance. However, the challenge remains in getting in-house legal experts to contribute regularly to content creation. This reluctance is seen as a significant barrier to fully capitalising on the potential of thought leadership to attract new clients.

Connor Kinnear warned that this hesitance could have tangible consequences for business development. “They may not realise it, but failing to invest in thought leadership could be costing them new clients,” he noted. The survey also found that almost three-quarters (72%) of firms acknowledged they could improve in showcasing their expertise, while seven in 10 felt their marketing materials were subpar, potentially leaving clients unaware of the full range of services they offer.

A striking finding from the research was the disconnect between how law firms perceive client engagement with their websites and the reality. While 73% of firms believed clients visited their websites infrequently, a recent survey of general counsel (GCs) revealed that over half (52%) use their law firm’s website as their main source of information, visiting at least once a week, with a further 34% visiting at least once a month.

Kinnear emphasised the missed opportunities this disconnect represents: “Clients want law firms that can keep them updated with relevant news and demonstrate their expertise in an engaging and accessible way. The obvious platform for this is a law firm’s website, and those who don’t value the importance of regular, relevant content updates are missing a trick.”

The findings underscore the need for law firms to prioritise thought leadership and digital presence. As the legal market becomes increasingly competitive, firms that can differentiate themselves through consistent, high-quality content will likely be better positioned to attract and retain clients.

In conjunction with the release of the survey, Passle has launched the CMO Series Digital Masterclass, a new initiative aimed at helping firms build a world-class digital presence. This program is a spin-off from Passle's popular CMO Series Podcast and is designed to equip legal marketers with the tools and strategies needed to succeed in today’s digital-first world.