GCs Describe What They Like About Their Lawyers
There are a lot of points that corporate general counsel like about their law firms, and they are all pathways to getting more business for their lawyers. They all turn on what retailers call “good customer service.” These behaviors include offering alternative fees, having an effective website, going the extra mile, offering better rates and knowing the client’s business.None of these tactics will be a surprise for a law firm marketing director (except for the fact that many law firms don’t use them). Most law firms offer excellent legal skills, and having them is no longer a point of distinction. GCs expect it. Following are several ways that lawyers distinguish themselves and land more work from corporate clients.
Be responsive and accessible.
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“I think about individual lawyers, not firms. Certain lawyers have given me fantastic results and personal attention. If I call my lawyer at Perkins Coie, he’ll call back within 2-3 hours, even though he’s traveling all across the country. I’ll get exactly what I need to know right away,” said Jeffrey Reeser, Assistant GC at Newmont Mining Corporation in Greenwood Village, CO. The company uses 300 law firms.
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“My favorite law firms will not only tell me about news that affects my company but also tell me they can tailor it to my concerns. They see the hoop before I do and jump through it themselves,” Reeser added.
Know the client’s business:
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“For me it was a pleasant surprise when a partner would talk about what we’d need to get done, and would stay on the line and ask questions about what they saw in the headlines, or what other business challenges I was facing. They took the time to be inquisitive – and we had a fixed fee so it didn’t cost me anything. It’s been very exciting to me. These are busy people and they’ll slow down to take an interest in me – it turns into a lot of business for them. They’ll say we have appellate skills we can help you with. They make small talk about what else is going on in the company,” said Julie DeCecco, Associate GC and Director of Litigation of Oracle. Her company uses 100 law firms.
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“When you as a lawyer do understand more about our firm, there’s a great cross marketing opportunity,” said Eric Hilty, an in-house lawyer for AIMCO apartment investment, a REIT in Denver. The company uses 100 law firms. “Lawyers and marketing people should envision putting themselves in our shoes. We’re in real estate industry, our stock price is down and we’ve had layoffs. Think about what that means. Try to envision what the clients are going through and it’ll help you discover how to meet those needs.”
Your website should display what GCs want to see.
To read all the additional tactics, visit the LawMarketing Portal at http://bit.ly/bpZoSy
I totally agree with this. The customer service is not only important in a law firm, it is important in every business. A great marketing tool that makes clients spread the word.