Looking back over nearly 2 decades of helping law firms grow, there’s a paradox. The path to solid law firm growth strategy often means doing the opposite of what seems logical. Let me explain.
The Growth Paradox
The first counter-intuitive truth is this: To grow larger, you need to think smaller. Most firms try to be everything to everyone. They list twenty practice areas on their website, claim expertise in every conceivable legal niche, and end up being mediocre at everything instead of exceptional at anything.
The more successful approach? Narrow your focus. Dramatically. This seems scary – surely limiting your services means limiting your growth? Actually, in our experience, the opposite is true.
Consider this: The most successful specialist firms often grow faster than general practice firms because:
- They can charge premium rates
- They attract better talent
- They build stronger reputations
- They face less competition
- They have clearer marketing messages
I love it when a law firm of 15 or so lawyers call me and say, “we’re a boutique, commercial law firm working with healthcare practices nationally.” Give me one of them instead of 25 others who say, “we’re a generalist legal practice and we’ll do anything and why we’re good, is because we have good lawyers.”
The Investment Paradox
Here’s a big one! Want to grow faster? Spend less on marketing. Yes, you read that right. Most firms waste enormous amounts on poorly conceived marketing activities. They:
- Chase every new digital trend
- Spread budgets too thinly across channels
- Focus on short-term tactics over long-term strategy
- Measure the wrong metrics
- Change direction too frequently
- Sack their marketing agencies and/or CMO annually
The solution? Invest more strategically:
- 60% on long-term brand building
- 40% on short-term activation
- Focus on fewer, better executed initiatives
- Measure what matters
- Maintain consistency
- Play the long game
The Branding Reality
Here’s a truth that makes many lawyers uncomfortable: Technical expertise is not enough. Yes, you need to be excellent at law. But that’s just table stakes. Your competitors are also excellent at law.
The counter-intuitive path to growth is focusing less on technical credentials and more on:
- Brand building
- Emotional connection
- Client experience
- Relationship development
- Human factors
The Competition Contradiction
Most firms obsess over their competitors. They:
- Match their services
- Copy their marketing
- Follow their pricing
- Mimic their approach
- Chase the same clients
The counter-intuitive approach? Ignore them. Well, not entirely, but substantially. Instead of following competitors:
- Define your own position
- Create your own category
- Set your own standards
- Build your own reputation
- Focus on your clients
The Client Paradox
Want more clients? Focus more on your existing ones. Most firms spend enormous resources chasing new business while neglecting their current client base. This is backwards.
Your existing clients are:
- More profitable
- Easier to serve
- More likely to refer
- Less price sensitive
- Better brand advocates
The Growth Framework
Based on these counter-intuitive principles, here’s what actually drives law firm growth:
- Strategic Focus
- Define your genuine expertise
- Choose your market position
- Identify ideal clients
- Commit to specialisation
- Maintain discipline
- Brand Building
- Develop clear positioning
- Create distinctive assets
- Build strong reputation
- Maintain consistency
- Invest long-term
- Client Experience
- Exceed expectations
- Solve real problems
- Build relationships
- Create value
- Drive referrals
- Marketing Excellence
- Focus on fundamentals
- Execute consistently
- Measure properly
- Invest strategically
- Think long-term
Implementation Reality
Here’s how to actually implement these principles:
- Start with Strategy
- Conduct proper research
- Understand your market
- Define your position
- Create clear plans
- Set realistic goals
- Build Your Brand
- Develop strong identity
- Create quality content
- Build reputation
- Maintain consistency
- Think long-term
- Focus on Clients
- Understand their needs
- Solve their problems
- Exceed expectations
- Build relationships
- Drive referrals
- Execute Marketing
- Choose fewer channels
- Execute better
- Measure properly
- Stay consistent
- Think long-term
The Growth Timeline
Another counter-intuitive truth: Real growth takes time. Most firms want immediate results. They chase quick wins and short-term metrics. This leads to:
- Poor decisions
- Wasted resources
- Confused messaging
- Weak results
- Frustrated partners
Instead, plan for:
- 6 months to see initial results
- 12 months for significant impact
- 2-3 years for transformational growth
- 5+ years for market leadership
- Continuous improvement
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Short-term Thinking
- Expecting immediate results
- Changing direction too often
- Chasing quick wins
- Neglecting brand building
- Measuring wrong metrics
- Poor Strategy
- Trying to serve everyone
- Copying competitors
- Following trends
- Lacking focus
- Missing differentiation
- Weak Execution
- Spreading resources too thin
- Poor quality content
- Inconsistent messaging
- Weak measurement
- Lack of persistence
- No agency to help keep momentum
Conclusion
The counter-intuitive path to law firm growth isn’t easy. It requires:
- Strategic thinking
- Long-term perspective
- Consistent execution
- Proper investment
- Patient capital
But it works. The firms that follow this path – focusing on fewer things but doing them better, investing in brand building over immediate activation, prioritising existing clients over new ones – consistently outperform those following conventional wisdom.
The results won’t be immediate. But they will be substantial, sustainable, and worth the wait.
That’s the reality of law firm growth. Not as exciting as the quick-fix promises you’ll hear elsewhere, perhaps, but considerably more likely to actually work.
