Something a little different this month as we trial book reviews on the blog! A reminder that if you are subscriber to our newsletter, you can receive content like this (and a lot more besides) straight into your inbox every month. Last month’s newsletter included this review, a legal directories deadline updates, awards deadline reminder, an invitation to an exclusive LexRex event in Manchester and more. Subscribe now. Book Review: The Perfect Legal Business The book that I’m reviewing isn’t particularly new. Simon wrote this book during lockdown in 2020 and followed it up with The Perfect Lawyer soon afterwards. For the uninitiated, Simon is a Pannone alumni and former managing partner of what was the fastest growing law firm in the UK during his tenure. He freely admits that he made a lot of mistakes in role, and in this book he outlines his lessons for law firm leaders and the things he would do differently if he had his time again. What do I love about this book? One of the things I love about this book and its stablemate, The Perfect Lawyer, is their size. These are not chunky books, although they pack a lot in. You can easily read them within a week and they are simply written. Obviously, as owners of law firms, you’re not daft people, but Simon avoids verbosity and writes clearly, expertly and in a common sense style (if you’ve ever heard Simon speak or met him, he’s like this in real life). I understand that Simon is currently putting the finishing touches to his next book, so do watch this space as I’ll review that in due course as well. What does this book cover? In The Perfect Legal Business, Simon attempts to outline all of the features necessary to build the book’s namesake. He covers areas you’d expect – such as people, growth and service. He also writes about aspects of law firm life that lawyers perhaps don’t think about enough – such as repeat business, pitfalls of growth (yes really), risk (the client selection and engagement chapter) and most importantly (in my humble opinion) the rules and practices relating to law firm accounting. I’m going to talk about the latter topics as these were where I found the most value. Starting with repeat business. It’s so, so obvious (to me) that repeat business from clients who have already said ‘yes’ should absolutely form a significant element of your marketing and business development focus. And yet, typically it doesn’t. Why? My suspicion is that new clients feel exciting, which is crazy, given the cost of converting a new client vs the same cost of up- or cross-selling to a client already on the books (spoiler – it’s a high cost). Simon explains how you can improve your client retention rates and make more money. Turning next to risk, and why some clients are simply bad news for a growing law firm. This topic also examines law firm confidence (in pricing and expertise), but also why firms need to prioritise the clients that pay quickly and happily. On a related note, Simon wants your firm to make more money. His chapters on turnover, profit and (most importantly) cash are so well written that you’ll wonder what on earth you were ever taught about solicitors’ accounting rules at law school – because it certainly didn’t sound this simple. Also tied to this topic are the lessons around growth, and why growth is risky without planning for dips in cash which can easily arise when profits increase. Who should buy this book? If you run a law firm, if you are a supplier to a law firm, a solicitor or an aspiring solicitor – buy this book. It’s essentially a cheat’s guide to running a law firm that makes money and has happy clients. However, it isn’t just for those in leadership positions. If this book had existed when I was a solicitor in private practice, I would have done a lot of things very differently. Double-discounting, Friday afternoon billing, being frightened to bill against money on account, and failing to chase bills – I’m looking at you all, bad habits. You can buy Simon’s books here. I hope you have found this review helpful, and do let me know if there are any other books that you think I should review. They don’t have to be legal or law profession-focussed, but they probably do need to have a business or entrepreneurial theme. Get in touch with your suggestions. Victoria Victoria Moffatt is the founder and managing director of LexRex. A non-practising solicitor she has been supporting law firms with their PR for over a decade. Get in touch with Victoria to discuss your law firm’s PR needs.
Forgive the reference to American politics but the adage and timing did seem fitting for this post, which is all about why every effective PR strategy starts with… the strategy. A note – this post deals with creating PR strategies for law firms that are looking for PR support to help their growth. Crisis PR / reputational repair strategy creation is a topic for a future post. Like anything worthwhile doing in life, PR takes effort. There’s no quick fix or piece of magic tech that will take away the grind. A strong reputation takes time and intent to build, and the foundation for this work should be an effective, measurable strategy. But how does LexRex build PR strategies for law firms? We start with our mapping session, which is a half-day workshop with the law firm owners and senior team. We run through a series of exercise, ask a lot of questions and have some deep conversations on topics including: The services the firm provides Who the firm works with The type of work that the firm wants to do more of The type of clients the firm wants to sell more to Any areas of work that the firm doesn’t want to undertake The detail and nuance of any particularly niche areas of work Various PR, positioning and branding exercises (book mapping with us to get access to these…) And finally, the firm’s strategy – in particular business development and growth The aim of the session is to not only build trust with our new law firm client and the senior team, but also to really start to build an understanding and feel for what the firm is about. At the end of the process, we create a strategy that dovetails into the firm’s own growth strategy and includes all of the strategic elements of PR, marketing and brand that a law firm needs to kickstart its growth journey. The strategy also contains detailed recommendations on the tactics the firm should employ, deliverable by LexRex in total, in part, or by the firm’s existing marketing team. Are all law firms really the same? As an aside, I often hear comments from other suppliers to the sector that ‘all firms, really, are the same.’ Perhaps I’m speaking out of turn or perhaps I just do a good job of finding with and working with unusual or niche firms, but this has genuinely never been my experience. One of the reasons I enjoy working with law firms so much is that I do think that they are all slightly different and vary widely in terms of culture. Of course, every law firm has its own culture and within that culture are the underpinnings of the firm’s reputation. That culture and reputation can be maximised in order to more effectively present the firm to ‘the market’ and make it attractive, or more attractive, to clients, potential clients and referrers. It’s also important to consider the effect of your firm’s PR on potential employees, particularly given the heat in the recruitment market currently within the legal sector. If your culture stinks, fix it before you consider PR A word to the wise though, PR isn’t about ‘spinning’ an alternative dimension to the reality of your firm. The only thing worse than doing nothing about your reputation is attempting to create a reputation that doesn’t reflect the reality of your practice. If you do this, you may succeed for a short time, but people talk. You’ll be found out, and the rebuilding work will be far more difficult. If you have a poor culture, internal practices, delivery – work on your culture, internal practices and delivery. If you’re aiming for growth – these are fundamental issues and should be on your list of priorities anyway. A badly run small firm with a stinking culture is only going to grow into a badly run larger firm with a stinking culture. In my experience the firms with culture challenges really struggle to grow anyway. They tend to have terrible retention records, so they spend considerable time and budget recruiting, paying high salaries in an attempt to get people to stay, and then having to train their replacements. All of this leaving little time to even consider growth. Why is a PR strategy important for a law firm? It’s important to have a PR strategy in place if you are attempting to grow your firm, because in the same way that you are going to be very clear about how you grow – which practice areas you will target, whether you will require a ‘bolt-on’ team, if you will bring on individual lateral hires, your supporting PR also requires focus. At this point I would also recommend reading Simon McCrum’s excellent series of books which explain very clearly the potential pitfalls of growth, along with incredibly easy to follow metrics that every law firm owner should understand and keep track of. He also says some sensible things about PR. As an aside, I recently wrote a book review of Simon’s first book – The Perfect Legal Business, which went out to subscribers of our newsletter, Legal Resource. Become a subscriber today and I will send you a copy of the review. How exactly will PR help my law firm as it grows? Growing law firms will typically utilise PR effectively in some or many of the following ways (naturally it depends upon their growth strategy): Profile building via media. Growing law firms utilise all available media outlets to talk about their growth journey, their successes, their wins. This activity may incorporate some of the following: Growth journey – turnover and profit increases, new offices, new teams Successes – new instructions / panel appointments, deals, litigation wins Wins – award wins, accreditations Profile building via other routes. Paid-for opportunities such as advertorial, sponsorship, advertising. Collaborations with other organisations. ESG activities and charitable commitments. Organic and paid social media. Thought leadership through media relations. Positioning experts as
In October’s LexRex newsletter (sign up here if you don’t receive this yet – it’s jam packed full of advice, tips, deadline reminders, insights and more) Victoria wrote about dry events and why they may be an absolute gift for marketers. Taking a bit of a detour here but hopefully you’ll keep up… a bit like Marsh Girl in Where the Crawdads Sing (read it / watch it – it’s on Netflix atm), dry events are still seen as slightly weird and a bit left-field. With the exception of breakfast events, they are not really the ‘done thing’. All of which are reasons why marketers should be seriously thinking about embracing them. What are dry events? But firstly, what is a ‘dry event’? Essentially, it’s any event where alcohol doesn’t feature, and perhaps takes place in a venue where no alcohol is held. There is currently a groundswell trend against booze, and being alcohol-free no longer holds the same stigma that it perhaps has in the past. More of us are alcohol-free than was ever the case in the past, and it seems bonkers that so many events in the legal sector revolve around, or at least include, the consumption of alcohol. There are many reasons why an individual may be alcohol-free, and even typing this it seems weird that the cultural default in the UK gives the impression of drinker first, alcohol free second. So many lawyers but also law firm clients are no longer white, male, older (and there is so much to be glad of there) and the reasons not to drink are too many to mention. Religion or cultural norms may play a part, but also choice, pregnancy or addiction also of course feature where people prefer, want or need to exclude alcohol from their lives. Take Christmas, for example. Many businesses celebrate this holiday and religious period with Christmas drinks. And there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. But it isn’t particularly inclusive – and not just because of the booze. Why you should be considering dry events for your law firm Perhaps now is the time to step back from your usual calendar of events, look again at your target audiences and place them central to your event planning. In doing so you may find that actually celebrating Christmas isn’t something that appeals to the majority of your clients, potential clients or referrers. Perhaps it’s time to consider an alternative to a Christmas party or spend some of the budget instead on a Christmas party in a tea shop or ice cream parlour IF this is something that resonates with your target audiences. Remember that this isn’t about being ‘anti’ booze, and nobody is suggesting that you can’t have a very successful, booze-filled event. Rather it’s about challenging your beliefs and perceptions and ensuring that your events are truly delivering the return you hope for. Doing so may add value to some or many of your clients, prospects or referrers, but also acknowledges that alcohol and networking simply don’t have to go hand in hand. The best marketing and PR activities always keep the target audiences front of mind, and if yours has changed or you’ve simply been ignoring a segment of it by sticking to a tried and tested calendar of events, perhaps it’s time to ring the changes. Click here to arrange a chat with the LexRex team about inclusive* event planning and support. *Fun, energetic, interesting, innovative, insightful Find out how we helped 500 Words founder, Sarah Fox, to throw an inclusive & engaging anniversary event.
On Thursday 18th September, we hosted our popular annual legal directories webinar, Preparing for Legal Directories. Created to support employees of law firms readying for the UK legal directories season, the session is for anybody with responsibility for preparing legal directories submissions in the UK. Hosted by our founder and managing director, Victoria Moffatt, and our marketing and brand specialist, Sarah Wilde, the webinar covered the following topics: Early planning for legal directories season and why it is important. Legal directories strategy. Planning for 2024 launch season. What to do if you weren’t successful where expected. Legal directories best practice. Changes and updates from Chambers and Partners and The Legal 500 for the 2024 season. Expert resources to help you prepare for legal directories season – and more The webinar video can now be viewed here. Please note that this content is only available to Legal Directories Hub+ subscribers. Find out more about HubPlus+ membership here. For free legal directories resources including the recording of the 2023 and 2022 Preparing for Legal Directories videos, a set of top tips from this webinar and much more free legal directories content check out the LexRex legal directories hub. Want even more free legal directories content and support? Join our specialist legal directories newsletter, the Directories Bulletin and get legal directories advice, deadline reminders, top tips, early access to events and courses. Absolutely free, direct to your inbox throughout every legal directories season. LexRex supports a wide range of law firms with their legal directories strategy and submission preparation and drafting. We have an incredible track record and work with law firms in the UK and across the globe. Our services range from a full drafting service, relationship management with the directories’ commercial teams, review services and by-the-hour support. We can also help with legal directories admin. Arrange a call with Victoria to discuss your legal directories requirements today.
November will see the LexRex legal directories team hit the road with Chambers and Partners as we collaborate with the independent guide to the UK legal profession for the fifth consecutive year. We are bringing our latest series of legal directories events, Ask Chambers and Partners, to locations across the Midlands and the North. Ask Chambers and Partners – live These face-to-face sessions will see LexRex founder and managing director, Victoria Moffatt, and the senior research team answer the questions our audiences ask about all things Chambers and Partners. Unlike our previous events – In Conversation with Chambers and Partners (which you can view here as a member of the LexRex Legal Directories Resource Hub), which saw Victoria interview a panel made of senior members of the Chambers and Partners editorial teams, Ask Chambers opens the floor entirely to the audience. Attendees will be able to submit questions in advance or ask them during the session, meaning that the content will be entirely driven by those joining us on the day. The aim is to provide the answers to the most pressing questions troubling those responsible for legal directories submissions and strategy within law firms across the Midlands and North. With places very limited, bookings opened first for subscribers of the LexRex Directories Bulletin – our specialist legal directories newsletter. To ensure that you are first of the list next time around – sign up now for priority access to our legal directories events, and for top tips, deadline updates, legal directories best practice advice and much more. Ask Chambers and Partners will run on the following dates and times: Ask Chambers and Partners Manchester Tuesday 14th November 10.30 am – 12.30 pm Kindly hosted by Eversheds Sutherland Two New Bailey, 6 Stanley Street, Salford, M3 5GX BOOK YOUR PLACE Ask Chambers and Partners Birmingham Wednesday 15th November 10.30 am – 12.30 pm Kindly hosted by Shoosmiths Cannon House, 103 Colmore Row, Birmingham, B3 3AG BOOK YOUR PLACE Ask Chambers and Partners Leeds Thursday 16th November 10.30 am – 12.30 pm Kindly hosted by Wrigleys Solicitors 3 Wellington Place, Leeds, LS1 4AP BOOK YOUR PLACE These events wouldn’t happen without the support of our partners. Particular thanks to our venue hosts – Shoosmiths, Eversheds Sutherland and Wrigleys Solicitors. We would also like to thank the Today’s Media Group, our exclusive media partner for the second year running. Additional thanks to our partners The Cashroom, Document Direct, Simon McCrum of McCrum Legal and a very warm welcome, and further thanks, to our most recent partner – LexisNexis. And finally, a massive thank you to all our regional law society partners who are supporting this year’s live event series. Join us on LinkedIn and Twitter to find out more about each of our law society partners, affiliates – and don’t miss your space at these upcoming events.
The LexRex team is delighted to unveil this year’s list of supporting regional law societies for our season of Legal 500 and Chambers and Partners legal directories webinars. These are the law societies that are helping their members to access insightful, timely and free support throughout the 2022 / 2023 legal directories period. Each society is giving their member law firms to ability to attend both LexRex directories webinars – Preparing for Legal Directories Season and In Conversation with Chambers and Partners. The law societies supporting LexRex’s legal directories knowledge share this year are: Manchester Law Society Cheshire and North Wales Law Society Leeds Law Society Hertfordshire Law Society Nottinghamshire Law Society Kent Law Society Suffolk and North Essex Law Society Derby and District Law Society If you are involved in your local regional law society and want to know more about how you can partner with LexRex to access our legal directories expertise and experience for your members, please get in touch with our managing director Victoria today or book a 30 minute call with her here. Book your places at our legal directories webinar series now: Preparing for Legal Directories Season, Tuesday 11th October 1.00 – 2.00 pm Preparing for Legal Directories Season, is an hour-long webinar that will run through all of the elements of a successful Legal 500 and Chambers and Partners submission season. Hosted by founder and managing director of LexRex Communications, and former lawyer, Victoria Moffatt; and legal directories specialist consultant, Sarah Wilde; the session will include advice on the importance of early planning, legal directories strategy, and planning for the Chambers and Partners launch. In addition, Victoria and Sarah will cover how to deal with disappointing results, legal directories best practice and updates on any changes being rolled out by Legal 500 and Chambers and Partners respectively this time around. Preparing for Legal Directories Season is happening on Tuesday 11th October 1.00 – 2.00 pm. You can book your free tickets here. Book your place now In Conversation with Chambers and Partners, Tuesday 8th November 1.00 – 2.00 pm The second event is a panel session where Victoria will be joined by the editors of the Chambers and Partners UK Solicitors Guide and will cover Chambers’ research methodology and approach to submissions. In Conversation with Chambers and Partners gives insider details into the Chambers process, allowing attendees a sneak peek into the workings of this Guide and providing priceless insights into how firms can create the submissions that will get their teams and individual lawyers ranked or moved up in the listings. This event is happening on Tuesday 8th November 1.00 – 2.00 pm. You can book your free tickets here. Book your place now
The LexRex team is delighted to announce our partnership with three of the UK’s leading suppliers to the legal sector in the UK. Each have agreed to share our legal directories expertise and experience across both Chambers and Partners and Legal 500 with their clients and contacts. We are running two legal directories training sessions this Autumn: Preparing for Legal Directories Season, Tuesday 11th October 1.00 – 2.00 pm In Conversation with Chambers and Partners, Tuesday 8th November 1.00 – 2.00 pm. Thank you to The Cashroom, Document Direct and Lockton Insurance for your support. The Cashroom: The Cashroom provides all the legal cashiering services typically provided to a firm of solicitors. The difference is that “your” cashiers are employed by us and work remotely from our offices. Document Direct: Document Direct provides law firms with UK 24/7 digital dictation transcription and secretarial services. Lockton: The world’s largest independent insurance broker. Get involved with LexRex Communications’ events calendar If you run or work for a legal supplier or consultancy to the legal sector and you’d like to partner with us for any of these or future events – please get in touch with us here or book a call with our managing director Victoria here. LexRex Legal 500 and Chambers and Partners webinars timetable, Autumn 2022 Book your places at our legal directories webinar series now: Preparing for Legal Directories Season, Tuesday 11th October 1.00 – 2.00 pm Preparing for Legal Directories Season, is an hour-long webinar that will run through all of the elements of a successful Legal 500 and Chambers and Partners submission season. Hosted by founder and managing director of LexRex Communications, and former lawyer, Victoria Moffatt; and legal directories specialist consultant, Sarah Wilde; the session will include advice on the importance of early planning, legal directories strategy, and planning for the Chambers and Partners launch. In addition, Victoria and Sarah will cover how to deal with disappointing results, legal directories best practice and updates on any changes being rolled out by Legal 500 and Chambers and Partners respectively this time around. Preparing for Legal Directories Season is happening on Tuesday 11th October 1.00 – 2.00 pm. You can book your free tickets here. In Conversation with Chambers and Partners, Tuesday 8th November 1.00 – 2.00 pm The second event is a panel session where Victoria will be joined by the editors of the Chambers and Partners UK Solicitors Guide and will cover Chambers’ research methodology and approach to submissions. In Conversation with Chambers and Partners gives insider details into the Chambers process, allowing attendees a sneak peek into the workings of this Guide and providing priceless insights into how firms can create the submissions that will get their teams and individual lawyers ranked or moved up in the listings. This event is happening on Tuesday 8th November 1.00 – 2.00 pm. You can book your free tickets here.
