The Law Firms That Define Themselves Will Define the Future of Big Law

For decades, most law firms thought about branding and communications in a relatively limited way. A firm’s brand was its name, its logo, its reputation, and eventually its website. Communications was often viewed as tactical: issuing a press release, responding to a reporter, announcing a new partner, or publishing a client alert. That world hasn’t just changed. It has changed dramatically.

Today, positioning is strategy. It is one of the keys to long-term, strategic growth.

The law firms that lead over the next decade won’t simply communicate what they do. They will define who they are, what makes them different, where they are going, and why clients and top talent should choose them.

Traditional media remains critically important. The best firms will continue to cultivate relationships with reporters, earn meaningful coverage, speak at major conferences, appear on podcasts, and contribute to the industry’s most important conversations. These activities are a must.

But today, law firms have something previous generations never had. They can tell and own their story.

Many of the world’s leading law firms now have LinkedIn audiences exceeding 100,000 followers – some as many as 400,000 or more. Those followers include clients, prospective clients, recruits, alumni, journalists, investors, and business leaders. Increasingly, LinkedIn has become the place where potential clients and recruits learn about firms, their lawyers, and what makes them unique.

The media landscape is changing as well. Journalists are building their own audiences on platforms like LinkedIn and Substack. At the same time, the race to break news has accelerated dramatically. Information moves instantly. If a firm isn’t proactively defining itself, someone else almost certainly will define it.

The firms that separate themselves won’t simply react to the news cycle. They will make their own news. They will consistently communicate what makes their firm distinctive and special. They will showcase the expertise and perspectives of their lawyers in creative, compelling, and authentic ways. And they will shape the conversation instead of waiting to be part of it.

Positioning is no longer a marketing exercise. It is a leadership responsibility. The law firms that define themselves will be the firms that define the future of Big Law.