For instance, all the attorneys in his firm read daily court opinions. If they find a new or groundbreaking case, they're encouraged to write an article about it for publication in a trade publication such as a legal magazine or even, say, a real estate journal if the case is relevant to that industry. Gutierrez then reduces the article to a reprint and sends it to everyone on the firm's mailing list. Another untapped area for small-firm marketing, Gutierrez says, is marketing to other law firms. That is, in addition to potential formal alliances like that between Venture Law Group and Orrick Herrington, many large and mid-sized firms can informally refer matters to smaller firms and solo practitioners.
Many firms have quality clients but they're conflicted out of certain matters.
The key to establishing and maintaining those relationships is giving the other firm a confidence and integrity level that makes them sure you're not going to steal the client. The intense competition among law firms in recent years can be traced in large part to advances in technology. This progress affects not just the lawyers and the clients but marketing as well. Online innovations mean smaller firms have new marketing outlets like Web sites. The latest scanners and document control systems, for example, are priced well within any successful law firm's bottom line.