A Note from Shireen Hilal
I wrote this article because I see too many firms trying to stand out by copying what everyone else is doing. Their websites sound the same, their proposals are too long, and their pitches lean on generic claims about excellence, responsiveness, and client service.
That might feel safe, especially for firms that assume they need to sound more like BigLaw to win serious work. But sounding like everyone else makes it harder for clients to understand why they should choose you, pay your rates, or trust that your firm is the better fit.
In the article, I focus on a few ways firms can make their value easier to see:
- Pass the logo test: If your website, pitch, or proposal could belong to any peer firm once the logo is removed, it isn’t doing enough.
- Make proposals easier to buy from: Clients shouldn’t have to dig through long, generic proposals to understand the team, the price, the process, or the proof.
- Offer options instead of discounts: Budget pressure is real, but cutting rates shouldn’t be the default.
- Help clients justify the choice: Many buyers need to explain the decision internally. Give them a clear story they can repeat to the CEO or CFO, or for smaller clients, to their business partner or spouse.
- Reinforce value after the sale: The first 30 to 45 days should make clients feel confident through proactive communication, early wins, and check-ins before concerns become billing disputes.
We help law firm leaders stand out in a crowded market and win more work,including how to sharpen their messaging, proposals, pricing, and client experience. If your firm is looking to win more work without racing to the bottom on fees, I’m happy to be a sounding board. Meanwhile, the full Law360 article is below.
As Published in Law360
The Issue: Firms Are Struggling to Differentiate
As competition heats up and budgets remain tight, law firms face a critical challenge: differentiation.
Clients are slashing costs, shifting work in-house and down-market, and demanding more transparency and value. As a result, revenue and profitability are under pressure, rate increases face pushback, and firms are scrambling to demonstrate their value in an increasingly crowded and cost-conscious market.
Several forces are driving this shift. Corporate thriftiness has become the norm, spurred by rising operational costs, tighter margins, and global uncertainties like supply chain disruptions and geopolitical instability. Technology has also leveled the playing field: Firms of any size can project a strong online presence and tap into a global workforce.
Technology is also creating an unintended consequence — it's pushing client relationships toward transactional dynamics. Remote work and email-heavy communication have replaced personal interactions, while templated approaches to work product and reduced customization fail to meet expectations.
This dynamic is obvious even during the pitch process, and it directly affects the price clients are willing to pay. Instead of receiving personalized, high-impact proposals, clients encounter pitches that lack differentiation and feature convoluted pricing models that obscure both the investment required and the value they'll receive.
Your firm might need to rethink its pitch and pricing approach if:
- Your pitches, collateral or website are indistinguishable from those of your competitors when stripped of your logo.
- You're locked in price competition, or rate increases fail to translate into higher collections.
- You rely on form letters to communicate rate increases instead of having direct, client-focused conversations.
The rest of this article breaks down the data behind changing client expectations, along with practical strategies to refine your pitch, pricing and early-engagement communication — ensuring you stand out, win business and keep the work.
The Data: What Your Clients Are Seeking From You
An annual chief legal officers survey by the Association of Corporate Counsel, published in January, revealed that nearly half of legal departments are under strict mandates to cut costs, but are simultaneously facing significant rate hikes from their outside law firms.[1]
Given this disconnect, it isn't surprising that, despite rate increases, nearly 60% of firms report rising write-offs,[2] and firms' realization rates — the percentage of standard rates actually collected — have dropped sharply, hitting 81.9% in the second quarter of this year.[3]
Clients aren't just pushing back on the bills — they're also shifting down-market to lower- cost firms, demanding tech-driven efficiencies and data-backed solutions, and enforcing budget caps and strict outside counsel guidelines to regain control.[4]
This is more than a cost issue. Clients are prioritizing strategic partnerships that align with their broader goals.[5] Bighand's annual report on law firm finance, also published in January, found that clients are specifically asking for:
- Resonant, strategic advice;
- Clearer articulation of value; and
- Faster turnaround times and more transparent resource allocation.[6]
For firms looking to win work without racing to the bottom on fees, it's time to redefine what makes you indispensable. Your value proposition must align with clients' evolving priorities and demonstrate tangible value.
Practical Solutions: The Path to Client-Centric Service and Value
Clients want certainty, value and simplicity. This means they need to understand what they are getting and how much it will cost, and feel confident that their investment will lead to meaningful outcomes.
1. Offer easy-to-understand pricing and proposals.
Straightforward questions like, "What will this cost?" need straightforward answers. Implementing pricing models that are easy to understand — such as flat fees or value- based pricing — can significantly reduce the cognitive load on your clients.
They shouldn't have to decipher how a blend of hours from various personnel might play out on a future bill or hunt through long proposals to find the fees buried in the back.
Here are some tips for creating an offer that's the obvious choice.
Flat-fee models can eliminate your risk, too.
Firms know clients want flat fees, but are reluctant to set a price with too many variables at play. When there are several unknowns, consider pricing out flat fees by phase. Each phase's pricing can depend on the variables learned in the prior phase.
For example, a law firm defending a litigation could offer a flat fee for the preliminary phase of a case, followed by a discovery phase that is priced based on the volume of depositions and documents, and so on. This approach provides clients with a clear understanding of costs as the matter proceeds, and ensures you aren't taking on all the risk.
Consider outcome-based pricing.
Introduce pricing models tied to the achievement of specific results to reassure clients that they are paying for performance and to give you skin in the game.
You don't have to move to a fully contingent model — instead, offer reduced hourly pricing with a bonus at the matter's completion hinging on results achieved, such as claims dismissed prior to settlement or trial, or deals closing within a specific time frame or over a benchmark sale price.
Assess budget and scope.
If transitioning to alternative pricing isn't feasible, start by understanding your client's budget and ensuring it aligns with the project's scope. Set clear, realistic expectations about costs and the value delivered.
If you can't convincingly show why the outcome justifies the investment, you risk future billing disputes. In those cases, consider proposing a more suitable solution to meet the client's needs.
Be brief and bold.
Develop proposals that are straightforward and easy to digest. Write in plain English, avoid legalese unless dealing with an in-house expert in your specific field, and get to the point. Any information that is obvious, unnecessary for the decision-making process, or could come from any of your peers should be omitted.
Make sure your proposal crisply answers the three things clients always want to know:
- Are we getting the "A-Team"?
- How much does this cost?
- Have you done this before successfully?
Identify and highlight real differentiators.
To the point above, strip away the fluff — generic statements like "we offer excellent client service" that almost any firm could claim — and replace it with specific and tangible differentiators.
The best way to identify your differentiators is to ask your clients directly: Use client testimonials and feedback as a guide to uncover what truly sets your firm apart in the market's eyes.
For example, a boutique firm might hear that clients are impressed by the firm's adaptability, and emphasize this quality to distinguish itself from larger, more bureaucratic competitors that struggle with lengthy conflict checks, rigid pricing and antiquated staffing models.
Show, don’t tell.
Use case studies to illustrate how your pricing models have worked to achieve results for similar clients. Break down the costs and outcomes in these examples to show potential clients the value they received for their investment.
2. Provide options instead of discounts.
The pressure to lower fees due to budget-conscious clients is real. However, instead of cutting rates, offer options that allow clients to get exactly what they need without waste. Here are some strategies to achieve this.
Present tiered service packages.
Present tiered options reflecting varying levels of service depth. Basic packages might include essential conclusions and advice, while premium packages could provide deeper execution, support and follow-up.
For example, an employment law practice could offer a basic package that includes general compliance guidance, a handbook review and template employment contracts, while a more premium package might include ongoing advisory services on employment disputes, consistent regulatory updates and tailored human resources training programs.
Propose collaborative work models.
For clients willing to roll up their sleeves, propose collaborative work models where your firm handles certain aspects of a case while the client's in-house team manages others, reducing costs and giving them more control over the project.
For instance, a law firm could manage the strategic planning of a litigation case and host the review as a pass-on cost, while the client's in-house legal team handles the document collection, search terms and production.
Or corporate legal advice can be bifurcated, with the firm charging for the call, the in-house team preparing a memo based on those conclusions, and the firm confirming the memo adequately captures their advice.
Offer value-added services.
Offer value-added services for your best clients that address in-house counsel's craving for strategic advice. These could include exclusive access to industry reports, proactive legal assessments or biannual strategy sessions with a curated panel of your partner experts.
The bonus for you: Doing these types of assessments usually leads to even more work.
Bring it to life.
Provide examples that showcase how different clients benefited from various investment levels based on their priorities.
For example, showcase how a small business managed its legal risks effectively with a basic service agreement, while a larger corporation achieved comprehensive legal coverage and support with a more robust package.
3. Write the victory speech for your clients.
When pitching to a client, keep in mind that larger organizations often require buy-in from multiple stakeholders. And for smaller companies or individuals, making a significant financial investment can be just as challenging.
In either case, removing hesitation and making the decision easy is critical, so equip your clients with the right talking points or narrative - showing how your services will solve specific problems and how seamlessly you will fit into their team.
Make it easy for them to champion you and say, "We chose a great partner and made the best choice. Here's why."
Here are some tips to help you achieve this.
Provide clear value statements or success stories.
Provide a clear value statement that your client can easily repeat with enthusiasm - for example, "This partnership reduces our anticipated legal department costs by 15% while removing a thorn from our busy in-house team's side."
Where future outcomes are hard to estimate, share success stories of similar clients who have benefited from your services. These stories offer a narrative and proof of concept on why to choose your firm — for instance, "We've represented other companies against similar shareholder suits and successfully gotten 40% of these cases dismissed without even reaching discovery."
Do their job for them.
Do more than your peers and prepare a few slides or bullet points that your clients can use internally to relay the value of your services, tailored to the specific concerns and priorities of their stakeholders - e.g., the C-Suite, the board and investors - including key points and benefits.
Show that your goals align.
Too often, outside experts focus narrowly on their expertise, e.g., tax. Show how your services align with the client's broader goals and objectives - for example, "Our approach to strategic tax planning supports your goal of increasing the company's market valuation in preparation for a future sale or initial public offering."
4. Normalize the engagement process.
You've most likely heard the old adage, "If it seems to be too good to be true, it probably is." Don't shy away from addressing common issues that clients may find frustrating or periods where they might experience lulls.
Being candid about potential challenges shows you're a trustworthy partner, eliminates the fear of the unknown, and demonstrates your experience in anticipating and solving issues.
Here are some tips to help you normalize the engagement process.
Set clear expectations.
Outline potential challenges and what the client can expect. For example, you might say something like, "In seeking approval for your merger, we may face delays if a regulatory entity asks for more information. We have a stellar team of ex-agency experts who know how to cut through the requests and get the agencies what they need with minimal disruption and cost to you."
By setting clear expectations, you help clients understand the process and reduce anxiety about potential issues.
Prepare for common pitfalls.
Discuss common issues and how you handle them. For example, you might say something like, "Coordinating with multiple defendants can lead to misunderstandings. We address this by setting up regular status meetings with all defense counsel involved and providing comprehensive updates to ensure everyone is on the same page."
Show that you have the experience and foresight to manage the engagement strategically.
5. Enhance the postsale experience
The first 30 to 45 days of a matter, when clients begin to see the bills, are crucial. This period should be when clients feel the value and the magic of a partnership, instead of questioning their decision.
To ensure clients feel valued and reassured during this critical phase, consider the following strategies.
Maintain proactive and personal communication.
Keep clients informed about the progress of their matter with regular updates, even in lulls, and don't rely simply on email — schedule meetings or calls to discuss progress and address any questions or concerns.
For example, say something like, "Let's talk next week to discuss any questions you might have about our progress and the upcoming steps."
Reinforce your value.
Remind clients of the benefits and value they are receiving. Highlight significant milestones or successes early on — for example, "We have already identified key issues in your case that could significantly affect the outcome, and we are proactively addressing them."
Offer detailed and clear billing explanations.
Provide clear and detailed explanations of your bills, and make sure the entries tell a story of progress. If necessary, add a top-line paragraph that tells that story for you.
For instance, this might say something like, "This month, we conducted extensive research into the parties' course of dealing, which has already uncovered critical evidence to support your position.”
Implement client feedback mechanisms.
Implement a system for gathering client feedback during this period to identify any concerns early and address them promptly.
For example, after 30 days, reach out for an engagement check-in, and ask directly if you are meeting expectations on communication, team dynamic and any relevant work product.
Psychologically, when clients hear themselves say "everything is great," they are more likely to feel satisfied with the engagement. And, if there are real concerns, you'll uncover them early and have the opportunity to course-correct before they escalate.
Conclusion
In a market where clients have more options, tighter budgets and higher expectations, firms can no longer assume their value is obvious. To stand out, you need to go beyond the basics — delivering not just what your clients expect, but also what they never saw coming.
If you have feedback or are identifying trends or challenges you'd like to see addressed next
quarter, I'd love to hear from you.
Shireen Hilal is the CEO at Maior Strategic Consulting.
The opinions expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of their employer, its clients, or Portfolio Media Inc., or any of its or their respective affiliates. This article is for general information purposes and is not intended to be and should not be taken as legal advice.
[1] https://www.acc.com/resource-library/2024-acc-chief-legal-officers-survey.
[2] https://www.bighand.com/en-us/resources/news/60-of-firms-expect-write-offs-to-increase-in-2024-bighand-s-latest-research-confirms/.
[3] https://www.thomsonreuters.com/en-us/posts/legal/law-firm-rates-bull-bear-base-case/.
[4] https://www.thomsonreuters.com/en-us/posts/legal/state-of-the-us-legal-market-2024/.
[5] https://www.law.com/corpcounsel/2024/11/19/which-outside-law-firms-are-irreplaceable-and-which-should-have-gotten-the-ax-years-ago-/.
[6] https://www.bighand.com/en-us/resources/news/60-of-firms-expect-write-offs-to-increase-in-2024-bighand-s-latest-research-confirms/.
