On the afternoon of February 28, 2025, the third online seminar with the topic "Business Development & Marketing," part of the event series “Online Law Firm Management 2025 - Professional Law Firm Management – Real and Fictional Stories,” was successfully held, attracting nearly 200 registrations, with the highest number of participants reaching about 180 people.
The seminar aimed to explore how law firms can approach and attract clients through effective business development and marketing strategies. Both coordinators and speakers emphasized the importance of this topic, explaining that every law firm, regardless of its size, must focus on attracting and retaining clients to sustain its operations.
The seminar was organized with the participation of the coordinator and speakers:
- - Lawyer Nguyễn Mạnh Dũng, Director, ADR Vietnam Chambers (Coordinator)
- - Lawyer Phạm Bá Linh, Executive Lawyer, Lexcomm Vietnam LLC (Coordinator)
- - Lawyer Đặng Thế Đức, Executive Lawyer, Indochine Counsel (Speaker)
- - Lawyer Trần Hà Hân, Member Lawyer, Dzungsrt & Associates LLC (Speaker)
- - Lawyer Lê Xuân Lộc, Member Lawyer, T&G Law Firm (Speaker)
Main Topics:
- - Do good lawyers need to market, and if so, through which channels? The speakers agreed that the legal profession is also a business, and clients are the most important factor. No matter how skilled a lawyer is, they need clients. Moreover, a combination of online marketing and in-person client meetings is crucial. Channels like LinkedIn are particularly useful for reaching potential clients.
- - Who is responsible for marketing (Member Lawyers, Seniors, or Juniors)? Many small and mid-sized law firms do not have a dedicated marketing department. Usually, lawyers themselves handle marketing, with senior associates sometimes helping to find clients. Many law firms also encourage junior lawyers and associates to participate in marketing, depending on the firm’s budget.
- - What percentage of annual revenue is allocated to marketing? Marketing budgets typically account for 5% to 7% of the firm’s annual revenue, depending on the year and business goals.
- - The role and importance of personal branding and firm branding, as well as the role of websites and social media in shaping and developing a firm’s brand. The speakers agreed that both types of branding are crucial. Personal branding helps clients trust specific lawyers, while firm branding builds confidence in the professionalism and credibility of the entire team. Websites and social media play a significant role in brand development and promotion.
- - Is the firm's ranking in legal directories (e.g., Legal500, Chambers and Partners, IFLR100, Asialaw, etc.) important? Being listed in legal directories is essential as it helps the firm gain recognition and reach new clients. However, preparing submission documents for evaluation must be thorough and of high quality.
- - Should a small firm join networks of small law firms to connect and support each other, and what are the popular networks? Small law firms should join networks to connect and support one another, especially in today’s competitive environment. Networks like ALFA International (https://www.alfainternational.com/) and other international organizations (IBA-International Bar Association, Lawasisa, IPBA – Inter Pacific Bar Association, etc.) are great options. In Vietnam, the VBLC (Vietnam International Business Law Club) is also a good choice.
Survey Results:
- - Popular Marketing Channels Used by Law Firms:
- - Website: 84%
- - Social Media: LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Zalo: 80%
- - Direct client marketing: 48%
- - Sponsorship & Networking: 44%
- - Membership in Partner Networks or Professional Associations: 43%
- - SEO: 25%
- - Blog Writing: 25%
- - Directory Listings: 11%
- - Online marketing: 10
- - Direct mail, TV advertising, online ads: 10%
- - Print ads: 16%
- - Keyword ads (AdWords) and Pay-per-click (PPC): 7%
- - Video Advertising: 5%
- - Avvo Platform (lawyer review and advice site): 2%
- - Other: 13%
Communication Channels Used by Law Firms to Stay in Contact with Clients:
- - Email: 89%
- - Face-to-face meetings: 84%
- - Telephone/voice mail: 64%
- - Video conferences: 44%
- - Scheduling: 38%
- - Video calls: 36%
- - Text/SMS messaging: 33%
- - Document and form sharing: 25%
- - Postal mail: 16%
- - Invoicing and payments: 11%
- - Client portal: 7%
- - Other: 8%
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The next seminar, Topic 4: "Human Resources Management & Leadership Skills," will be held at 3:00 PM on March 7, 2025 (Friday).
Registration link: https://bitly.cx/ISXT.
For more information about the remaining topics in the “Online Law Firm Management 2025” series with the theme “Professional Law Firm Management – Real and Fictional Stories,” visit: https://adr.com.vn/.../gioi-thieu-chuoi-su-kien-quan-tri...
