Should law firms participate in legal rankings?

Participating in legal rankings and awards is a lengthly and time consuming process. However, the exposure and positive recognition that comes from a credible ranking can have a strong impact on how the firm and its professionals are regarded in the market.

Below are some of the main reasons why law firms should make participating in legal rankings and directories a priority.

1.Establish Credibility / Strengthen Reputation

Having a third-party research team endorsement for your firm often holds more weight and credibility in the market than endorsing one’s own firm. Being able to leverage an endorsement from a well-respected media outlet (ie. Chambers and Partners, Legal500, Leaders League) will go a long way.

2. Build Relationships with Key Industry Contacts

The publishers of legal rankings and awards have strong media and industry presences that extend beyond the directories. By engaging in submissions, your firm can form closer relationships with journalists who might quote them in articles, be featured on news postings published by the company, get in the know about events that the company is hosting, and build connections with people who are well immersed in your network, and may be able to help you leverage a new business relationship in the future.

3. SEO optimization

The more places where your firm’s name appears, the better your chances are of being found by potential clients. While legal rankings will not be the make or break deciding factor that clients use to hire legal teams, they are one of the first places where clients go to research firms that they are interested in working with. Often times, people will also do simple google searches like “top tax firms in Brazil”, which will pull up all of the most relevant rankings on the internet. If your firm is not participating in directories, they will not be found in these google searches, which can mean that clients who may want to work with you, will not be able to find you.

4. Free advertising

The publishers that produce these rankings make considerable efforts to promote their rankings and research efforts, and in the process promote all of the firms and professionals included in their published research. In addition, the research teams who produce the rankings often include summaries and highlights of each ranked firm (at no cost), and so potential clients can gain more detailed insights on your firm from each of these third party sites.

5. Attract better talent

Establishing a competitive reputation and strong brand is a key way to ensure that your firm is attracting the best talent across all levels and positions. Lawyers early in their career are often especially eager to sign with firms with high brand name recognition and top tier status, and so the better that your firm can position itself in the rankings.

Click here to learn more about how LETS Americas can help law firms across the Americas to manage their participation and increase their exposure in legal rankings: LETS Americas Rankings Solutions

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Business Development Strategies for Law Firms

Maintaining a well-structured business development plan is critical for law firms to remain competitive, and to build a strong client base.

Hiring a law firm can be a long and tedious process, and it can take years to win a new client. However, when the stakes of winning a new client are so high, it is worth the wait, and the efforts into developing and nurturing all avenues that can lead to the generation of new business.

Traditionally law firms relied most heavily on in person networking to bring in new business, however times have changed and even before the pandemic, top law firms have been quick to embrace modern marketing, lead generation, and data collection tools to gain an advantage in this increasingly competitive market.

Below are five steps that law firms must consider when formulating their business development strategies:

1. Strengthen the value and recognition of your firm’s brand

Promote and grow your firm’s and reputation and brand by showcasing your specialties and professionals. What sets your firm apart from the competition, and how can you relay that information to the market?

The production of content and resources to educate current and potential clients on the capabilities and efforts of your firm is more important than ever. It no longer is enough just to operate as a firm, but you must implement a robust marketing strategy into place to remain relevant in this very competitive market.

2. Analyze your client base

Understand the characteristics of the types of clients who contract your services (ie. size, operating sectors, location, type and value of services contracted)

3. Follow the markets

It is important not only to stay up to date on the legal sector, but the unique markets of your clients must also be on your radar. Competition is increasingly fierce, since we have already passed the mark of over 1.3 million lawyers in the USA (Statista) and 1.2 million lawyers in Brazil, according to OAB data. Understanding these movements and crossing them with your client base can help the offices to prepare for trends, as there was in the offering of services related to Compliance and data privacy legislations, and to understand the size of the market to be occupied.

4. Establish a Relationship Management Processes

Maintain frequent contact with your customers to build customer loyalty, to generate trust and appreciation, and to keep them informed of all the ways your firm can service them. It is important to keep a database of the origins of these relationships as well, so that you have better data on what was successful in the past, and what you can continue to do in the future.

It is also advisable to send out recurring satisfaction surveys to your clients check on areas of improvement, and thereby improve service delivery. Clients will appreciate your openness to feedback, and it will allow for your firm to better service them.

5. Participate in Legal Rankings and Awards

It is important to appear in the same places as your competition. If your main competition is appearing in legal rankings and awards, and your firm is not yet actively engaging in those same channels, then it is time to get involved as well. Having a third-party research team endorsement for your firm often holds more weight and credibility in the market than endorsing one’s own firm. Being able to leverage an endorsement from a well-respected media outlet (ie. Chambers and Partners, Legal500, Leaders League) will go a long way.

6. Launch the Business Development Plan into action

Each of the steps described above is important individually, but must be executed in unison to become a strategy. The better that a firm is able to present itself to the wider audience, and to gain the trust and respect of that audience, the better the likelihood that the firm will win new clients. Knowing who your potential customers are is a critical step to begin opening new doors and targeting new leads. Through better understanding the market, we induce the growth formula and see your potential. By establishing relationships, operational and financial stability, along with a more sustainable method of doing business can be maintained.

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10 tips law firms must consider when planning their 2021 marketing strategies

With 2020 quickly coming to a close, and 2021 on the horizon, now is the time to take a look over all of your firm’s marketing objectives from the past year, and to start planning for the upcoming year.

Below are our top tips on how to best prepare your marketing and business development strategies for the upcoming year:

Sort through your contact list
- Clear out old contacts that are no longer up to date, or whom you are no longer in communication with, and ensure that all of your current contacts are properly stored and recorded in your database/ CRM
- Take this time to go through contacts you haven’t been in touch with for a while, and reach out and try to find a way to reconnect. The holidays are always a good excuse to contact someone. However, rather than just send out a generic holiday, try to customize your messages and use this outreach method to suggest reconnecting by phone/ videocall/ or even in person if appropriate.

Review your current firm’s website and social media accounts
- Check to see that all attorney bios and pictures up to date, and that all of the firm’s recent rankings and awards recognitions listed?
- Consider your firm’s engagement on social media, especially LinkedIn– are the current accounts active and up to date, or have the accounts been inactive for some time?

Reach out to your network and gather insights on what marketing strategies worked for your colleagues this year, and what they plan to do differently/ better in the upcoming year
- Contact attorneys or firms that have launched marketing strategies that you admire and ask what they have found to have worked / didn’t work for them this year
- Regarding events, try to also find out what your colleagues and network are feeling about returning to in person meetings, and the type of digital meetings they have most enjoyed, so that you can best strategize where to invest your time and budget related to client visits and events for 2021, and how to best continue to network during these uncertain times.

Do an audit of your tech set up
- While the future seems unclear, it is certain that virtual events, networking, and conferences are going to remain commonplace even once people begin traveling and attending in person events again. Therefore its vital to make sure that you are content with your current virtual meeting / communication platforms. It is also a good time to research what new products have come to market since the beginning of the pandemic which may make communication and project management much easier in this new virtual world.
- This is also the time to ensure that you are in compliance with all privacy legislations (ie. GDPR, LGPD) with the marketing and communication platforms that you are using

Research the competition and upcoming trends in the legal sector
- Perform research to find out what topics and practice areas are set to be hot in 2021, and strategize the ways to associate your firm to these trends
- Look into new marketing tools and platforms entering the market, and investigate whether they will be right for your firm
- Find out which events (virtual included) that are planned for 2021, and begin thinking about which ones you and your firm are most interested in attending/ participating in/ sponsoring

Set up meetings with relevant marketing/ media contacts before the year-end, and prepare calendar for all upcoming legal directory submissions dates and announcements
- Now is the time to focus on getting organized and prepared. Most legal rankings/ awards should already have their research calendars publicized so now is the time to consider which ones you want to become active in, and prepare a plan to better connect with the research teams to best perform in the next rankings.
- Use this time to also organize all of the rankings in which your firm and lawyers are already appearing, and decide which rankings your firm wants to get most involved with

Start planning the 2021 marketing plan and budget
- When creating the 2021 marketing plan and budget, be sure to keep in mind events, social media, PR, business development needs, directory profiles, as well as website design and maintenance, content creation, and any other areas in which your firm is currently engaged and/or is interested in participating in
- While events were put on hold for most of 2020, and will most likely not start up again until mid-2021, we are optimistic that the world will slowly begin to recover and people will begin to be able to attend smaller events in person in the next few months, and larger conferences by the end of next year
- Rather than just copy the marketing budget and plan from 2020, really take this time to research new outlets for promotion, networking, learning and marketing

Review branding and logos and corporate statement
- Does your current branding and logo accurately promote the vision of your firm, or does it need to be updated?
- This is also a good time to review your firm’s corporate statement, to ensure that it most reflects the mission and value of the firms

Establish strategic partnerships with other offices, suppliers, marketing, financial, human resources, etc.
- The end of the year is a good time to think about your current partnerships and vendors, and consider which contracts you are looking to resign/upgrade/downgrade, and which new vendors you want to start considering

Consider everything the pandemic has taught us
- The pandemic has dramatically changed the way we see international business and has shaped the way business is done in just about every way. We will definitely see that digital marketing is the way of the future, and that webinars and virtual events will continue to hold a prominent role in the way we network, and that working from home will remain a trend. It has also blurred the lines of geography in some senses, and has made it much easier to connect with people all over the world, which is a positive trend we also expect to continue.
- This has been a time of adaptation and resilience, with many new technologies and business strategies emerging from it. Reflect on the ways your business has changed during these few months, and think about the ways you best adapted to this new world and allow that to give you confidence about all the possibilities to come in 2021.

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7 Common Questions on the Brazilian Legal Market

Doing Business in Brazil

With a population of over 204 million people, and a nominal GDP of $1.9 trillion, Brazil is the most populous country in Latin America. It also has the largest consumer market and economy in the region.

Therefore, Brazil is an attractive market for foreign investors, entrepreneurs, and multinationals, and companies who are looking for international expansion.

However, the Brazilian market is complex. To enter, one must have a strong knowledge of the country, its laws, customs, and its tough regulation of the national bar for legal marketing. To plan effective marketing and business development strategies to target new Brazilian clients, it is important to work with a legal marketing team that is already well positioned in the country.

Below you will find the answers to some common questions law firms have about marketing to clients in Brazil, and the ways in which LETS Americas can best help these law firms achieve their marketing goals in Brazil.

1. Brazil has somewhat restrictive legislations regarding how law firms can advertise their services. How can LETS Americas help international firms looking to advertise to Brazilian Clients?

As LETS Marketing has been operating in Brazil since 2018, the firm has a strong understanding of what international firms can and cannot do to attract business in Brazil. The firm’s professionals have worked the main and most respected Brazilian law firms as marketing, business development and corporate communications specialists.

There are many legislations regarding the ways in which law firms are able to advertise, which are strictly governed by the Brazilian Bar Association (OAB, using the official Portuguese acronym) and so it is necessary to work with a team that is familiar with these legislations.

2. Is it necessary for international firms to produce content in Portuguese when targeting the Brazilian market?

For international firms looking to begin working within Brazil, it is very important to be able to produce communications in Portuguese, to be able to engage in the local media of the country and so firms should look to work with marketing teams that can assist with creating and promoting content in Portuguese.

According to a research published by British Council in 2019, only 5 % of Brazilians speak English. While the top law firms in Brazil are all fully bilingual, creating content in Portuguese allows for firms to better connect with the local market, shows respect for the local language, and reaffirms the firm’s dedication to working with Brazilian clients. Additionally, it is important to consider that there are many key decision makers who will be involved in the contracting of your services, and many clients may feel more comfortable navigating important business decisions in their native language.

3. Where in Brazil should my firm work?

Despite its large territory, economy and population, Brazil’s businesses hubs are concentrated across a few main cities. São Paulo is the financial center of the country and has the largest consumer market, where just about all of the most important companies in the country keep an office. Investment fund or banks in Brazil and the Brazilian stock market most often keep their headquarters in São Paulo . The city is near key-industrial poles (such as Campinas and ABC Paulista) and the largest port in the South hemisphere, which is called Santos.

It’s also common for litigation, tax and public law firms to have offices in Brasília, the national capital which is the seat of the Supreme Court, regulatory and enforcement authorities, and the main politicians.

The country is divided into 5 different regions with distinctive features and 26 federal states. The agribusiness is the main economic activity in the country, specially in the South and Midwest Regions.

The Southeast Region is very important as it where both São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro are located. It has the largest economic development through a plural economy in the productive industry, services and financial market.

The North and Northeast regions are key markets for international businesses and investors to watch due to their abundance of natural resources and growth potential.

4. How will the new Personal Data Protection legislation impact marketing capabilities for foreign entities doing business in Brazil?

The new Personal Data Legislation (LGPD) is already in force in Brazil. The law was inspired by the GDPR law of the EU, and was designed in order to protect people’s data and to fine companies which share or use personal information through a non-consensual way.

Email marketing campaigns, and the ways in which clients can do outbound lead generation campaigns were highly impacted by these new laws. While still a very useful content tool for law firms, it is now recommendable to the firm to establish a partnership with a local marketing specialist and compliance specialists to avoid sanctions.

5. What are the main aspects of the Brazilian legal regime that international clients must know?

Under regulations in Provimento 91/2000, foreign lawyers or law firms can only practice international or their country’s law as ‘foreign legal consultants’, and can only advise Brazilian clients on international legal matters. Foreign firms are not allowed to enter into partnership with or employ Brazilian lawyers. If a lawyer enters into partnership with a foreign lawyer, they will not be able to advise on Brazilian law and will be treated as a foreign legal consultant.

The sharing fees or equity between a foreign firm and a local Brazilian law firms is also banned, as is any joint marketing with local firms. What UK and other international law firms can do is work with Brazilian firms by referring business to each other and seeking each other’s advice on their respective countries’ laws

Paid advertising is also completely forbidden for law firms in Brazil. That’s why inbound marketing, content marketing and public relations are so important to the Brazilian firms’ strategies. Owned media and paid media are really relevant for them.

6. How does LETS Americas and LETS Marketing cover the whole of the Americas from only having two offices, in NYC and Sao Paulo?

By focusing on taking on clients engaged with global business, LETS has been focused on establishing strong relationships with international media and outlets, especially within the sectors of rankings, conferences and events. As the LETS team has worked within the legal marketing and legal media world for a number of years, giving us strong connections and relationships with key players across all of the Americas.

LETS also has a strong internal team of business development consultants who are well equipped and eager to take on any new challenges that our clients may ask of them.

7. What main areas of legal marketing does LETS Americas focus on?

LETS Americas is a completely full-service legal marketing consulting firm. The main areas in which we operate are:

Branding
Communications
Business Development
Events and Sponsorships
Digital and Inbound Marketing
Strategic Marketing Planning
Research
Legal Rankings and Publications
Public Relations
International Consulting

7. Which are the main Brazilian law firms to work with me as a lawyer or firm in association?

Brazil has a wide range of firms’ profile’s, considering full service and boutique players. An efficient tool to gather information and make a good decision regarding which Brazilian firm should you reach is to access the main Latin American legal rankings. Leaders League, Chambers and Partners, Legal 500 and The Who’s Who Legal are examples of institutions researching and publishing information regarding several practice areas, attorneys, and law firms. They publish every year a new ranking in English with the best rated lawyers and firms. Check it out and consult your marketing specialist regarding methodology and specificity on each institution.

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10 Tips for Networking within the Legal Industry

Networking is essential within the legal industry.

The majority of people who succeed in business, do so because they are accomplished networkers. This is no exception for lawyers/ people in the legal industry. Expanding one’s circle, building trusted relationships with other people, finding new clients, and embracing conversation as an opportunity to learn more about the world, are all key takeaways from networking. Even the shortest conversation with the right person can become the smartest business development strategy for your law practice. Attorneys are often tasked with being their own marketers, and so being able to develop strategic relationships is of utmost importance. While it takes practice to become a strong networker, it is a skill set that anyone can master.

In this day in age, legal networking may look a bit different than it did in the past, with the majority of events and even one on one coffee meet ups being held virtually. However the keys to succeed in both in person and virtual network environments are quite similar, and you can find them here:

1. Have confidence in yourself

Even the most seasoned and seemingly outgoing networkers still get nervous in new situations. It it no easy task to put oneself out when networking, and while you can practice your elevator pitch for hours, the most important attribute a networker can have is confidence. Everyone has someone valuable to offer. Being well prepared for the event, and wearing an outfit that makes you feel like the best version of yourself, will also help you gain confidence.

2. Set your purpose

Networking with a purpose is much more effective than showing up to an event, or meeting without at least one item you plan to accomplish. Your purpose can be to speak with one particular person, or to engage in a conversation about a specific topic, or it can just be as simple as speaking to one new person you have never met before.

3. Own your story

Everyone has an interesting story to tell. Practice your elevator pitch before speaking with a new person so that you can showcase it with enthusiasm and confidence. People are genuinely interested in learning about other people’s work and interests, the more passion you can put into your story, the more engaged your audience will be.

4. Practice your elevator pitch

Similar to tip number 3, practice, practice, practice your elevator pitch. Find a friend, mentor, coworker- anyone you trust, to listen to your pitch, and to help you perfect it. The target pitch is between 30 and 60 seconds, which can either sound like a lifetime, or way too short for chatty people, but is the perfect amount of time to introduce yourself and your story to a new person. From there, questions and comments should arise, and normal dialogue should be able to flow.

5. Pre-plan ice breakers

Introducing yourself to a stranger opening with your name and firm, and asking the same is repetitive and not memorable, and does not open the door to a strong conversation. Before arriving at the event, try to come up with a list of hot topics in the news/ industry/ general points of interest that a person attending this sort of event might be interested in speaking about. However, it is important to keep the topics light, and to avoid controversial topics.

6. Do research in advanced on the people who will be attending the event

When networking at an event, if the attendee list is open, try to do a quick search of the people who will be attending so that you can make a list of the people you are most looking to connect with. It is also helpful to study their picture in advance to more easily pick them out. If there is anyone you very much want to meet, consider sending them an email or LinkedIn message in advance letting them know you will be attending the same event and want to connect. This will allow for the other person to make sure to find the chance to speak with you then, or to suggest a one on one conversation at another point in time

7. Bring more people into the conversations

If while attending an event you find yourself engaged in a conversation and see someone who is on the sidelines not speaking with anyone, reach out and try to bring them into the conversation. They might end up being the exact person you needed to speak with, and also in the future you might be thankful when someone does the same for you

8. Be an active listener

Keep your phone out of sight, and make eye contact. Try to keep the dialogue equal – if you feel yourself taking over the conversation and speaking more than the other people, take a step back. If there is a lull in the conversation, use this opportunity to ask a question for other people to answer.

9. Take notes

Taking notes during/ directly after the conversations is an important way to ensure you can follow up properly with new connections. The next day or so after meeting, send an email or LinkedIn message to the new people you have met including memorable information from the conversation to make yourself more memorable, and to better your chance of continuing the conversation with that person.

10. Create your own opportunities

Many formal events are held which allow for networking to take place, but the best networking opportunities are the ones that you create for yourself. Go above formal events and ask someone you met at an event to meet for coffee (in real life or virtually), ak people you know to introduce you to people within their network, or find someone on LinkedIn who is in a relevant industry and ask for a phone call.
Attend industry events that are not tailored to attract lawyers, but are within an industry in which you do business, which may allow for you to stand out more among the crowd.
Any conversation can be a networking opportunity. Take a moment to strike up a conversation with someone you may not have normally spoken with. You never know where your next business referral might come from.
Host your own event. Create a group of people with similar interests and get them together for breakfast, or a zoom call (depending on the state of the world). Any way in which you can foster connections with new people will allow for you to stand out, become memorable, and become a more confident and competent networker.

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