If you run a small law firm, you’re probably wearing more hats than you’d like. You’re practicing law, managing clients, supervising your team, handling the business side of the firm and somehow trying to find time to market yourself and bring in new work. And unlike lawyers at larger firms, you may not have a marketing or business development department to help you do any of it.
At the same time, small law firms have advantages that can make marketing and business development easier in certain ways. They can make decisions quickly, develop close relationships with clients and build their reputations around the experience and personalities of their lawyers. They also have the flexibility to try new ideas, whether that’s launching a LinkedIn series, hosting a small client event or finding creative ways to reach prospective clients, without navigating the approval processes that often exist at larger firms.
I’ve worked with law firms of all sizes, from some of the largest firms in the world to small boutiques and solo practitioners, and I’ve seen how much of a difference a focused marketing and business development program can make. Having a large budget or a dedicated team certainly helps, but those resources aren’t prerequisites for building visibility and attracting clients. Some of the most effective initiatives I’ve worked on have involved relatively modest investments of money and time, combined with a clear understanding of the audience and a commitment to following through.
The challenge for small firms is deciding where to focus their efforts when there are so many competing demands on their time. There are countless ways to market a law firm, but trying to pursue too many initiatives at once can leave lawyers feeling overwhelmed and make it difficult to evaluate what’s working. A more manageable approach is to concentrate on activities that help you reach the right people, strengthen existing relationships and create opportunities for conversations that can lead to new business.
Here are 10 strategies small law firms can use to develop a more effective marketing and business development program.
1. Get Clear About Who You Want to Reach
Before investing time in LinkedIn, sponsorships, networking events or content marketing, you need to understand who you’re trying to reach and what matters to those people. Firms sometimes spend considerable time and money on marketing without having a clear picture of their ideal clients. They attend conferences because they’ve always attended them, sponsor organizations because a partner has a relationship with someone involved and publish articles without thinking about whether the topics are relevant to the people they want to attract.
Look at your existing clients and identify the relationships you’d like to replicate. Think about the industries they operate in, the legal issues they face, the size and structure of their businesses and the reasons they chose your firm. You can also examine which matters have been the most profitable, which relationships have led to additional work and which clients are the best fit for your firm’s experience and approach to client service. These insights can help you identify the types of organizations and individuals you want to pursue.
For example, if you’re a small corporate firm that works with privately held businesses, your audience might include founders, business owners, private equity professionals, accountants and investment bankers. An employment boutique might focus on CEOs, general counsel, HR leaders and business owners in particular industries. A litigation firm might identify companies facing recurring commercial disputes or organizations that regularly need specialized trial counsel. Each audience has different concerns, and understanding those differences can help you develop more relevant marketing messages and business development activities.
Once you’ve identified your target audience, use that information to guide your decisions about content, events, professional organizations and networking. Develop a list of companies and individuals you’d like to build relationships with and identify which lawyers at your firm are best positioned to connect with them. This gives your marketing activities a clearer purpose and makes it easier to evaluate whether they’re helping you reach the people who matter most to your practice.
2. Make Your Lawyers the Face of Your Firm
One of the advantages small law firms have is the ability to build their brands around the lawyers who work there. Clients often choose smaller firms because they want direct access to experienced attorneys, personalized attention and a relationship with the people who will actually handle their matters. Your lawyers’ experience, personalities, professional backgrounds and perspectives can help prospective clients understand what makes your firm different from others offering similar services.
Your lawyers’ website biographies and LinkedIn profiles are good places to begin. These are often among the first places prospective clients and referral sources look when researching an attorney. Your biographies need to explain who you represent, what kinds of matters you handle and what experience makes you well suited to help particular types of clients. They can also include information about your professional background, industry involvement, speaking engagements, publications and community activities. The goal is to give people a clear understanding of your capabilities while helping them get to know the person behind the credentials.
Beyond biographies, look for opportunities to showcase your lawyers through content and other marketing initiatives. A firm might create a series introducing its attorneys, highlighting why they joined the firm, discussing their professional experiences or sharing their perspectives on developments affecting clients. Lawyers can participate in podcasts, speak at industry events, contribute to articles and share their knowledge on LinkedIn. These activities help build recognition for individual attorneys while strengthening the firm’s overall reputation.
It’s also important to involve lawyers at different levels of seniority. Associates may have valuable perspectives on emerging legal issues, technology, industry developments and professional experiences that resonate with particular audiences. Giving them opportunities to develop their own visibility can support their professional development while helping the firm reach new networks and potential clients. For smaller firms, where every lawyer can contribute to the firm’s reputation, this can be an especially valuable part of the marketing strategy.
3. Make LinkedIn Part of Your Business Development Routine
LinkedIn gives small firm lawyers the opportunity to reach prospective clients, referral sources and other professionals without making a significant financial investment. But many lawyers treat it primarily as a place to share firm announcements, job changes and occasional articles. While those updates have value, LinkedIn can be much more effective when you use it consistently to develop relationships, demonstrate your knowledge and participate in conversations with people in your target audience.
Build a network that reflects the clients and referral sources you want to reach. Connect with current and former clients, professional contacts, law school classmates, former colleagues and people you meet at conferences or industry events. You can also use LinkedIn’s search tools and People You May Know feature to identify professionals who work in the industries you serve. I take a fairly broad approach to networking on LinkedIn because there’s value in connecting with people who share professional interests, have mutual contacts or may become relevant to your work in the future.
Once you’ve started expanding your network, focus on participating in conversations. Comment thoughtfully on posts from clients, prospects and referral sources, congratulate people on professional accomplishments and share information that may be relevant to their businesses. These activities help you stay visible while creating opportunities to develop relationships. You can also send personalized messages to reconnect with people you haven’t spoken to recently or follow up after meeting someone at an event.
Content is another important part of using LinkedIn effectively. Share practical advice based on questions clients regularly ask, developments affecting the industries you serve and experiences that illustrate your perspective as a lawyer. You can also write about professional lessons, community involvement and other subjects that help people get to know you. For a lawyer who’s just getting started, publishing two useful posts each week and spending 10 to 15 minutes a day engaging with others can be a manageable approach. As you become more comfortable, experiment with different types of content and increase your activity based on what works for you.
4. Build and Maintain a Strong Referral Network
Referrals are an important source of business for many small law firms, particularly those with specialized practices. Yet lawyers sometimes rely on referrals happening naturally rather than taking an active role in developing the relationships that generate them. A more intentional approach can help you expand your network of professionals who understand your practice, recognize when someone needs your services and feel comfortable making an introduction.
Think about the professionals who work with the same types of clients you represent. Depending on your practice, these might include accountants, financial advisers, bankers, consultants, insurance professionals, executive recruiters and attorneys in complementary practice areas. A corporate boutique representing privately held businesses, for example, might benefit from developing relationships with accounting firms, business brokers, commercial bankers and wealth advisers. An employment boutique might focus on HR consultants, benefits advisers and executive recruiters.
Identify the referral sources you already know and review where your recent matters originated. You may discover that certain relationships have generated multiple opportunities while others haven’t received much attention. Make a list of people you’d like to reconnect with, along with professionals you’d like to meet, and develop a plan for reaching out. This could involve inviting someone to coffee, arranging a lunch, attending an industry event together or asking a mutual contact for an introduction.
Small firms can also create opportunities to bring people together. Hosting a breakfast for accountants and business owners, organizing a dinner for referral sources or arranging a roundtable for professionals who serve similar clients can help strengthen relationships while providing value to everyone involved. These gatherings don’t have to be expensive or elaborate. A thoughtfully organized event with a small group of relevant professionals can create opportunities for introductions, conversations and future collaboration.
5. Make Sure Your Website Reflects the Firm You Want to Be
Your website is often one of the first places prospective clients visit when they’re evaluating your firm. Whether someone finds you through a referral, a LinkedIn post, a search engine or an AI platform, your website needs to give them a clear understanding of your experience and the types of clients you serve. Outdated biographies, vague practice descriptions, generic messaging and information that hasn’t been updated in years can make it harder for prospective clients to understand the firm’s capabilities and determine whether it’s the right fit for their needs.
Review your homepage and practice area descriptions. Can someone unfamiliar with your firm quickly understand what you do, who you represent and the kinds of legal matters you handle? Are your descriptions written in language that prospective clients will understand, or are they filled with terminology that makes sense primarily to other lawyers? You can also review whether your website includes relevant examples of your experience, industries served, representative matters and information about the lawyers who handle different types of work.
Your attorney biographies deserve particular attention because prospective clients frequently research individual lawyers before deciding whether to contact a firm. Make sure each biography includes current experience, relevant credentials, industry knowledge and a clear description of the lawyer’s practice. You can also incorporate publications, speaking engagements, professional involvement and other information that helps establish credibility. If your lawyers have developed new areas of experience or taken on leadership roles, those developments need to be reflected on the website.
Search visibility is another important consideration. Your website needs to help traditional search engines and AI platforms understand your firm’s practices, experience and areas of focus. Clear page titles, descriptive headings, relevant content and answers to common client questions can all support that objective. You can also develop articles addressing the legal issues your target clients are researching and connect those articles to relevant practice pages. For small firms, maintaining a focused, accurate and useful website can be more valuable than creating a large collection of pages that receive little attention.
6. Turn Your Existing Knowledge Into Useful Content
One of the easiest ways for lawyers to develop content ideas is to pay attention to the questions they’re already answering in conversations with clients and prospective clients. If several people are asking about the same legal issue, there’s a good chance others in your target audience have similar questions. Those conversations can provide ideas for LinkedIn posts, articles, videos, webinars, client alerts and other materials that demonstrate your experience while addressing subjects people actually want to understand.
Keep a running list of questions, issues and developments that come up in your practice. For example, a corporate lawyer might regularly receive questions about preparing a business for sale, negotiating commercial agreements or structuring an acquisition. An employment lawyer might hear concerns about workplace policies, employee classification or changes in employment regulations. Each of these subjects could become a practical article explaining what businesses need to know, what questions they need to ask and what issues warrant attention.
You can also look for ways to repurpose the content you create. A longer article might provide the foundation for several LinkedIn posts, a short video, a client email or a presentation to an industry organization. A webinar can generate follow-up articles addressing questions from participants, while a frequently asked question on your website can become the subject of a more detailed blog post. Repurposing content helps you get more value from the time you’ve already invested in developing it.
Small firms can also use content to highlight their lawyers’ individual perspectives and experiences. A partner might write about developments affecting a particular industry, while an associate could explain a recent legal decision or share insights from a professional conference. You can develop recurring series featuring different lawyers, practice areas or client questions, which can make content planning more manageable. Focus on topics that align with your firm’s experience and are relevant to the people you want to reach.
7. Reconnect With People Who Already Know You
When lawyers tell me they want to generate more business, one of the first places I suggest they look is their existing network. Former clients, colleagues, law school classmates, referral sources and other professional contacts may be valuable connections, but those relationships can become less active when people change jobs, move to different organizations or lose touch over time.
Make a list of people you haven’t spoken to recently and identify those you’d like to reconnect with. Review your LinkedIn connections, email contacts, alumni networks and past client relationships to identify people who may be relevant to your practice. Think about where they work now, what types of businesses they serve and whether there may be opportunities to help one another. This exercise can also reveal connections to companies or industries your firm wants to pursue.
Reconnecting doesn’t require an elaborate message or a business development pitch. You might congratulate someone on a promotion, send an article related to their industry, invite them to coffee or reach out because you saw an announcement about their company. Make the outreach personal and relevant to the relationship. If you haven’t spoken to someone in several years, acknowledge that and give them a reason to reconnect.
A simple system for keeping track of important relationships can make this process easier. A CRM can be helpful, but a spreadsheet or other contact management tool may be sufficient for a small firm. Record when you last connected, what you discussed, any relevant business developments and when you want to follow up. You can then set aside time each week to review your list and reach out to a few people. This creates a more organized approach to maintaining relationships without requiring a complicated process.
8. Be Strategic About Events, Sponsorships and Networking
Conferences, sponsorships and professional organizations can be valuable business development opportunities, but they can also consume a significant portion of a small firm’s marketing budget. Before committing to an event, evaluate whether it will put you in front of the clients, prospects and referral sources you want to reach. A conference may be well attended and highly regarded, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the right investment for your particular practice.
Research the audience, speakers, sponsors and organizations involved. Look at whether the event attracts people in your target industries and whether there are opportunities for meaningful conversations. If you’re considering a sponsorship, find out what it includes beyond having your firm’s logo displayed. Opportunities to speak, participate in discussions, host smaller gatherings or connect directly with attendees may provide more business development value than general visibility alone.
Preparation can make a significant difference in what you get out of an event. Review attendee and speaker lists when they’re available, identify people you’d like to meet and reach out in advance to arrange conversations. If you’re attending with colleagues, coordinate your efforts so that you’re not all spending time with the same contacts. After the event, follow up with people you met, share relevant information and look for opportunities to continue the conversations.
Small firms can also create their own events instead of relying entirely on conferences and sponsorships organized by others. A breakfast discussion for business owners, a roundtable for general counsel or a dinner involving clients and referral sources can provide opportunities to build relationships in a more focused setting. You can also collaborate with accountants, consultants or other professionals who serve similar audiences to develop programs that are relevant to your mutual contacts. These gatherings can become recurring initiatives that help establish your firm as a resource within a particular industry or professional community.
9. Pay More Attention to Your Existing Clients
Attracting new clients is important, but small firms also need to spend time developing the relationships they already have. Existing clients understand how you work, have experience with your lawyers and may have additional legal needs that haven’t been discussed. They may also know other business owners, executives or professionals who could benefit from your services. Staying connected gives you opportunities to learn more about their businesses and identify ways to continue supporting them.
Identify a manageable group of important clients and develop a plan for maintaining regular contact outside of active matters. This might involve scheduling periodic check-ins, inviting clients to industry events, sharing relevant articles or arranging meetings to discuss their business priorities. These conversations can help you understand whether clients are expanding, entering new markets, making acquisitions, hiring executives or facing other developments that may create legal needs.
If your firm has multiple practice areas, make sure your lawyers understand the services their colleagues provide. A client working with your corporate group may also need employment, litigation or regulatory advice, but those opportunities can be missed when lawyers don’t communicate about their relationships. Regular internal discussions about important clients can help identify where additional introductions or coordinated outreach may be appropriate.
You can also use these conversations to gather feedback about the client experience. Ask what the firm is doing well, whether there are areas where it could provide additional support and what challenges the client expects to face in the coming months. This information can help strengthen the relationship while informing the firm’s broader business development strategy. For small firms, where client relationships are often particularly personal, maintaining that level of attention can be an important competitive advantage.
10. Give Yourself a Realistic Marketing Schedule
One of the challenges small firm lawyers face is finding time for marketing and business development when they’re also responsible for serving clients and running their firms. It’s easy to start with ambitious plans to post on LinkedIn every day, publish a monthly newsletter, attend networking events, launch a podcast and update the firm’s website. But when client work gets busy, those activities are often the first things to fall off the calendar. That’s why a marketing schedule needs to reflect how much time you can realistically dedicate to these activities, rather than becoming a long list of initiatives that is difficult to maintain.
Choose three or four activities that will help you reach the people you want to attract. For example, you might commit to publishing two LinkedIn posts each week, reaching out to five people in your network, scheduling one coffee or lunch with a client or referral source and spending an hour developing content or researching prospects. Block time on your calendar for these activities and treat those appointments with the same importance as other professional commitments. You can also batch certain tasks, such as writing several LinkedIn posts at once or setting aside time at the beginning of each month to identify people you want to reconnect with.
You also don’t have to handle every aspect of marketing yourself. Even without a dedicated marketing department, there may be opportunities to involve other members of your firm. Associates can help identify topics for articles and social media posts, administrative professionals can coordinate events and maintain contact lists and paralegals can help gather information about upcoming conferences or industry organizations. Establish clear responsibilities so that the work doesn’t continually fall back on one busy partner.
Review your marketing activities at the end of each month. Look at which efforts led to conversations with prospective clients, introductions from referral sources, meetings with existing contacts or opportunities to discuss new matters. If something isn’t producing results, think about whether it needs more time, a different approach or whether your resources would be better spent elsewhere. Your marketing plan can evolve as your firm grows, but having a manageable routine gives you a much better chance of maintaining momentum during the periods when you’re busiest.
A Simple Weekly Marketing and Business Development Checklist
Developing a marketing plan is helpful, but making sure the activities actually happen is where small firms can struggle. A recurring schedule and a simple checklist can help lawyers stay organized and maintain their business development efforts alongside client responsibilities. The following activities can be adapted based on your practice, available time and growth goals.
A Simple Weekly Marketing and Business Development Checklist
Developing a marketing plan is helpful, but making sure the activities actually happen is where small firms can struggle. A recurring schedule and a simple checklist can help lawyers stay organized and maintain their business development efforts alongside client responsibilities. The following activities can be adapted based on your practice, available time and growth goals.
Every Week
- Publish one or two useful LinkedIn posts.
- Spend time engaging with clients, prospects and referral sources on LinkedIn.
- Reach out to five people in your professional network.
- Follow up with contacts from recent meetings or events.
- Review developments affecting important clients and prospects.
- Schedule at least one relationship building conversation.
- Capture two or three content ideas from client questions or industry developments.
Every Month
- Review your list of priority prospects and referral sources.
- Attend or host a relevant networking event.
- Publish a longer article or share a substantive piece of thought leadership.
- Reconnect with former clients or colleagues.
- Review your website and lawyer biographies for updates.
- Evaluate which marketing activities are generating conversations and opportunities.
- Plan the following month’s content and outreach activities.
You can adapt this checklist based on your practice, available time and business development goals. The important thing is to establish a routine that you can maintain.
Making Business Development Part of How Your Firm Operates
The biggest challenge for small law firms often isn’t knowing what to do to market themselves. It’s finding the time to do it consistently when client work, administrative responsibilities and the demands of running a firm take priority. That’s why I encourage small firm lawyers to treat business development as an ongoing responsibility rather than something they focus on when work slows down. Setting aside time each week to reconnect with people, develop relationships, share useful information and follow up on opportunities can help make these activities part of the firm’s regular routine.
Business development also doesn’t have to be a solo effort. Even if your firm doesn’t have a marketing department, you can involve associates, administrative professionals and other members of your team. Give people specific responsibilities, create processes that are easy to follow and make sure someone is accountable for keeping things moving. As the firm grows, these processes can evolve to support additional lawyers and more sophisticated marketing initiatives.
I’ve worked with small firms that have tremendous talent and experience but aren’t nearly as visible as they could be. Their lawyers are doing interesting work, helping clients build successful businesses and developing valuable professional relationships, but much of that activity never makes its way into their marketing. By being more intentional about sharing the firm’s experience, highlighting its people and maintaining relationships with the audiences it wants to reach, a small firm can make better use of the work and connections it has already developed.
The firms that make progress are the ones that find ways to incorporate these activities into their regular routines, even during their busiest periods. They identify their priorities, assign responsibilities, evaluate results and make adjustments based on what they’re learning. Over time, that approach helps marketing and business development become sustainable parts of running the firm rather than another project that continually gets pushed to the bottom of the list.
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