Comments (0)

By Michael Scutt, 26/02/2010 10:30 am

I recently read a post on The Client Revolution, a US blog,  called “What lawyers can learn from an Office Depot Commercial”.  It’s  about how small law firms can compete with larger businesses, not by trying to compete on price, but in other ways, namely quality of work. The post is well worth a read, and the You Tube video beneath is the one that Jay Shepherd, the author, refers to.  Next Tuesday I am speaking at Gateway Media’s workshop on “Combating Tesco Law” and this advert strikes me as containing a very useful example of how firms can strike back at bigger competitors. 

These issues are getting more relevant for practitioners by the day.  John Flood, Professor of Law and Sociology at the University of Westminster reports on his blog, RATS (take a look to see what the acronym stands for) that the Legal Services Board has announced Alternative Business Structures will come into operation from October 2011 – see the press release here. Applications for ABS status will be allowed from next summer.  John asks “will it be a matter of who gets there first or will the fast second ultimately win?”.  I would opt for the latter: being a guinea pig is rarely a route to success. 

Now that the prospect of market consolidation is getting very close, what steps should law firms be taking?  Being creative, open to change and offering the legal equivalent of fixing a cheapo haircut.  You just need to get your message out there.  

Comments (2)

By Michael Scutt, 08/02/2010 4:22 pm

How prepared are you for the Legal Services Act?

Gateway Media are a very accomplished media agency with some blue-chip clients.  I was therefore delighted to be invited to speak on the 2nd March at the above workshop about the Legal Services Act 2007 and the implications for lawyers.  I will be taking a look at the Legal Services Act and its main provisions in a talk entitled “The Legal Services Act Explained“.  The introduction of Alternative Business Structures is now only a year away.

After me will be two very interesting sessions on marketing and the use of digital media.  The “Marketing Refresher” session is aimed at lawyers and how to promote professional services.  It will deal with marketing basics and the issues business owners need to think about when promoting their brands.

The final session “Practical Steps”  will be devoted to digital media, promotional strategies and developing your online presence.

It should be an interesting (half) afternoon – and it’s free!

You can register at http://tiny.cc/V4hlI

Or phone: 020 3056 4063