There’s plenty of chatter about marketing in law firms, but actual progress often feels stuck in first gear.
Law firms across CEE are investing more in marketing than ever before. They are hiring in-house teams, redesigning websites, building social media presence, and trying (with varying levels of success) to stand out in a crowded market.
Unfortunately, for many marketers working inside these firms, it still feels like trying to assemble IKEA furniture while leadership debates the legal accuracy of the instructions.
Why? Because while the intent to “do more marketing” is there, the internal support often isn’t.
This has nothing to do with incompetence or malice. Most of the time, it stems from misalignment of priorities. Managing partners are trained to minimize risk, protect reputation, and focus on client work. Marketers, on the other hand, are focused on visibility, engagement, and the ability to respond to trends or course-adjust based on data.
Both perspectives are valid, of course. However, it appears that one tends to consistently override the other, without even an attempt of finding an equilibrium.
Here are three of the most common disconnects we see – or rather, three most common frustrations marketers in law firms experience that they wish leadership teams would internalize.
1. Marketers want manageable websites. Managing partners want standout, high-end designs.
Marketers want websites they can actually use and manage. They are looking for clean and clear designs set up in a way that make it easy for them to update without having to submit a ticket to an external agency. Marketers’ goal is agility. They want to easily post a new article, launch a campaign, update a lawyer’s bio, experiment with marketing funnels, and so on. And they want to be able to do it today – not three weeks from now, pending a budgetary approval from leadership for the agency’s fee.
But many managing partners still chase “the big agency” look – glossy designs from London-based creative agencies that charge a fortune and leave firms with beautiful but bloated websites full of unnecessary functionality. These sites may look good but are a nightmare for marketers to manage day-to-day.
Flash is great. But to what end?
If your marketing team can’t update your site to respond to changes (both big and small), you’ve essentially traded control for aesthetics.
2. Marketers want content. Managing partners don’t see it as essential.
Content is what fuels visibility. It’s how a law firm showcases its expertise and builds trust. It not only helps attract new clients but also keeps your reputation strong with current clients and a larger network.
Marketers know this. It’s why they spend so much of their time chasing partners and associates for articles, quotes, and insights.
The problem is that leadership often doesn’t view content creation as a priority, so it never becomes part of the firm’s culture. It’s seen as optional. Billable hours are the sole focus.
Focusing on billable hours makes perfect sense. After all, it’s the firm’s revenue driver. However, content creation is key to strengthening a law firm’s reputation, which is something leadership values deeply. That’s why change needs to start at the top – managing partners making content an integral part of the firm’s culture and expectations. Leading by example, managing partners should contribute content themselves. Even at a small firm, if each legal professional commits to writing just one article per month, marketers would have a steady pipeline of around 15 pieces to publish, share, and repurpose.
3. Marketers want responsiveness. Managing partners want perfection.
So much in marketing depends on the ability to build momentum. A solid campaign launched this week beats a flawless one launched next quarter. Marketers know that responsiveness is what keeps a firm relevant.
However, many managing partners get stuck chasing perfection. Every post, every article, every campaign goes through rounds of internal edits. And if the leadership team isn’t aligned (which is often the case), the approvals drag on forever.
In this environment, marketing loses its power. It’s neither reactive nor proactive. It’s simply uninspired.
A brand that moves slowly loses visibility. Progress beats perfection.
The irony is that marketers and managing partners want the same thing: a strong reputation, a visible brand, and a growing firm. But too often, the people hired to make that happen aren’t given the tools, backing, or freedom to do their job.
If you’re a part of the leadership team, ask yourself: what have you said “no” to lately and was it for the right reason?
By Saida Ayupova, Founder, Five-o-eight
