In my role as JD Supra's Director of Referral Partnerships, I have the privilege of collaborating with brilliant minds across the legal marketing/business development landscape. These partners aren’t just experts in their fields—they’re strategic thinkers, innovators, and problem-solvers who constantly push the industry forward.
Every conversation with our partners and friends is an opportunity to learn, exchange ideas, and refine the way we approach law firm growth. And the best insights? They deserve to be shared.
So, I asked our referral partners one simple but powerful question:
"What’s your top piece of advice for law firm leaders in 2025?"
Their responses reveal what’s driving success this year—everything from content strategy to client relationships, business development training, collaboration, and differentiation. Whether you’re looking to cut through distractions, strengthen your media presence, or redefine how your firm stands out, these insights will help you navigate 2025 with clarity and confidence.
Let’s dive in:
1. Block distractions to maintain focus and productivity
Katie Hollar Barnard, founder of Firesign, doesn't mince words about 2025's challenges:
Just a few weeks into 2025, it's looking to be a year full of distractions: the continuing rush of AI, uncertain economic conditions, a new political administration, and more. (And that's just what's happening outside the office.)
It's easy to get pulled into dozens of directions -- and every new shiny object is a threat to accomplishing your strategic goals. Focus on your core positioning -- 'We do [service] for [specific audience]'—and stay disciplined about the tactics that are true to it. I'm protecting my productivity in the new year by using StayFree on my phone; I set parameters that keep me from using any social media apps before 10:30 a.m. and time me out of all social media apps after 10 minutes.
It keeps my head clear and helps me focus on the work at hand.
2. For greater media impact, focus on niche topics
The media landscape continues its dramatic transformation, according to Traci Blattel and Lydia Bednerik Neal of Blattel Communications. Despite struggling newsrooms, they see tremendous opportunity:
2024 was a wild ride for the media industry, and we’re not predicting things to settle down much in 2025. We strongly believe that while newsrooms continue to struggle, the need for professionals with deep knowledge of the impacts of the changing political, social, and business landscape will continue to accelerate.
This is an opportunity for any firm, group, or individual with subject-matter expertise to offer sophisticated and easily consumable analysis to highly targeted, niche audiences.
Now’s the time to develop a thoughtful approach to anticipating those media opportunities with a focused campaign that showcases your unique perspective.
3. Cultivate a personal board of directors
Jill Huse of Society 54 takes a refreshingly human approach to leadership development:
When I coach executive professionals, one of the key things we focus on is finding your people—your personal ‘board of directors.’ Think of your career like a business: who are the trusted people who can help you grow, give you solid advice, and push you to be better? Leadership can be isolating, but having a strong circle of influence makes all the difference.
Value those relationships, foster that trust, and make sure you're building a reciprocal relationship. Show up for them, find ways to support them, and always be genuine in your actions.
Those authentic connections ultimately drive success and will make you the leader that others want to follow.
4. Want rainmaker partners? Invest in them as associates…
Rebecca Hnatowski of Edwards Advisory identifies a critical gap in many firms' talent strategies:
Invest in your associate’s business development training now. One thing I’ve seen in the market is the lack of investment in marketing and business development training for associates. New associates come in, and they only focus on client work for six or seven years before they’re suddenly expected to flip a switch and bring in business to make partner.
If you start early in their career, training them on core competencies like communications and client service, they will know how to build strong relationships from the get-go and be better positioned to bring in business when the time comes.
5. Strengthen client relationships through 1-on-1 connections
Alycia Sutor of Growth Play reminds us that in uncertain times, the strongest firms prioritize meaningful connections:
In 2025, the most impactful investment for law firm leaders is cultivating and sustaining authentic one-on-one relationships and encouraging attorneys to do the same with clients and key stakeholders.
To reap the benefit, lawyers and leaders need to approach an interaction with intentional purpose and preparation. Intentional purpose requires a willingness to suspend self-interest and to be genuinely thoughtful, interested, and curious about another person and their interests, needs, and priorities.
A recent example of the tangible results of this approach: a new woman partner, busy raising a young family and dealing with a multitude of professional and personal commitments, made it her top priority to visit 20 contacts she identified as high-priority business relationships. Out of the 20 visits, she created 20 new opportunities for work, and just as importantly, strengthened her value as a trusted advisor with each person who cemented her relationship for the future.
6. Collaborate in order to drive greater value across the organization
Clinton Gary of CREDO Consulting challenges the industry's traditional reliance on star performers:
In 2025, the most impactful advice I’m sharing with law firm leaders is this: empower your firm to achieve greater growth by intentionally embedding collaboration into your planning, processes, and people. The competitive advantage for law firms no longer lies solely in the capabilities of individual rainmakers but in leveraging the firm’s collective strengths to deliver greater value to clients, professionals, and the firm as a whole.
Collaboration is not a vague ideal—it’s a deliberate, measurable approach where shared knowledge, aligned strategies, and team-driven business development fuel sustainable growth. As a leader, your role is to orchestrate collaboration as a strategic priority, ensuring your firm operates with systems and habits that unlock its full potential.
Do you know how well your firm is leveraging its collective strengths to drive greater growth—or where opportunities are being missed?
7. Combine your content creation and client engagement…
Tom Hagy of Critical Legal Content and HB Litigation takes a refreshingly practical—and entertaining—approach to business development:
I tell any lawyer who will listen about how to approach prospective clients. Borrowing a bit from cornball team-building exercises (but leaving out the humiliation), invite them to work with you in a mutually beneficial, no-strings way; that is, create content together. Invite them to contribute to your article, blog post, or webinar.
In the planning and drafting process, you get to demonstrate your expertise without feeling like you’re selling knock-off jeans out of the back of your car. You get to see whether you work well together, too, or whether you'd rather sell Kevin Klein denim trousers with uneven pant legs and problematic stitching. They will appreciate this substantive way of promoting themselves, too, and your content will be better.
I've seen this work time and again, and it's not even dodgy. I promise it will not leave you feeling debased, or them feeling like they are stuck in a pitch for a ‘can’t-miss multi-level marketing program’ where all you need is a car with a trunk.
8. Focus on innovation and differentiation
Kenny Gary and Erin Harrison of LIMELIGHT challenge firms to rethink their approach to showcasing expertise, noting that the traditional playbook no longer makes firms unique:
In 2025, law firm leaders should be thinking about breaking away from the industry’s default marketing playbook of ‘eminence,’ where every Am Law firm highlights its exceptional attorneys—ultimately making them all look the same.
The real challenge is differentiation: positioning the firm as a forward-looking, innovative partner that serves clients in new and creative ways, both now and in the future.
Instead of just showcasing expertise, firms should emphasize how they are evolving—through technology, client-centric solutions, and reimagined service delivery models. Clients aren’t just looking for top-tier legal minds; they want a firm that is actively transforming to meet their needs in smarter, more efficient ways. By focusing on these differentiators, firms can craft a distinct brand identity that truly stands out in a sea of sameness.
The Conversation Continues
These insights from our trusted partners offer a powerful starting point for tackling 2025's unique challenges. Each month, I'll be asking our partner network questions that matter to legal marketers and sharing their responses.
Have a burning question you'd like our experts to address? Email me or connect with me on LinkedIn.
+
Laura Gutierrez is the Director of Referral Partnerships at JD Supra, where she connects with industry experts to share insights that help firms thrive. Through JD Supra’s Referral Partner Program, she collaborates with consultants, agencies, and service providers to create meaningful partnerships across the professional services industry.
