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What Scares Senior Leaders in Law Firms About Marketing?

Author: David Gilroy, Managing Director, Conscious Solutions

I'm preparing a new keynote talk with the same title as this survey.

Now, you personally might not be 'scared', but I would appreciate your views too.

What do I mean by 'leader'? Think at least fixed-share/salaried partner or above. I am NOT looking for the views of 'business professionals'.

Each question is a 'sliding' scale, and can be filled in anonymously if you want. Ideally you will reveal the size of your firm and geography

If you complete the survey and provide your name and email address, then a summary of the survey will be shared with you once it's closed. This will be provided in early November.
1.What is your primary role at your firm?
2.How many fee-earners are in your firm?
3.In which country is your firm based?
Section 2: Return on Investment (ROI) & Financial Concerns
4.These questions address the fundamental fear: "Are we spending money wisely?".
Strongly disagree
Disagree
Neither agree nor disagree
Agree
Strongly agree
I am confident that I know how much our firm spends on marketing and business development.
I believe our firm gets a clear and measurable return on investment (ROI) from its marketing spend.
I worry that a significant portion of our marketing budget is spent on activities that don't generate new business.
The financial metrics our marketing team (and/or external agency) provides are easy for me to understand and trust.
Section 3: Strategy & Competition
5.These questions explore anxieties about direction and falling behind.
Strongly disagree
Disagree
Neither agree nor disagree
Agree
Strongly agree
I believe our firm's marketing strategy is clearly defined and aligned with our overall business goals.
I feel our firm is too traditional in its approach to marketing.
I am concerned that our competitors are more sophisticated or effective in their marketing than we are.
I am skeptical about the real-world business value of modern digital marketing tactics (e.g., social media, SEO, content marketing).
Section 4: Time, Culture & Internal Frustrations
6.This is often the biggest source of anxiety for leaders – managing your own time and that of your colleagues.
Strongly disagree
Disagree
Neither agree nor disagree
Agree
Strongly agree
Finding the time for my own marketing and business development activities, alongside my client work, is a significant personal challenge.
I find it difficult to get other partners and senior lawyers to consistently engage in marketing activities.
Our firm's compensation model effectively incentivises partners to focus on business development.
Our marketing/BD professionals have the necessary respect and influence within the firm.
Section 5: Reputation, Brand & Control
7.This theme addresses the fear of getting it wrong and damaging the firm's hard-won reputation.
Strongly disagree
Disagree
Neither agree nor disagree
Agree
Strongly agree
I worry that our marketing activities could inadvertently damage the firm's reputation or brand.
I am concerned about individual lawyers' use of social media (e.g., LinkedIn) and its impact on the firm's brand image and the loss of fee earning time.
I am confident that our marketing messages accurately reflect the quality and expertise of our legal advice.
Section 6: The Future & Emerging Threats
8.This section looks at forward-facing anxieties like AI and changing client behaviour.
Strongly disagree
Disagree
Neither agree nor disagree
Agree
Strongly agree
I am uncertain about how our firm should adapt its marketing to respond to new technologies like Generative AI.
I am concerned that the traditional ways law firms have won business (e.g., referrals, networking) are becoming less effective.
I feel our firm is well-prepared to meet the changing expectations of the next generation of clients.
Section 7: Your Details

If you want the survey results shared with you, I need to know who you are, so please provide your name and email address. This will remain confidential.
9.Full Name
10.Email address