Lawyers: How do you turn clients into your biggest fans?

Plus: Addressing a culture of workplace bullying

Raise The Bar

19 Dec 2024 • 4 min read

The term “die-hard fan” is usually reserved for sports fanatics, but what if a law firm could build a client base of fans like this? This week, we look at how a firm can create loyal clients through relations “rooted in passion, trust, and shared identity.” Plus, why is Megan Thee Stallion asking for a restraining order, and against whom?

In today's newsletter:

Root, root, root for the law firm?
Legal takeaways from bullying survey
Lawyers look toward the new administration
Thoughtfully embracing tech in your firm

Sobriety in the legal profession.
An important listen for the holidays.

To be read.
Cozy up with a book recommended by Stanford Law faculty.

"Unlawful tripping of an equine"?
The weirdest laws still on one state's books.

More than mindfulness.
Prioritizing mental health as a lawyer.

No, it’s not professional wrestling.
The Strong Arm v. The Alabama Hammer settlement.

What lawyers can learn from professional sports

Think of how you feel about your favorite sports team. Can your clients feel the same way about your legal services? It sounds a bit far-fetched, but Vinson & Elkins chief communications officer Allan Schoenberg, writing on the Global Legal Post, encourages professional service providers to think like sports franchises. Drawing insights from David Meerman Scott’s book Fanocracy, Schoenberg writes that teams don’t simply play games, they evoke emotions. Similarly, a firm can sell more than expertise, they can “sell belief in what they stand for.”

“Ultimately, managing a professional services brand like a sports team requires a mindset shift,” Schoenberg writes. “It’s about going beyond transactions to build relationships rooted in passion, trust and shared identity.” (Global Legal Post)

Will TikTok break Chinese ties fast enough?

The Supreme Court has agreed to hear a challenge on Jan. 10 to a ban on TikTok that would otherwise take place on Jan. 19. Legislation that was passed by Congress in April gave TikTok nine months to break ties with ByteDance, its Chinese parent company, or lose access to app stores and web-hosting services in the U.S. The bill was signed into law by President Biden, with the possibility of a one-time 90-day delay granted by the president if a sale is in progress. (CBS News)

What could Trump's second term mean for law practices?

A new presidential administration often means new legal frameworks. Writing for Thomson Reuters, Bryce Engelland considers what a second Donald Trump administration could mean for lawyers and clients. For example, an expected decrease in regulation in industries like energy and tech may increase the demand for corporate legal work, Engelland writes. Other considerations that could impact law firm work include tariffs and uncertainty around U.S. involvement in international conflicts. "Overall, the shaking up of the domestic and international snow globe by the Trump administration is likely to increase legal demand in the short term as clients adjust to ongoing changes, the long-term implications are decidedly more uncertain," Engelland concludes. (Thomson Reuters)

What to look for in tech

During a recent webinar, legal tech leaders offered suggestions to law firms on adopting generative AI tools. As reported by Legal Dive, the webinar on "Preparing Your Law Firm for 2025: Smart Ways to Embrace AI & Other Technologies" discussed the now-conventional wisdom that it’s only a matter of time before law firms use GenAI. The panelists addressed the challenges of evaluating the real value of such tools. For example, George Socha of Reveal noted that there is no “control group” from which to consider return on investment. Lee Wielenga of U.S. Legal Support suggested that a flexible pay-as-you-go pricing structure would work better for firms and in-house counsel than pricing commitments. (Legal Dive)

Thank you for reading Raise The Bar.

Every Thursday, you'll hear from our team about the most pressing issues facing legal practices today. We'll also try to include some quick-hit reads that touch on interesting cases and precedents being set worldwide.

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Written by Suzi Morales. Edited by Katie Parsons.