With the "Party" Over, Marketing for Attorneys Is Crucial

In an Am law Daily interview posted on November 10, 2008, legal futurist Richard Susskind of the UK makes the bold statement (which has significant ramifications in the world of marketing for attorneys) that the "party is now over" for prospering lawyers.  In his new book, The End of Lawyers?, Susskind argues that the legal profession is about to undergo a significant transformation where lawyers become less prominent in our society due to commoditization and technology.

According to Susskind, profits have generally been good for law firms over the past 10-20 years.  He states, however, that "the party is now over," that the crisis with credit will speed up change within the legal profession, and that clients will become more demanding in requiring lower fees and increased work.  Susskind notes that U.S. law firms have fallen behind their UK counterparts in implementing automation and technology.  He predicts that there will be more outsourcing of legal work, and that clients will be more apt to share the costs of legal work in such areas as regulatory compliance.

Finally, Susskind notes that in England and Wales, non-lawyers will be able to invest in and run law firms.  Such non-lawyers will likely outsource legal work to India and implement more automation.  When clients begin to see the advantages of law firms run in such a fashion, there will be pressure for law firms in the U.S. and elsewhere to follow suit.

Although Susskind does not address the issue in the interview listed above, the implication from the interview is that internet marketing for attorneys and lawyers will become more and more important.  If it is true that times will become more economically challenging for lawyers (which certainly appears to be the case), marketing for law firms will be crucial.  Law firms will need to invest in teaching marketing to their lawyers.  In addition, individual lawyers will need to take the time and commit the resources to upgrade their client development skills.

Despite trends in the economy in the U.S. and internationally, there will always be comfortable room at the top for lawyers who have an expanding book of business.  The "party" need not be over for lawyers who understand and implement new media and social media marketing.