Lawyers in small firms can compete with those in larger firms even though many don’t think they can. Actually they may have an advantage. Both large and small firms represent smaller businesses and individuals. As a result, lawyers in small firms may have an advantage because these clients are very sensitive to:
*large firm rates,
*lack of personal service,
*not being treated as an important client because of their size, and
*junior lawyers are assigned to their matters.
A second reason that small firms may have an advantage is that too often larger firm attorneys rely on “institutional” marketing. That is, they believe that the firm’s size and reputation is all the marketing they need. That simply is not true. Clients do care about who is handling their matter because to them its personal. It’s emotional. So, personal marketing is important and in my experience more effective. It can overcome institutional marketing with smaller clients, particularly when large firm lawyers do not appear hungry enough to give them the personal attention they are looking for.
