GCs on how good communication increases the chances of a firm being instructed – and what the data tells us about who is best at it
‘The test for me has always been – how would I feel about picking up the phone to this person? If there’s any hesitation, then they’re not the right lawyer’, explains Matt Wilson, chief legal officer at Fremantle.
For general counsel, the choice of which external lawyer to turn to can come down to fine margins. And, with legal expertise taken as a given, the decision can often hinge on the more interpersonal elements of client service.
These fundamentals – from availability, to transparency and engagement – are factors that all clients are very much alive to, alongside other must haves, such as effective communication.
‘My best relationships with external lawyers have always been the ones where I look forward to talking to them’, says Wilson, who has led the legal team at media and entertainment company Fremantle since 2021. Whether he is looking for a ‘sounding board’ or for more detailed advice, Wilson’s preference is for a relationship ‘where they almost feel like a part of your team.’
Stephanie Lopes, chief legal officer at Volt, says she looks for advisers who are proactive in their communications. ‘Good communication underpins trust and efficiency. I value advisers who proactively update me, keep things moving, and don’t let deadlines slip. If I have to chase for updates, it erodes confidence.’
Lopes also stresses the need for clarity on costs. ‘Hidden costs or poorly explained bills damage relationships’.
Legal 500’s annual client research offers detailed insight into the firms that are doing the best job at meeting client expectations when it comes to communication. Drawing on thousands of scores from client referees canvassed as part of the Legal 500 rankings research, the data highlights the best performing firms for communication operating in London and across the UK.
Based on scores from UK referees, the top-scoring Global 100 firms include Katten, WilmerHale and Wilson Sonsini, while top performers among the 50 largest UK firms include Hill Dickinson, Withers and Freeths.
Among boutique firms – which can often outperform their larger peers on client service due to the agility afford by their size – high scorers include Alden Legal, Level Law and Bellevue Law.
One GC at an investment bank, who asked to remain anonymous, also underlined Lopes’ point about the importance of clear communication around billing. ‘Firms need to communicate more about bills and when there are overruns or out-of-scope work’.
The ability to build trusted relationships outside of work engagements is another area where effective communication can pay dividends.
‘In the transactional space, law firms need to get better about building meaningful relationships with clients beyond just the deals that they work on,’ the banking GC added. ‘This is not always easy, and takes real effort, but it puts them in a “trusted advisor” role so much more and increases the likelihood of getting the call on future engagements.’
And of course, the quintessential communication challenge for lawyers endures – a tendency to over-rely on legalese.
‘There are a lot of private practice lawyers who cannot get beyond legal technicalities – when I’m communicating with my CEO or CFO, they have limited interest in the law itself. Their interest is in the consequences, and mitigating risk,’ explains Lynton Boardman, interim GC at FTSE 250 chemicals company Elementis. ‘If lawyers can’t communicate in that kind of language, then that’s a real problem.’
All of the scores in this article are compiled from referee responses collected during Legal 500 research. Benchmark scoring for our other criteria (lawyer/team quality, and sector and industry knowledge) and other sub-criteria is also available – we can provide data on a worldwide, jurisdictional, country-by-country, office or practice area perspective, with the option to select comparator firms. If you would like to know more, please contact [email protected] – we welcome all feedback on our data and what insights you would like to see.
