Shakespeares’ Head of Communications Perry Buck shares his insights into the importance of successful communications in the modern legal marketplace.

For many legal firms, beneficial internal and external communication may be part of a long journey before achieved. A well-conceived strategy ensures that successful, high profile legal practices can be quickly communicated to the marketplace. With so many changes taking place within legal firms and the industry as a whole, it seems that now is an ideal time for leading firms to capitalise on their expertise, highlight their unique business offerings and reposition themselves at the head of an evolving marketplace.

Shakespeares, the Midlands’ second largest legal firm, offers an innovative approach to the law, working in partnership with a diverse array of clients but always being focused on offering value to clients in order to achieve the very best results.  Approachable and ultimately ‘user-friendly’, the approach to client and client care needs equally to be extended to the way the firm engages with the press and media.

Having secured an Alternative Business Structure license earlier in 2013, Shakespeares again proved it’s forward thinking in having processes in place to keep it ahead of the pack. The firm has been instrumental in changing perception of a traditional law firm, both internally and externally, and continues to build business relationships with clients, suppliers and other business partners like the media.

With growing staff numbers and a burgeoning client base, it is vital that the organisation continues to communicate industry expertise to all parties. A positive reputation and authentic market position reliant on reflecting upon core values is key in any industry, and the law is no exception. You need to do what you say you will do, and stay true to the factors which have always made the organisation different, such as its family-feel, innovative approach to delivering service and commitment to growing the business dynamically. For Shakespeares, public relations has become an increasingly important way to communicate the very way in which the firm conducts its business.

The pace of change taking place in the legal world has found many firms unable to compete and with uncertainty still stalking the UK economy it pays to ensure any company has a definite – and different – strategy in place. Growth and increasing depth of expertise has allowed Shakespeares to position themselves differently to the competition.

The increase in high-profile, industry-leading cases and partners has showed that Shakespeares can take on the competition and do something different to the norm.  In an increasingly information-driven world, it is vital to communicate the ways in which firms are providing their clients with the very best service and achieving winning results.

The firm’s current PR, marketing and branding push across all platforms, traditional and new, has allowed them to target a variety of clients up and down the UK.

Shakespeares’ Head of Communications, Perry Buck, explains the firm’s approach:

‘Shakespeares is one of the Midlands’ fastest growing firms and that makes it an incredibly exciting place to be at an equally exciting time. The journey happening here and the way we expect the legal marketplace as a whole to develop over the next 12 months will see more innovation and an ever-greater push towards all branding, PR and marketing activity to be joined-up.

‘This should go without saying but sometimes brand values are not reflected in PR, and vice-versa. For me the greatest demand but also opportunity is to align our work and ensure that we are engaging across all platforms and utilising all mediums consistently and completely. So the way we work as much as what it is we offer is being talked about on media platforms as much as it is by word-of-mouth.

‘It is essential for us as a firm to become and stay an active part of any business community, whether from our new Colton Square offices in Leicester, or by reaching out from any of our bases in the Midlands and Home Counties. We believe we have the very best lawyers fully focused on client care as well as delivering expert advice that can be relied upon: we certainly have plenty to shout about. From transactional work to longstanding projects and business relationships, we take every opportunity to share our achievements with the wider business community and promote conversations about what we do, whether it be a client event or seminar, celebrating success or promoting CSR work.

‘But don’t just take our word for it. Like any professional services firm, it is our clients who are our key ambassadorial tool. We know how important it is to keep clients happy and successful because that is the way in which we, in turn, will also continue to succeed. The year ahead will be a big one for some law firms and we wish to remain at the very forefront of change and development within the marketplace.’