Why Law Firms Are Finally Taking Marketing Seriously

Law firms have always sold themselves on reputation. A partner's name, a track record in court, a handshake at the right dinner. Marketing was for event invitations and keeping the website current.

That is changing.

UK property law firm Devonshires made that clear in February 2025 when it appointed Nicholas Barrows as its first ever Chief Marketing Officer. Not to run a rebrand. Not to organize conferences. But to sit at the strategy table and help decide where the business goes next.

A growth role, not a marketing role

Barrows joined Devonshires after 18 years as Director of Marketing at rival firm Trowers & Hamlins. His remit covers both the marketing and business development teams, and he is expected to help the firm move faster and expand into adjacent practice areas.

"The firm has grown steadily," Barrows told Marketing Week. "That group of partners wants to grow the firm faster and expand into different areas adjacent to the areas we already work in."

Devonshires has over 270 staff and a strong position in the UK living sector (build-to-rent, senior living, student accommodation). The problem is that the firm's expertise is not matched by its visibility. The lawyers do great work. Not enough people outside the firm know about it.

Commentary versus a point of view

The firm already produces content. Lawyers write about legislation, market trends, regulatory changes. Useful. But Barrows says it is not enough.

"There's a difference between commenting on what is happening and having a distinct viewpoint in a market," he says. "I think that's where we need to invest."

It is a subtle but important distinction. Commenting on news makes you a source. A clear point of view makes you a leader. He also wants to rethink events. Rather than paying for a speaking slot and leaving, the goal is smaller sessions where people leave with something real: conclusions, actions, ideas.

Not just a Devonshires story

Devonshires is not alone. McCarter & English appointed its first CMO in nearly 20 years in 2025. Reed Smith created a new Chief Marketing and Business Development Officer role. White & Case made dual senior marketing and innovation hires.

The numbers make the case. High-growth law firms invest 16.5% of revenue on marketing, compared to just 5% for stagnant firms. 96% of people seeking legal services now begin their search online. Yet 74% of law firms say they have wasted money on ineffective marketing. The problem is not budget. It is not having someone senior enough to connect marketing to business strategy.

What it means beyond the UK

The pressure Devonshires is responding to is not unique to Britain. Law firms, consulting practices, and accounting firms across Asia Pacific face the same challenge. Traditional partner-led business development is hard to scale. Clients have more options. AI is changing how people find professional services online.

The Devonshires model says the answer is not a bigger ad spend. It is a clearer point of view, and a senior person responsible for making it felt by clients.

"You want to grow and you want to achieve something different," Barrows says. "But to achieve something different, you need to do something different."

That logic holds whether you are in London, Singapore, or Hong Kong.