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Law and Accounting Networks and Associations
Clients can market a network. For example, DuPont promotes the members of its network to other
corporations.303 General counsel compare notes and ask one another who they would recommend in a particular
country or state. There are various groups, like Chambers and Partners, which rank firms. If firms do not market
their networks, they lose the opportunity to demonstrate their access to other top-quality firms.
The advisory council of outside counsel is a great way for the network to increase its credibility in the market.304
If the advisory council members are from well-recognized companies, it sends the message to other general
counsel that the network members are universally the top firms.
Networks can conduct surveys of clients and potential clients for the member firms.305 The first objective is to
collect information useful in defining the strategy for the network. The survey results could point to the design
of the website, the development of CLE materials, publications, collaboration structure, fee structure, and
more. The second purpose of the survey is to let the client know that the network exists. The feedback from
the results enhances this awareness. Future follow-up strengthens the relationship. The survey results can also
be distributed to the media, which may publish them.
Law and accounting firms have formed alumni groups306 of former employees. These groups serve the purpose
of maintaining a relationship with former employees who, if they left on good terms, can refer business to the
firm.307 The same is true for alumni of network members. If they had a good experience, they will speak
positively about it.
Marketing and Technology – Pushing Content
This section deals with the marketing and practical aspects of technology and how it can be used internally and
externally to push information with the objective of both awareness and engagement. Chapter 8 deals with the
theoretical aspects of technology and its applications to networks of the future. Publications and guides are
now online, and press releases are disseminated broadly.
Networks have experimented with having registered users and paid subscribers. The registered user method is
the best because it provides a number of specific individuals. The network must assure that the articles are in
fact well written and relevant to the readers.
The network should also not underestimate the power of search engines in distributing their publications
directly to clients and potential clients. Once indexed in Google, they will be available to anyone looking for
303 J. D. Stomper, DuPont Network Orchestra Plays a Winning Tune, THE METROPOLITAN CORPORATE COUNSEL (June 1999), at 27: “Yes, at
DuPont, we see our relationship with those in our network as a two-way street. We encourage our primary law firms to market themselves to other
companies by leveraging the significant experience they have gained in working within the DuPont system. They know that they are part of a group of
some of the best and most innovative law firms in the country. As a result, they have developed such confidence in one another that a lot of work gets
referred from one primary law firm to another that doesn’t have anything to do with DuPont.
We advertise the merits of the primary law firms and encourage them to advertise their relationship with us. We prepared some basic templates for
advertisements for use by our firms and have picked up a big share of the costs of placing those ads. We welcome visits by companies to our offices in
Wilmington to discuss our primary law firms and service providers. Over the last three years about 125 companies (most of them in the Fortune 500)
have dropped by or called us to discuss in depth our Partnering Program and the DuPont network. Next month we will be sitting down with three
companies. We plan to review our program with them from top to bottom. The only thing we ask of these companies is that they come with an open
mind and at least consider using our primary law firms.
Every time we speak at a public function, we always make an effort to put in a positive plug for our law firms because we are very proud of them
and of what they have done for us. There is a significant volume of referrals within our primary law firms. In fact, some firms have gotten more work
from these referrals and external marketing than they have from DuPont cases.”
304 Client Advisory Council, LEX MUNDI, www.lexmundi.com/lexmundi/Client_Advisory_Council.asp?SnID=2133323408.
305 Press Release, Market Watch, TerraLex-Sponsored Survey Pulls Back Curtain on Role of Modern GC (Sept. 18, 2013),
www.marketwatch.com/story/new-study-reveals-todays-general-counsel-is-business-executive-first-2013-09-18.
306 LINKEDIN, www.linkedin.com.
307 Lex Mundi maintains a relationship with attorneys who no longer are at member firms. Lex Mundi Member Contact Information Form, LEX MUNDI,
www.lexmundi.com/Forms.asp?MODE=NEW&Forms_FormTypeID=-48.
61
Clients can market a network. For example, DuPont promotes the members of its network to other
corporations.303 General counsel compare notes and ask one another who they would recommend in a particular
country or state. There are various groups, like Chambers and Partners, which rank firms. If firms do not market
their networks, they lose the opportunity to demonstrate their access to other top-quality firms.
The advisory council of outside counsel is a great way for the network to increase its credibility in the market.304
If the advisory council members are from well-recognized companies, it sends the message to other general
counsel that the network members are universally the top firms.
Networks can conduct surveys of clients and potential clients for the member firms.305 The first objective is to
collect information useful in defining the strategy for the network. The survey results could point to the design
of the website, the development of CLE materials, publications, collaboration structure, fee structure, and
more. The second purpose of the survey is to let the client know that the network exists. The feedback from
the results enhances this awareness. Future follow-up strengthens the relationship. The survey results can also
be distributed to the media, which may publish them.
Law and accounting firms have formed alumni groups306 of former employees. These groups serve the purpose
of maintaining a relationship with former employees who, if they left on good terms, can refer business to the
firm.307 The same is true for alumni of network members. If they had a good experience, they will speak
positively about it.
Marketing and Technology – Pushing Content
This section deals with the marketing and practical aspects of technology and how it can be used internally and
externally to push information with the objective of both awareness and engagement. Chapter 8 deals with the
theoretical aspects of technology and its applications to networks of the future. Publications and guides are
now online, and press releases are disseminated broadly.
Networks have experimented with having registered users and paid subscribers. The registered user method is
the best because it provides a number of specific individuals. The network must assure that the articles are in
fact well written and relevant to the readers.
The network should also not underestimate the power of search engines in distributing their publications
directly to clients and potential clients. Once indexed in Google, they will be available to anyone looking for
303 J. D. Stomper, DuPont Network Orchestra Plays a Winning Tune, THE METROPOLITAN CORPORATE COUNSEL (June 1999), at 27: “Yes, at
DuPont, we see our relationship with those in our network as a two-way street. We encourage our primary law firms to market themselves to other
companies by leveraging the significant experience they have gained in working within the DuPont system. They know that they are part of a group of
some of the best and most innovative law firms in the country. As a result, they have developed such confidence in one another that a lot of work gets
referred from one primary law firm to another that doesn’t have anything to do with DuPont.
We advertise the merits of the primary law firms and encourage them to advertise their relationship with us. We prepared some basic templates for
advertisements for use by our firms and have picked up a big share of the costs of placing those ads. We welcome visits by companies to our offices in
Wilmington to discuss our primary law firms and service providers. Over the last three years about 125 companies (most of them in the Fortune 500)
have dropped by or called us to discuss in depth our Partnering Program and the DuPont network. Next month we will be sitting down with three
companies. We plan to review our program with them from top to bottom. The only thing we ask of these companies is that they come with an open
mind and at least consider using our primary law firms.
Every time we speak at a public function, we always make an effort to put in a positive plug for our law firms because we are very proud of them
and of what they have done for us. There is a significant volume of referrals within our primary law firms. In fact, some firms have gotten more work
from these referrals and external marketing than they have from DuPont cases.”
304 Client Advisory Council, LEX MUNDI, www.lexmundi.com/lexmundi/Client_Advisory_Council.asp?SnID=2133323408.
305 Press Release, Market Watch, TerraLex-Sponsored Survey Pulls Back Curtain on Role of Modern GC (Sept. 18, 2013),
www.marketwatch.com/story/new-study-reveals-todays-general-counsel-is-business-executive-first-2013-09-18.
306 LINKEDIN, www.linkedin.com.
307 Lex Mundi maintains a relationship with attorneys who no longer are at member firms. Lex Mundi Member Contact Information Form, LEX MUNDI,
www.lexmundi.com/Forms.asp?MODE=NEW&Forms_FormTypeID=-48.
61
