Every change impacting corporate counsel has a multiplier effect on client service. Each change makes it exponentially harder to deliver excellent client service. And – it has been a record year for change. These drive the 5 new behaviors separating the BTI Client Service All-Stars 2025 from everyone else.

The 5 new client service behaviors are:

Corporate counsel find themselves in the middle of more matters impacting business operations than ever. This means they’re impacting revenue and profit more than ever.

Their CEO’s expect real-time response and practical insights. Corporate counsel input is now a critical input to decisions about market disruption and regulatory volatility. There is no time to waste.

This changes the corporate counsel equations for excellent client service. It makes it harder – a lot harder – to deliver. But – 240 attorneys hit the client service bull’s eye.

They earned the coveted nomination for delivering the best-of-the-best client service.

The Only Purely Organic Ranking

No submissions. No nominations. No suggestions. No payments. Only clients.

Every BTI Client Service All-Star is nominated by corporate counsel. We asked them to pinpoint these individuals by name – these are The BTI Client Service All-Stars.

This exclusive research – this report, and the online directory – serve as the gold standard to uncover the best. Used by corporate counsel and law firms alike – it remains the pinnacle of client service performance.

Clients single out 240 All-Stars firms from 134 firms.

In the high-stakes world of law firm marketing, hindsight is 20/20.

We asked over 150 seasoned law firm Chief Marketing Officers (CMOs) what advice they’d give their younger selves or to a newly minted CMO. Their responses paint a vivid picture of the challenges and triumphs in our unique corner of the world.

These insights offer a roadmap for success for both aspiring and current legal marketing professionals. Here are the key lessons these veterans wish they had known from day one. The messages are pretty compelling:

1. 1. Don’t take it personally — everyone questions new ideas

The questioners are not attacking you, they are trying to get their head around your ideas. Their approach may be hard and gruff, and they may not believe — but it comes with the territory.

1. 2. Persistence — don’t give up the ship

People won’t really understand what you are saying until they hear it 7 times. This means the initial resistance and indifference are part of the process. These are your first 2 or 3 of 7 points of communication. Very few ideas get off the ground without at least 7 clear messaging events to the right audience(s).

1. 3. Adapt — learn from all the feedback you get

Rejection, resistance, and lack of enthusiasm all tell you the message or approach you propose may not be on target. Change your approach to play to the issues and concerns you hear.

1. 4. Don’t make the job bigger than you

Don’t care more about the job than the firm. There will always be a few law firms who fundamentally don’t respect or care about the marketing and business development function. These law firm marketing leaders would have told a new CMO to jump ship and go to a place where marketing and business development are part of the firm.

1. 5. Really get to know the attorneys

Attorneys have their priorities and preferences. Law firm leaders recommend taking the time to understand these people and their personalities. You are there to make the firm and the attorneys more successful. Your knowledge of the attorney’s personas and how they conduct business helps you develop your roadmap — and helps you make sure you get to know the partners most likely to make you successful.

1. 6. Learn the art of saying no

CMOs are asked to do all manner of things — some relevant and strategic — others are unrelated to anything meaningful. Successful CMOs advise developing your own informal filters to decide when to say no — and then saying no. They also learn a thoughtful diplomatic decline earns you respect and paves the way for more strategic requests.

As of July 15, 2024, we experienced a 72.3% increase in searches in 2024 compared to 2023. More and more clients are looking for superior client service. The BTI Client Service All-Stars site has become the go-to destination for finding and validating the attorneys who clients single out as delivering the best client service.

Site Traffic

The BTI Client Service All-Star site now enjoys a run rate of just under 30,000 annually, up from 22,435 for the last year. Just one more piece of evidence of how client service’s importance continues to grow. This site offers comprehensive details about each BTI Client Service All-Stars — their client philosophy and more.

Why Clients Choose BTI Client Service All-Stars

You can learn the 5 reasons clients single out a BTI Client Service All-Star here. You can learn more about the firms serving as home to the BTI Client Service All-Stars here.

Congratulations to the Top 50 Most Viewed BTI Client Service All-Stars

Client’s naming the best of client service, brand new law firm rankings, business development’s evolution, what your prospects want, and practice highlights top the most popular Mad Clientist posts of the first half of 2024. Use these to drive growth, retain clients, and improve the culture.

Each post still offers new insights and strategies. Here are the top posts of 2024 so far:

The Best in Client Service:

Clients Single Out the BTI Client Service 30 2024 — Law Firms Best at Client Service
Clients — more than 300 of them — identify the law firms best at client service — along the 17 dimensions they say are the most crucial drivers. Corporate counsel point to 207 law firms out of the 650 competing for the business at mid- and large-size companies.

64 Law Firms with the Most Improved Client Service
Only 64 law firms managed to improve client service performance in 2024 — according to corporate counsel. This equates to just shy of 10% of all law firms. And client service still remains the biggest differentiator among law firms.

The BTI Client Service All-Stars — Clients Single Out 296 Attorneys from 148 Firms for The Best Client Service
Only clients can pinpoint the attorneys who are best-of-the-best at client service. We asked them to pinpoint these individuals by name — these are The BTI Client Service All-Stars. This research, the report, and the online directory serve as the gold standard to uncover the best.

New Rankings for 2024:

Clients Single Out the Law Firms on the Leading Edge: Helping Clients Implement Strategic Change
More than 80% of clients are going through a business transformation. 67% of corporate counsel are playing a mission-critical role in this transformation — and they single out the law firms best suited for this high-value new and novel work. These firms are best at delivering on the all-new expectations arising from clients changing how they do business.

All 121 Law Firms Best at Meeting Novel, New, and Strategic Needs
Complex, new, and novel matters are driving the market — as are transformational and strategic M&A. These create new demands for clients — who are enjoying the challenge — and their outside counsel. Clients tell us 121 law firms deliver on one or more of 5 new demands, at scale.

67 Firms Best at Cost Control — And You’ll Never Guess Why
Say goodbye to protracted rate negotiations. You can also skip the mandatory rate cuts, RFPs, elaborate reporting protocols, stringent oversight, and micromanagement — all of which are the typical reaction to cost control. The days of draconian cost management are over for now.

Business Development Evolves:

Law Firms are at a Business Development Tipping Point
Business development is about to get a lot harder. Or not. A lot of law firms are making big bets on this fundamental question behind market success. Our flash survey of more than 1,000 attorneys and law firm leaders reveals the split on business development getting harder or not.

Breaking Down Law Firm Business Development Cultures: Struggle or Strategize
A BTI flash survey of almost 700 attorneys reveals decidedly different law firm business development cultures. Underappreciated and maligned by some — worshipped by others — business development is creating the next strategic and cultural divide.

What Your Prospects are Looking For:

The Most Searched for Law Firms of 2023
While law firms scramble for keywords and algorithms, a select few are winning the real game — generating searches for their firm by name. No more hoping someone stumbles upon your website in a vast digital ocean. These clients are seeking you out, pre-qualified and ready to engage.

9 Reasons Clients Remember Pitches and Meetings
Corporate counsel hear a lot of pitches and talk to a lot of attorneys — an average of 22 a month at last count. They report hearing a lot of noise and routine data about current matters — or in a pitch, they hear about endless numbers of matters and statistics. Of these conversations and meetings — top corporate counsel define 9 circumstances triggering a coveted place in corporate counsel memory banks.

Industry and Practice Highlights:

Top Growth Practices and Industries for 2024
Client spending remains resilient — fueled by new needs and lingering issues, more companies than ever are pursuing innovative business models and adopting digital processes. We found 6 industries with outsized increases in spending.

11 Best Practices to Make Your Industry Groups Thrive
Virtually every new regulation and court decision brings unique industry-specific impacts. Your ability to bring this insight is the difference between being invited in without competition or being left out of the conversation. And — getting much higher rates.

Imagine paying exorbitant hourly rates for legal advice and receiving exactly what you expect — no surprises, no breakthroughs, no game-changing insights.

Now imagine this again in a world where 70% of clients want new and breakout ideas to help them. These rates becomes even more mundane.

The BTI Consulting Group’s 2024 Client Service All-Stars aren’t just attorneys; they are the unexpected navigators in uncharted waters. They are singled out for defying the mundane with five distinct qualities redefining client service.

5 reasons stand out as justifying the highest rates — and why the best client service is born from the willingness to disrupt, innovate, and lead with audacity.

New Ideas

Complex, new and novel issues dominate the corporate counsel landscape. They deal with digital transformation, building new supply chains, fighting regulatory headwinds, activist labor forces using new tactics, and geopolitical risk. Clients want ideas on how to advise their management teams. Some see it as a pivotal career stepping stone. Good ideas are prized.

Insights

Clients value people who bring a deep understanding of their issues along with the potential answers. BTI Client Service All-Stars draw on their experience, observations, and intuition to help clients work through these challenges. They help clients better understand how to get the best outcomes — and help their clients succeed as individuals.

First to Know

Being first to know offers clients the opportunity to brief their management, be proactive, and often gain an advantage. This is especially true as the rate of change in the world — never mind law — is happening at a record pace. These clients believe they are the first to know what they need to know and have come to rely on their BTI Client Service All-Star to be ahead of the pack.

 Unequivocal

Clear concise recommendations drive results. Even when clients disagree they are quick to point out how these recommendations help their thinking — and drive a better decision. Unequivocal recommendations drive creativity and are foundational to developing alternative views. These new viewpoints can be pivotal in solving new and novel problems.

Looking Ahead

The newly accelerated rate of change demands clients keep a keen eye on the future. BTI Client Service All-Stars are looking further into the future. They’re sorting out what their clients need to worry about and separating it from the noise. And — they make sure clients know how these future issues might impact them — with ideas on what to do.

Only clients can pinpoint the attorneys who are best-of-the-best at client service. We asked them to pinpoint these individuals by name — these are The BTI Client Service All-Stars. This research, the report, and the online directory serve as the gold standard to uncover the best. Used by law firms and corporate counsel alike — it remains the pinnacle of client service performance.

The Only Purely Organic Ranking

The only way to be included in The BTI Client Service All-Stars is through an unprompted, unequivocal recommendation from corporate counsel. No law firm or attorney can submit a name or pay to be included. No firm can nominate an attorney or submit corporate counsel names to be interviewed. The 2024 BTI Client Service All-Stars are identified solely and exclusively by clients.

Clients single out 296 attorneys from 148 law firms. Among these attorneys:

Only 2 are BTI Client Service All-Stars for 5 or more years in a row:

William P Geraghty, Partner, Shook Hardy & Bacon
Jeffrey J. Jones, Partner, Jones Day

16 are BTI Client Service All-Stars for 3 or more years in a row:

Scott N. Godes, Partner, Barnes & Thornburg – 4 years
Michael H. Carpenter, Partner, Carpenter Lipps – 4 years
James F. Bennett, Partner, Dowd Bennett – 4 years
Erin Rhinehart, Co-Managing Partner, Faruki – 4 years
David M. Barkin, Principal, Fish & Richardson – 4 years
Carmine R. Zarlenga, Partner, Mayer Brown – 4 years
Joshua Kipnees, Partner, Patterson Belknap – 4 years
Joseph A. Cancila Jr., Partner, Riley Safer Holmes & Cancila – 4 years
Frank Falzetta, Partner, Sheppard Mullin – 4 years
Jaime L. M. Jones, Partner, Sidley – 4 years
Caroline Turner English, Partner, ArentFox Schiff – 3 years
Mark A. Neubauer, Shareholder, Carlton Fields – 3 years
Stephanie L. Adler-Paindiris, Principal, Jackson Lewis – 3 years
Keith A. Jacoby, Shareholder | Co-Chair, Class Action Practice Group, Littler – 3 years
John C. Dodds, Partner, Morgan Lewis – 3 years
Peter M. Henk, Partner, Shook, Hardy & Bacon – 3 years

3 firms are home to 7 BTI Client Service All-Stars — the highest number:

Jones Day

Littler

Ogletree Deakins

6 firms serve as home to 6 BTI Client Service All-Stars:

Baker Hostetler

DLA Piper

Gibson Dunn

King & Spalding

McGuire Woods

Morgan Lewis

Firms with multiple BTI Client Service All-Stars include:

Carlton Fields
Faegre Drinker
Greenberg Traurig
Latham & Watkins
Covington
Davis Wright Tremaine
Frost Brown Todd
Hogan Lovells
Polsinelli
Reed Smith
Ropes & Gray
Seyfarth
Sheppard Mullin
Alston & Bird
Arnold & Porter
Bartlit Beck
Cooley
Jackson Lewis
Kilpatrick Townsend
Loeb & Loeb   
McCarter & English
Orrick
Robins Kaplan
Skadden
Akin
ArentFox Schiff
Baker Donelson
Baker McKenzie
Ballard Sparh
Barnes & Thornburg

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Blank Rome
Bradley
Buchanan
Cadwalader
Carpenter Lipps
Davis Polk
Day Pitney
Duane Morris
Faruki
Finnegan
Fish & Richardson
Foley & Lardner
Goodwin
Hinckley Allen
Holland & Knight
Hueston Hennigan
Hunton Andrews Kurth
Husch Blackwell
K&L Gates
Kirkland & Ellis
McDermott Will & Emery
Nicolaides Fink Thorpe Michaelides Sullivan
Quintairos, Prieto, Wood & Boyer
Shook, Hardy & Bacon
Sidley
Smith, Gambrell & Russell
Troutman Pepper
Wachtell Lipton

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1. Solutions Instead of Scope

Skilled at anticipating needs, BTI Client Service All-Stars put together teams and resources to meet a multitude of client needs — without ever being asked. They offer these solutions as options to clients while laying out how these resources fit into client needs.

Clients tell us this approach streamlines outside counsel management and gets more work done — and they don’t have to listen to a pitch or read a proposal.

2. Simplifies

Clients love emailed recommendations they can forward to their bosses in the C-Suite and Business Units. These are short, clear, and contain minimal legalese. Clients are able to be responsive to their bosses and learn at the same time.

3. Practical

It’s all about immediate impact — clients are inundated with questions about the consequences of regulatory changes, workforce issues, trade issues, and a host of related topics. The BTI Client Service All-Stars avoid theory and stick to step-by-step actions with a focus on the here and now.

4. Situational Responsiveness

Any regulatory change — especially those impacting revenue, workforce, and technology — can result in a call from the C-Suite. Clients have short windows to respond — and BTI Client Service All-Stars find ways to meet the urgency — bringing in other firm resources whenever needed. These clients are confident the answers they need will arrive when needed.

5. Bringing the Best

Pandemic era capacity constraints and law firm ghosting left clients concerned about who is performing their work. Not true with the BTI Client Service All-Stars in charge — each one takes the time to explain who and why an attorney is working on their matters — and ensures clients learn all this before the invoice arrives.