85% of Clients Aren’t Exactly Sure Who is in Charge of Their Law Firm Relationship

Remember the childhood game where one person leaves the room, a secret leader is chosen, and everyone imitates their moves while the “detective” tries to guess who’s running the show?

Fun when you’re eight.

Alarming when you’re a corporate counsel staring at a half-dozen partners billing on the same matter.

Our latest survey of 350+ corporate counsel reveals something unsettling:

• 15% are certain they know who leads the relationship (down from 21% in 2022)
• 29% are “pretty sure”
• 56% don’t know

More than half of clients cannot identify who owns the relationship.

It isn’t confusion. It’s clients adrift.

Multiple lawyers. Multiple matters. And separate bills for each.

From the client’s seat, there is no orchestration – it’s a group of capable attorneys doing their work – disconnected from each other.

Corporate counsel want to know exactly who to call when:

• The C-suite fires off an urgent question
• Instinct says a new issue is emerging
• Something goes wrong

Our work with law firm leaders shows how easily this unfolds:

The Billing Partner Syndrome

Most firms have a billing partner assigned to each client. They receive credit for the new work. This does not mean they are the relationship manager.

Assumed knowledge

Everyone in the law firm believes it’s obvious who’s in charge. No one tells the clients. Communication rarely extends beyond matters and invoices.

Partner Turnover

Partners move. Clients shrug. If their relationship partner leaves – they wait to see what happens. Usually, it’s either nothing or outreach from the original partner at their new firm.

The Hidden Danger: Inertia

A partner leaves or gets reassigned. And the work keeps going – multiple attorneys and no relationship management. No reset. No reassignment. No signal to the client.

What to Do

The following 3 actions ensure you are protecting every client you value most:

1. Put billing partners in charge of relationships instead of just billing. Or assign someone to manage the relationship in addition to the billing partner.
2. Ask each major client – by voice – don’t email – call and ask: “Who do you consider your primary point of contact here?” Their answer might surprise you.
3. Add questions to any client feedback surveys/interviews to confirm who the relationship partner is in your client’s mind.

Relationship managers are part of a firm’s strategic infrastructure. They are foundational to systematic business development and client service. Their absence is an invitation for other firms to poach your clients.

Clients face more urgent and unexpected needs than ever before. When the C-suite is breathing down your client’s neck for answers – the first call goes to the best relationship manager – if they know who it is. And – 85% of clients aren’t exactly sure.