“Excello Law stands firmly upon our values of excellence and integrity. Our commitment to excellence means we recruit only the best people.”
“It’s the best decision I’ve ever made. I only wish I had done it sooner”
“Excello offered invaluable guidance and support, managing the regulatory, administrative, and managerial aspects of launching and running a legal practice.”
“Excello Law understood my needs and aspirations: they gave me the freedom to build my practice my way.”
“Excello attracts like-minded Starting Up A Legal Practice: A Strategic Guide for Lawyers
Having built my own law firm prior to merging with Excello Law, I understand the realities and challenges of starting up a law firm, establishing a client base and developing a sustainable legal business. Over the past 12 years at Excello, I have worked with hundreds of lawyers who have transitioned from traditional law firms, where work is often allocated, to Excello Law where they are responsible for building and managing their own client relationships.
Many of these lawyers have gone on to develop highly successful legal practices, achieving both professional autonomy and commercial success. What sets them apart is not just legal ability, but a structured, consistent approach to business planning and development.
In this article, I outline several key strategies that I have seen work repeatedly from our incredible lawyers when starting up a legal practice. These are practical, proven methods for building a client base and growing a professional network with purpose and integrity.
- Start with a Business Plan
One of the first exercises I recommend to any lawyer considering building their own practice is to create a business plan. This often sounds more daunting than it is. At its core, a business plan is a tool for clarity, an opportunity to reflect on where your current clients come from and how you might attract more of the same.
Start by identifying which clients may follow you to your new practice. How did you originally win their work? Was it through referrals, content, networking, or sector-specific knowledge? Once you understand these patterns, you can begin to think about how to replicate and scale them.
Consider where your ideal clients are, both in terms of industries and environments, and how best to reach them. A thoughtful, focused plan will help you allocate your time and energy more effectively, increasing your chances of success.
- Networking at Events and Securing Speaking Opportunities
With clarity on your ideal client profile, the next step is visibility. Strategic networking remains one of the most effective ways to build a legal practice, but it should be intentional and aligned with your values.
At Excello Law, we’ve found that fostering both internal and external networking opportunities is key. Our Excello Inspire event series has been hugely successful in bringing our lawyers together for collaboration and cross-referrals. In addition to these internal initiatives, many of our lawyers also attend, and often co-attend, key events across the UK and internationally, supporting each other’s business development efforts and expanding their reach.
Rather than attending every available event, identify those environments where your prospective clients are likely to be. Focus on opportunities that match both your professional goals and your personal interests; relationships tend to be stronger and more enduring when they are built on shared values and mutual interests.
Where possible, aim to speak at events. Speaking engagements not only position you as a subject matter expert but also create opportunities for prospective clients and referrers to approach you directly. Even smaller, niche events can generate high-value conversations when aligned with your market.
- Creating and Leveraging Content to Demonstrate Expertise
Publishing thoughtful, relevant content is an effective way to demonstrate your expertise and remain visible to your network over time. Whether through LinkedIn posts, blog articles, client alerts, or newsletters, consistent content can help establish your authority in a particular area and build trust with prospective clients.
Importantly, content should always be value-driven. Rather than focusing solely on legal updates, consider what your audience truly needs to know. How does a change in legislation affect their business? What practical steps should they take? Providing insight and context sets you apart and ensures your content remains useful and engaging.
Select one or two platforms where your audience is most active and commit to contributing regularly. Over time, this will significantly enhance your visibility and credibility.
- Developing Your Personal Brand
One of the most important truths I’ve observed over many years is that clients follow people, not firms. I’ve seen this time and time again. The loyalty you build with your clients is personal, it is based on your values, your service, and the trust you instil. That relationship is the foundation of your long-term success.
In today’s market, personal branding is no longer optional, it is essential. Your personal brand is the perception you build through your communication, your values, and the way you work. It is what others say about you when you are not in the room.
Think carefully about what you wish to be known for. Is it your commercial pragmatism, your client service ethos, your technical depth in a niche area? Define what differentiates you and ensure this is reflected consistently in how you present yourself across digital platforms, in meetings, and in written content.
Authenticity is key. Clients are not only buying legal expertise; they are choosing a trusted adviser. Your personal brand should reflect who you are, not just what you do.
- Leveraging Your Existing Network and Referrals
Your existing network is often the most immediate and effective source of new work. Former clients, colleagues, contacts from earlier in your career — these individuals already know and trust you. Staying in touch and nurturing those relationships can lead to referrals, collaborations, and new instructions.
At Excello Law, we actively support internal referrals and collaboration between lawyers. Our internal systems, including a firmwide ‘Excello Connect’ intranet and monthly networking lunches, create regular opportunities for lawyers to connect, share opportunities, and refer work across practice areas. This approach has proven highly effective: 42% of all matters opened at Excello are generated through internal referrals.
This level of internal engagement is only possible when lawyers take a genuine interest in each other’s practice areas and actively look for opportunities to help one another. A spirit of collaboration, supported by the right infrastructure, creates an environment where everyone benefits.
Whether internally or externally, the same principle applies: focus on building long-term relationships and adding value. When you consistently show up with generosity and expertise, the referrals will follow.
- Remaining Visible, Following Up, and Providing Ongoing Value
Consistency is the foundation of long-term success in business development. It is not enough to attend one event or publish one article, you must remain visible and engaged over time.
Follow up on conversations. Share useful resources. Check in with former clients. Visibility and value must go hand in hand. It is the combination of showing up regularly and delivering real benefit that builds trust and encourages referrals.
The most successful lawyers I’ve worked with understand this intuitively. They are visible without being pushy, helpful without expectation, and consistent without being formulaic.
Finally…
Starting up a legal practice is both a challenge and an opportunity. It requires strategic thinking, consistent effort, and a genuine commitment to building relationships. By starting with a clear plan, leveraging your network, and focusing on visibility and value, you can lay the foundations for a practice that is not only commercially successful but also personally fulfilling.