Marketing the Legal Mind

In preparing to write this book, Dahut interviewed more than 100 lawyers from firms of all sizes. He explains, up front, what the book is and is not intended to be: "This is not another "how-to" book. It won't tell you how to publish more effective newsletters or develop better brochures. It does not promise to make marketing fast or easy, nor does it promise instant results. There is no simple checklist to follow and there are no breakthrough technologies to exploit. In fact, it offers little of what you might expect from a book about law firm marketing. Yet if you read this book with an open mind and serious intention, it has the power to transform your firm and make it soar."

Dahut stresses the need to be client-centric rather than firm-centric and he makes clear why we must ask clients up front what they want and why and how. A simple point, to be sure, and yet, in my experience, many firms neglect this-lawyers are trained not to ask questions unless they know what the answer will be-but whatever the obstacle, we must find a way around it. True marketing must be founded on understanding what clients need and want and also what the firm needs and wants. As Dahut says, "Marketing works best when there is no separation-no inconsistency-between what a firm says it is and how it actually goes about its business. Marketing should dictate the experience people have of the firm. It should shape people's perceptions of the firm. It should describe the ways in which the firm holds itself accountable-not only to its clients, but also to its employees, partners and all those who do business with the firm."The book is, at first blush, expensive at $62-and I wish that Dahut had included footnotes from some of his assertions-but having said those things, I highly recommend it. The reading list is worth the price of the book, in and of itself. I especially recommend it for lawyers; it's a great eye opener. Most marketers will find themselves nodding in agreement and will also be treated to new ways of looking at our universe. And that's a good thing.


Extraordinary Insight and Strategies; Powerful Work!   February 7, 2008
Mike H., Esq. (St. Louis, MO USA)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful

Mr. Dahut presents a remarkably insightful and highly original look at the very core of highly successful marketing strategies for legal service businesses, and, indeed, for all service-providing businesses. Beginning with the premise that marketing is an experience and a process, and not the experience of the service-provider, but, rather, the collective individual experiences and perceived value of each and every client, Dahut proceeds to disassemble this premise, examining its implications and meanings. In analyzing this premise, and the derivative notion that exceptional marketing comes from service that is primarily client-centric, Dahut delves into revealing psychological discoveries and even studies from the field of neuroscience that both support and validate his powerful premise. This work offers tremendous insight into a core notion of highly effective marketing from a gut-level, psychological perspective, that, when implemented, will lead to exceptional increases in client loyalty and retention, particularly for the small firm or solo practitioner attorney with a high degree of client contact in a highly competitive market. However, Dahut also intensely examines the signature obstacles that medium size and large firms in the service-industry confront, including the difficulties of building consensus among members and perpetuating well-needed change, and the illusion of success that often paralyzes large firms and prevents them from implementing changes in marketing structures in a pro-active manner, changes that are absolutely critical for continued levels of prosperity.

This work is an essential read not only for every small firm and solo practitioner attorney, but also for any partner or associate in any service-oriented business who has any decision-making authority in regard to the establishment of firm visions and the tedious process of making those visions practical reality. Dahut goes well beyond the traditional service marketing book in that he borrows intriguing studies from the fields of psychology and neuroscience, explains what these studies reveal about how lawyers have been trained to think, how clients think (differently than lawyers), and the tremendous gains in client loyalty and marketing effectiveness that follow when lawyers are able to think in "other domains", as he puts it.

The unique and extraordinary value of this book lies in Mr. Dahut's brilliant exploration of what psychology, neuroscience, and his own twenty years of business and legal experience reveals about the most fundamental root needs and wants of clients, indeed of all humans, and how service inspired by and aligned with these powerful human motivators is almost unsurpassable. Moreover, Dahut examines how lawyers and firms of all sizes can think in "other domains", strategically develop "inspired values" in-line with those of clients, and make real and lasting change on all levels to develop cutting-edge marketing programs and skills that are critical in this significantly competitive and changing time for service businesses. A highly intriguing, practical, and very worthwhile read! This is a powerful, captivating work.



This is a great marketing book.   November 15, 2004
Lawrence J. Waldinger, Esq. (Malibu, CA)
7 out of 10 found this review helpful

I have read this book cover to cover, twice. The insights on how to both market and manage your law firm were not only thought provoking, but hit upon a chord of what its really like to obtain an identity in this most problematic marketplace. This is the first time I could say I truly understand brand management. I recommend this book to law firms, both big and small.


a book every attorney has to buy   September 8, 2009
Massari Riccardo (Bologna, Italy)
Now you can find a lot of books wrote to help attorneys build their career, their practice, their firm etc., but I think the problem is that everyone covers (maybe) well an issue but neglects (for sure) another one. This is one of the most complete books I've read on this subject and I think is a must-read because it explains with equal insight all the most important issues that brings success in a lawyer's career.

For this reason I think this book could be useful either to law students who dream to became attorney, either to junior attorneys or to seniors or even partners one, as the author demonstrates how "changing your mind" can bring you much more success in every step of your career.

Moreover, all the important points are handled with both theoretical insight and a constant reference to practice, witch makes the book really "user friendly" and not at all "academical" but at the same time makes me more comfortable about the seriousness of the author advice.

Being Italian, I wonder why there are no Italian books like this one in commerce, but I surely recommend every attorney (from law students to senior partners) to buy it.


Not just for the legal eagles   October 29, 2004
Micheal Johnston
3 out of 5 found this review helpful

What I feel Mr. Dahut does is to examine the paradigm shifts we can ALL make. Really quite wonderful and original thinking.