Law firms continue to invest in marketing and business development activity, but the evidence suggests only one in five firms involve their marketing teams in actively driving the strategic growth of the organisation. An overall increase in the numbers of staff involved in marketing and business development is heavily weighted toward larger firms, and growth among mid-sized and smaller firms remains more gradual.
The findings come from the annual Law Firm Marketing Club (LFMC) ‘Professional Services Marketing Survey’ which is in its fifth year. The latest results draw insight from 126 law firms across the UK and provide a snapshot of how marketing and business development (BD) are resourced in law firms.
The headline figures suggest overall investment in marketing and BD is on the up. Average marketing and BD budgets now stand at 3.1% of turnover; a ‘small but significant increase’ from 3% in 2024 and 2.9% in 2023. But, says the report’s authors, a sizeable jump from 2.8 people in the average in-house marketing team in 2024, to 4.5 in 2024 doesn’t tell the full story. Firms with a turnover between £10m–£20m have seen resource increase from 2.9 to 3.3 people. For firms in the £20m–£30m bracket, the average team size is now 3.8, down slightly from 5 in 2024. Firms under £20m turnover reported only minor changes, with team sizes broadly in line with the previous year.
“We’re seeing a slow and steady return to pre-pandemic levels of investment in marketing. While 3.1% might still feel conservative compared to other sectors, it shows law firms are regaining confidence and marketing is regaining priority… (but) the data suggests that while larger firms may be investing more heavily in internal marketing resource, growth among mid-sized and smaller firms remains more gradual.”
said Sophia Stancer, Community Manager at LFMC.
She adds despite the growth, marketing and BD still don’t have a seat at the top table, with just 18% of firms say their marketing team drives the strategic process, although 67% say they contribute. But the research also showed smaller firms, particularly those under £1m turnover, were more likely to empower marketing with a strategic mandate, suggesting flatter hierarchies and entrepreneurial cultures create space for marketing to lead.
“Marketing is in the room, but not often at the head of the table. That’s a missed opportunity, especially when differentiation and growth are top priorities. Where we see marketing driving strategy, we see firms that are bolder, quicker to adapt, and more aligned with client expectations.”
There has also been a marked rise in outsourcing with 74% of firms now outsourcing their SEO, up from 62% in 2024. Design (67%), digital marketing (55%) and legal directory submissions (21%) also saw notable increases.
There has also been a clear shift in how firms are allocating their budgets. Event spending has jumped from 9% to 13% reflecting an appetite to get out and about the further away from the pandemic years we get. Although the single largest category of spend, digital marketing dropped from 23% to 17% of spend. CRM investment also halved from 4% to 2%. In 2025 56% of firms say they will increase digital advertising, and 46% plan to increase spend on events
Unsurprisingly artificial intelligence (AI) has a role to play in future plans. While most firms acknowledged their use (maturity) of AI was low, over 50% said they planned to invest to over the next 12 months. Websites, SEO and social media emerged as the most mature of the marketing categories. AI topped the list of opportunities and challenges identified in the report which also include video marketing and growth.
- AI and automation
- CRM implementation
- SEO, website optimisation and digital advertising
- Video marketing
- Branding and rebranding
- Geographical expansion
- Team growth and engagement
- Social media optimisation
Indeed, firms are bullish about their growth plans in 2025. 87% of firms anticipate turnover growth in 2025. 70% plan to invest more in technology and 69% will grow headcount,
However, says Stancer, there is a tension between increased growth expectations and static or shrinking marketing team sizes with less than half (46%) of firms planning to grow their marketing or BD team in 2025.
“Marketing teams can’t run on hope and headcount cuts. If expectations rise but resources don’t, something has to give. Investment in people remains vital.”
says Stancer, adding the emergence of tech-driven efficiency, particularly AI and automation, could help bridge the gap; concluding
“There’s real optimism in the sector, but also realism. Firms know they have to be more effective, more integrated, and more accountable in their marketing. That’s why this survey matters – it gives teams the insights they need to plan boldly and invest wisely.”
The full survey report is available now through the Law Firm Marketing Club.
