Interview with Gemma Francis: how BD professionals can help law firms grow strategically and sustainably
At Carter Murray, we connect Business Development (BD) professionals with firms across all professional services sectors.
In his latest interview, our own Mark Harris sat down with Gemma Francis – founder of Gemma Francis Consulting, to discuss how BD professionals can advance their careers in the legal sector and support law firms in their growth.
Gemma is a former Legal 500 researcher, marketer and Business Development Manager with over ten years of experience running successful pitches, directory submissions and integrated campaigns.
She’s managed global client relationships for international and boutique firms in London, Europe and the US. Her own firm specialises in helping law firms and lawyers grow strategically and sustainably.
Read the interview to learn about Gemma’s legal BD career, the key challenges of working in law firms, how she’s seen the industry change, and advice to BD professionals.
“BD in law firms offers a real mix of strategic thinking and creativity and – perhaps most importantly – it feels like you’re making a tangible impact.”
What made you choose a career in marketing and BD?
Rather than marketing in the broad sense, I specifically chose legal marketing and then BD because it was the perfect way to combine my experience and qualifications – law and journalism.
But beyond that, what really attracted me was the psychology of it. Understanding what drives decision-making, what makes clients choose one firm over another, and how to position a lawyer or practice for success is fascinating.
BD in law firms offers a real mix of strategic thinking and creativity and – perhaps most importantly – it feels like you’re making a tangible impact.
What do you enjoy about working in marketing and BD in the legal sector?
I love the challenge of it – piecing together the puzzle of a firm’s strengths, understanding different personalities and figuring out what clients really want. No two days are the same. One day I might be developing a BD strategy, the next I’m running a training session for associates or refining a pitch for a major client.
“The reality is that people buy from people and those with strong personal brands will have a competitive advantage.”
There’s also huge satisfaction in seeing the long-term results of BD – when a lawyer who didn’t understand BD starts bringing in work or when a firm lands a key client because of the groundwork we put in.
What are the main challenges when working in BD and marketing at law firms?
Working with lawyers is incredibly rewarding, but it definitely comes with its quirks! Many have spent years – if not decades – honing their craft, so getting them to look up from the legal work and view things from a client’s perspective isn’t always easy. The legal industry is also behind most other sectors in terms of BD and marketing sophistication, which means change is often slow and outdated systems don’t always make life easy.
BD and marketing teams are often stretched thin, juggling competing priorities across multiple practice areas. It can be difficult to deliver real impact when you’re constantly firefighting. The beauty of coming in as an external consultant is having the ability to focus on high-value initiatives rather than just responding to urgent requests.
How has marketing and BD changed over the last ten years in the legal sector?
I think the biggest shift has been towards data-driven decision-making and the integration of AI and technology into BD processes, which is great to see. When I started, BD was often seen as ‘making documents look pretty’ – now (particularly as a consultant), senior Partners actively seek strategic input on growing client relationships and building their practice.
“As clients get more savvy, firms will need to move beyond just talking about being ‘client-centric’.”
There’s also been a real shift in client relationship management. Firms now recognise the importance of structured client listening programmes and senior lawyers are being given clear roles in deepening client relationships. More BD professionals are also building direct relationships with clients, which I fully support – it helps firms be more commercially aware and proactive in their approach and level up their BD team.
Another major change is the growing recognition that BD and marketing training needs to start early. A decade ago, senior lawyers were fairly dismissive, and junior lawyers were just expected to do the legal work, but now there’s a real focus on embedding these skills early on, ensuring they develop strong commercial awareness throughout their careers. I’m a big advocate for this.
How do you think marketing and BD will evolve in this sector over the next five – ten years?
I can see lots of change coming, but the things I’ll pick out for now are:
- We’re already seeing the rise of personal brands and legal influencers, but personal branding will only become more important. More and more lawyers and BD professionals build their presence on LinkedIn and firms are going to have to grapple with how these ‘legal influencers’ fit into their broader brand strategy. The reality is that people buy from people and those with strong personal brands will have a competitive advantage. The firms that support and leverage this rather than resist it will come out on top
- AI and automation will become standard – AI tools will streamline BD efforts, from automating research and pitch documents to providing real-time client insights. This should mean that BD professionals are more able to focus on high-value, strategic work rather than admin-heavy tasks
- A stronger emphasis on client-centricity – As clients get more savvy, firms will need to move beyond just talking about being ‘client-centric’ and actually embed structured client relationship programs that drive real engagement
- A bigger focus on data and ROI – There will be a greater expectation for BD teams to demonstrate the tangible impact of their work, with data-driven insights driving decision-making
“The beauty of coming in as an external consultant is having the ability to focus on high-value initiatives rather than just responding to urgent requests.”
What advice would you give someone trying to progress their career in marketing and BD in professional services?
- Be curious – The best marketing and BD professionals are always learning. Take the time to understand the industry, the clients and the commercial drivers behind decision-making. I’d love to see more professionals take note of how other industries approach sales, branding and client engagement
- Build relationships at all levels – Your success often depends on the relationships you build – not just with your peers but also with partners, associates and even clients. Get some face time, whether it’s virtually or in person. Some of my biggest learnings have come from client discussions
- Focus on what really matters – A Partner I worked with once said he regularly asks himself whether the task he’s doing ‘contributes to the bottom line’. More BD professionals (and marketing) need to think along the same lines, as it’s too easy to get bogged down with admin
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