Standing out from the Crowd

As one of the pioneering international law firms, White & Case has a strong reputation for quality across a wide range of practice areas and across many developed and developing economies. However, the firm’s leadership team recognised the need to sharpen their positioning in an increasingly competitive market and engaged with a team led by Principia’s CEO Ian Stephens* to develop a more consistent and more compelling proposition across all their global offices and markets.

“We are an elite global firm that’s neither UK nor US, we’re integrated globally and strong in G20 markets.” (Hugh Verrier, Chairman)

From G7 to G20

After consulting with partners and clients around the world a new market positioning statement was developed that embraced White & Case’s strength in emerging markets and linked it back to their strong traditional developed markets presence. “White & Case is a truly global law firm, uniquely positioned to help our clients achieve their ambitions in today’s G20 world.”

Engagement from the inside-out

At launch, the new brand strategy was extremely well received by the firm’s partners at the global partner conference in Washington DC and afterward among associates and business service professionals around the world. Behind the positioning, a set of key messages and a communications toolkit were developed to enable business development and marketing staff to implement it across all client-facing activities including the firm’s website, thought leadership, and social media. The team also developed and conducted a global engagement programme that introduced the firm’s associates, staff, and partners to the brand positioning and the client service principles that are important to make the brand a reality in their clients’ experience of working with the Firm.

Welcome to the global elite

Since then the firm has enjoyed tremendous success in the market. Highlights include a 150% increase in PEP and a 250% increase in profitability. Also, its ranking among the largest and most premium international law firms has improved significantly – White & Case is one of the fastest risers in the Top 50 Global Law Firm Index, gaining 7 places and 3rd highest increase in brand value — securing its place as one of the so-called ‘global elite’ law firms.

Scope
Brand research
Brand strategy
Brand messaging
Brand engagement

*then in his role as Global Managing Partner of Saffron