Finch, Thornton & Baird, LLP

Below: Before and After Images in Slide Show, Summary, Credits

The partner team at Marks, Finch, Thornton & Baird, LLP prepared to face the exit of the sole remaining founding partner. For nearly 30 years, the San Diego based construction law firm had built a well-regarded reputation among general contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers for its deep knowledge of the often turbulent construction industry and for consistently delivering results. The firm was in need of a new name, website, and, ultimately, a new brand.

Convince firm partnership to:
• Implement the research necessary to ensure marketing strategy and messaging was grounded by input from their construction clientele;
• Embrace a slow-and-steady advance toward progressive marketing capabilities (and abandon the old convention that “law firms should not market themselves”).
• Demonstrate the firm’s deep understanding of and respect for the business of construction and the executive leaders that drive the industry.

1-on-1 interviews with 7 partners and 7 diverse clients, plus a survey of associate attorneys and staff, informed strategic positioning and key messaging recommendations including:
• Expand the number of construction law sub-practices to emphasize the breadth of legal services offered;
• Employ blue-collar “straight talk” language versus complex legalese;
• Visualize the diverse construction industry environments in which firm clients operate (i.e., utilize authentic client photos when possible);
• Project an “attorneys as product/hero” point-of-view when presenting these men and women visually and in their written profiles.

• Over 1,200% increase in unique page views since new website launch: 65,000+ page views from June 11, 2018 (site launch date) through October 11, 2019 compared to 5,400 page views during similar 16-month period from January 1, 2017 thru June 10, 2018 (Google Analytics).
• Finch, Thornton & Baird, LLP named #15 Top 50 Construction Law Firms nationally and #1 among exclusively California-based firms by Construction Executive magazine;
• Firm named to 2018 & 2019 Best Places to Work in San Diego by San Diego Business Journal;
• Exceptional increase in 2018-2019 new clients and new matters opened;
• Clients’ and business partners feedback is excellent — consistent praise for the enhanced professionalism of the firm’s website, advertising, and “marketing presence” as a sponsor at construction industry and other charitable fundraising events.
• Follows and likes on social media on the rise.