Case Study: Unlocking Legal Panels

Research into senior in-house counsels’ needs and the latest trends in how they manage law firm relationships.

How Penningtons Manches Cooper equipped its team to deepen key client relationships.

Background

With a strong commitment to putting clients first, for several years Walker Morris has partnered with Chorus to deliver client research and brand insight.

Extending this client focus, the firm launched Illuminate, a dedicated platform for General Counsel providing useful tools and content. To strengthen Illuminate’s impact, Walker Morris commissioned fresh research into the changing needs of senior in-house counsel, how this effects their relationship with firms and how they manage legal panels.

Working with Chorus meant we could reach senior in-house counsel we wouldn’t have been able to access ourselves. That external reach gave us a richer, more rounded view of the market and our position within it.

Stuart Ponting – Partner, Regulatory & Compliance

Solution

Chorus conducted in-depth interviews with leading GCs, sourced from Chorus’ own research panel and the firm’s clients. Qualitative insights were supplemented with analysis of internal quantitative data and combined with wider market intelligence.

The research delivered:

• Empirical evidence of panel sizes, duration, and structure of 131 major UK organisations

• Insights into how the evolving role of General Counsel influences buying decisions

• Breakdown of the marketing funnel from awareness to purchase, with buying drivers

Actionable recommendations were provided to help Walker Morris increase invitations to tender and improve panel appointment success rates.

Impact

The findings not only shaped the firm’s client strategy but also opened new business development conversations, both with existing clients and prospective ones. The insights became a launchpad for stronger relationships and a sharper, more client-focused Illuminate programme.

Walker Morris amplified its market presence by publishing key findings alongside commentary from the Head of the GC programme. Featured across multiple industry outlets, including The Lawyer (GCs Need Fewer Firms, Not More), this thought leadership strengthened the firm’s reputation as an ambitious, client-centric partner that truly understands the pressures facing in-house legal teams.