Why current operating models fall short of growth expectations—and how firms can redesign for measurable impact.
A new generation of law firm leaders is facing heightened competition and operational pressures, while pursuing ambitious growth agendas. In this context, marketing and BD structure and performance have become Executive Team—and increasingly Board-level—discussions.
Drawing on 80,000 hours of time-tracking data, organizational analyses, and surveys, and executive interviews with more than 2,800 Am Law 200 partners and firm leaders, this report exposes a structural disconnect:
Most Marketing and BD (MBD) teams are working at full capacity—just not in ways that deliver consistent, firm growth impact.
This is not a hiring or capability issue. It is a structural one.
The data shows that today’s MBD teams are still being run on legacy operating models built for a very different era of legal growth.
Why This Report Matters Now
Law firm leaders are asking more of Marketing and Business Development than ever before:
- Measurable revenue impact
- Strategic insight, not just execution
- Scalable growth support across practices and markets
Yet most MBD functions are still organized around concierge-style service delivery, not revenue enablement.
Key Research Findings
Based on empirical data across the Am Law 200, the findings underscore the urgency for law firm leaders to modernize their Marketing and BD (MBD) structure and operating systems. Key highlights:
- Partner demand is concentrated; prioritization is informal.
A small subset of attorneys (5%) drives a disproportionate share (44%) of attorney-facing MBD time, with limited governance or structured intake—making responsiveness the default operating system. - Time investment and revenue impact are weakly aligned.
A significant portion (nearly 85%) of MBD effort—at all levels—sits outside direct or high-value revenue influence, obscuring ROI and weakening leadership confidence. - Senior capacity is materially underleveraged.
Directors and senior leaders spend disproportionate time (24%) on low-value or enabling work, limiting their ability to influence growth, clients, and market positioning. - Strategic capabilities lag where they matter most to firm leaders and partners.
Market intelligence, forward-looking insight, and proactive growth planning show the largest gaps between importance and performance (27%).
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