From Concierge to Catalyst: How an Am Law 100 Firm Transformed Marketing & Business Development with Calibrate 

Project Scope 

Calibrate’s comprehensive assessment examined how the MBD function operated in practice – through structures, workflows, and impact. Through the voice of the MBD team, their clients (the attorneys and Firm leaders), and an analysis of how the team spends its time, Calibrate combined hard data with a ground-level perspective, building a complete picture of strengths, challenges, and opportunities for improvement.  

Our methodology included: 

• Time Analysis: A 30-day time study tracked over 7,000 hours of team activity to identify where effort was concentrated.  

• Stakeholder Interviews: Conversations with partners and Firm leadership to uncover expectations, priorities, and pain points. 

• Team Interviews: In-depth discussions with MBD team members to clarify role definitions, accountability, and specialization opportunities. 

• Attorney Survey: Feedback from nearly 100 partners across offices to assess satisfaction, perceived value, and alignment with the Firm’s strategic priorities. 

• Benchmarking: Comparative analysis against Am Law 100 peer firms to identify structural and investment gaps.  

Key Findings 

Calibrate’s analysis revealed that the Firm’s MBD function was heavily service-oriented, operating primarily in response to attorney requests. The team was viewed as dependable but under-leveraged – lacking the structure, clarity, and strategic direction needed to influence Firm growth.  

Utilizing Calibrate’s proprietary Attorney Concierge vs. Strategic Partner framework, we identified the underlying structural and behavioral patterns reinforcing this reactive approach. The challenge was not one of talent: the Firm had a capable group of experienced professionals with deep institutional knowledge. Rather the issue was structural. 

Specific challenges included: 

• Limited differentiation and specialization within the team’s roles, leading to duplicated efforts and unclear accountability. 

• Siloed execution that hindered cross-functional collaboration 

• Inconsistent communication between Business Development and Marketing Communications teams, undermining coordination and collaboration 

• Gaps in technology adoption and process discipline, limiting the team’s effectiveness. 

• Absence of a Firm-wide marketing strategy to guide priorities and resource allocation. 

Calibrate’s Recommendations 

Calibrate developed a five-year transformation roadmap to reposition the MBD function as a strategic growth engine for the Firm.  The roadmap followed a “crawl > walk > run” approach – building foundational structure and clarity before scaling new capabilities. Key recommendations included: 

• Transition to a Strategic Partner Model: Align MBD professionals with key practice areas to drive targeted growth initiatives and deepen collaboration with Firm leadership.  

• Develop a Firmwide MBD Strategy: Define clear priorities, success measures, and accountability across practices to ensure focus and consistency. 

• Refocus BD Teams on High-Impact Activities: Concentrate efforts on client development, pursuit strategy, and cross-selling opportunities. 

• Implementing Operational Best Practices: Introduce service catalogs, SLAs, and workflow systems to streamline intake and improve delivery transparency. 

• Building a Marketing Talent Strategy: Define competencies, career paths, and professional development to attract and retain top talent.