The last series in this module focussed on the attorney-client experience, and how this is really a single shared journey. Now we move on to look at the disconnect in the legal market, and the right and wrong ways to bridge it. 

This lesson isn't a true story, but it is a fusion of several. A sizable law firm, let's call them Diamond LLP, decided to rethink their marketing game. This was a response to competition from all sides, including the legal departments of their clients, increasingly eating their lunch. They devised "Operation Sparkle" — a plan to defend their territory and get more work. Using Operation Sparkle, Diamond LLP shined up their marketing collateral. To do this, they reached out to all their partners and associates for content, war stories, awards, anything shiny. They used this on their revamped website and all their RFP responses. Expertise was extolled, deals were decorated and wins were worshiped. The launch of Operation Sparkle was cascaded across the firm with clear messaging and a call to arms: Go sell Diamond LLP on these clear values.

By any objective metric, Operation Sparkle was a flop. Those who were eating Diamond LLP's lunch continued to do so, and any new business they got was for other reasons. We tell this story to highlight the disconnect in our legal market, and the next lesson will revisit it from the client's perspective.