Episode 191 - Patrick Johnson of Honigman on Rethinking How Law Firms Pitch and Win Work

Most law firms pitch a lot. Far fewer pitch well. And that gap represents one of the biggest missed growth opportunities in the legal market.

In the latest episode of the CMO Series Podcast, Charles Cousins is joined by Patrick Johnson, Chief Business Development & Marketing Officer at Honigman, to explore the importance of culture and client-centric storytelling in pitches. After a month in his role, and previous experience spanning multiple law firms and time at McKinsey, Patrick offers a sharp perspective on why pitching and winning work is still treated as a process problem, rather than a strategic one. 

They discuss what law firms are getting wrong, what best practice really looks like, and how Honigman is approaching pitching with a curious mindset from day one.

Patrick shares:

• His impressive career journey and how pitching became central to business strategy
• The importance of winning partner buy-in to change how firms pitch
• The importance of culture and process before advancing technology
• Reasons why law firms struggle to win work
• Actionable steps for leaders to introduce new ways of working