Going All-In on Small Law Firms

"We get a ton of referrals, a lot of repeat business because if we do it right, our clients never leave."  – Brendan Chard

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Brendan is the founder of The Modern Firm, an agency that specializes in serving small law firms. In this episode, we dive into the journey of The Modern Firm, how it has grown from a one-man show into a 17-person strong team that still mostly grows through referrals and inbound leads, and all the management and agency leadership advice Brendan has accumulated along the way.

We cover:

- How Brendan got into building websites for the legal vertical.

- Going from a one-man show to a team and learning to let go and delegate.

- How Brendan’s firm acquires repeat business and why lawyers are a special breed of buyers.

- Positioning your business tightly to drive inbound.

Actionable key takeaways for agency founders:

- High-performing teams have leaders who also think of the career development of their teams.

- Being great at storytelling can be a differentiation for a website agency.

- When you’re high on inbound leads, sales is more about connecting and assessing the fit.

- If you’re hiring for content and marketing, you need to look for deep vertical knowledge in the candidates.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How did Brendan Chard originally get into building websites for the legal vertical?

A specific entry point discussed directly in the episode, leading him to eventually found The Modern Firm around specializing exclusively in serving small law firms.

How did The Modern Firm grow from a one-man show into a 17-person team?

Largely through referrals and inbound leads rather than aggressive outbound sales, a growth pattern discussed as directly tied to consistently strong client retention and word of mouth within the small law firm niche.

Why does Brendan Chard say lawyers are "a special breed of buyers"?

A distinct dynamic discussed directly in the episode, reflecting particular characteristics of how lawyers evaluate and buy marketing services differently than buyers in other verticals.

Why does tight positioning help drive inbound leads, according to Brendan Chard?

Because narrow, specific positioning around small law firms specifically makes it clear exactly who the agency serves, making it easier for the right prospects to self-identify and reach out without needing aggressive outbound effort.

What does Brendan Chard say sales looks like when an agency has plenty of inbound leads?

More about connecting and assessing fit than persuading, since inbound leads already arrive with some level of interest, shifting the sales conversation toward confirming mutual fit rather than convincing someone from scratch.