McDonalds is renowned for its success at advertising heavily during recessions to increase its market share. Unsurprising then, to see at least one firm taking the bull by the horns and visibly pumping its marketing.

The Lawyer: Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) has hired a PR and marketing guru [Ash Coleman-Smith] to drive its marketing strategy.

Coleman-Smith said of his move:“[Law] is a very interesting sector, there’s the legal Services Act, the arrival of firms from the US, recessionary pressures and all the impact on clients and charging structures, [combined with] an incredibly crowded marketplace, meaning that firms have to become more creative in how they communicate. I was particularly interested in BLP because it had the tag of ’one to watch’.

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That’s a nice bit of puff already and it obviously has BLP convinced but firms aren’t selling burgers and fries. Potential clients can’t just walk into one firm one day, snack on their commercial property department then pop down to a competitors the next, to taste the difference.

Clearly, though, there is merit in firms actively promoting where their particular strengths lie. With a ‘25-strong’ marketing team led by a veritable ‘guru’, BLP shouldn’t fall short in that department.

But it’s also worth remembering the sage advice of one billionaire lawyer, Charlie Munger, “It’s the work on your desk…. It’s the work on your desk. Do well with what you already have and more will come in.”