The Top 7 Marketing Trends Legal Marketers Need to Watch In 2025

By Patricia Nagy

As we move into 2025, legal marketers face a rapidly evolving landscape where technology, data, and client expectations intersect — and it’s just the right time of year for making lists! Here are the top 7 trends we are seeing as shaping the future of legal marketing in the coming year.
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1. AI Is the Game Changer (Duh!)

Artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer optional for legal marketing. It’s becoming indispensable for firms that want to stand out in a highly competitive market. From streamlining content creation to uncovering insights from data, AI holds the key to efficiency and effectiveness.

• Adoption in Legal Marketing: AI is particularly valuable for legal marketers, helping firms identify and prioritize prospects based on their likelihood to convert or specific legal needs. Generative AI, on the other hand, can create tailored thought leadership content, simplifying the production of blog posts, newsletters, and even video scripts for complex legal topics.
• Challenges: However, AI implementation brings challenges that resonate deeply in the legal field. Concerns about data breaches, the accuracy of AI-generated content, and the risk of brand misalignment are heightened in a profession where trust and precision are paramount.

Expanded Takeaway: Legal marketers should treat AI as a strategic partner. Begin with smaller, controlled implementations — such as automating client onboarding content — before expanding into more advanced use cases. Transparency with clients about AI's role in marketing efforts can further build trust and demonstrate innovation.
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2. Personalization At Scale

Personalization is no longer a "nice-to-have"; it's an expectation. Prospective clients don’t just want general information — they expect legal firms to understand their specific challenges and deliver tailored solutions.

• The Gap In Legal Marketing: High-performing marketers are managing to personalize interactions across six channels, including email, social media, and websites. In contrast, underperforming teams struggle to implement personalization beyond basic email campaigns. This gap is particularly evident in multi-service firms, where data silos across practice areas hinder efforts to present a cohesive client journey.
• Opportunities: Personalization can be applied to every stage of the client lifecycle. For example, dynamic landing pages can address a prospective client’s industry-specific legal issues, while personalized follow-ups can deepen relationships with current clients.

Expanded Takeaway: Focus on creating a unified view of each client by integrating CRM platforms with marketing automation tools. Use this data to develop consistent messaging across channels and deliver content that speaks directly to the needs of each client or prospect.
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3. Unified Analytics Drive Smarter Decisions

The legal industry has historically lagged in connecting marketing activities to measurable outcomes. As firms face increasing pressure to justify marketing spend, the demand for actionable insights has never been higher.

• Data Challenges: While legal firms collect vast amounts of first-party data through client intake forms, billing systems, and CRM tools, many struggle to integrate and analyze this data effectively. Only 48% of marketers track customer lifetime value (CLV), a key metric for understanding the long-term return on marketing investments.
• Unified Analytics: Firms with integrated analytics platforms are better positioned to identify which campaigns generate the most leads, retain clients, or cross-sell services. This clarity allows them to allocate resources more effectively and refine their strategies in real time.

Expanded Takeaway: Legal marketers should champion analytics tools that break down silos between marketing, finance, and practice management data. When these systems work together, firms gain a clearer picture of their marketing ROI, which can drive buy-in from partners and other stakeholders.
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4. The Shift to First-Party Data

The marketing world is transitioning away from third-party data, and legal marketers need to adapt quickly. With the deprecation of third-party cookies, first-party data becomes the most reliable source for building client relationships.

• Legal-Specific Data Sources: Client-facing interactions such as consultations, webinars, and event registrations offer treasure troves of first-party data. However, many firms lack the infrastructure to harness these insights effectively.
• Challenges: Firms must also ensure that first-party data collection complies with evolving privacy laws, such as GDPR and CCPA, while maintaining client trust.

Expanded Takeaway: Legal marketers should prioritize building robust data infrastructure, ensuring that all collected data is actionable and stored securely. Tools like customer data platforms (CDPs) can help unify this information to create detailed client profiles and enable more effective marketing.
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5. Account-Based Marketing (ABM) Gains Traction

Account-based marketing (ABM) is becoming a go-to strategy for firms looking to focus their resources on high-value clients. By aligning marketing and business development, ABM enables firms to target key decision-makers with precision.

• Why ABM Works: For firms targeting corporate clients, ABM allows for hyper-personalized marketing that aligns directly with the client’s unique business challenges. For example, a campaign targeting a general counsel might focus on cost-effective compliance solutions, while one targeting a CFO could highlight ROI and cost predictability.
• Applications In Legal: ABM is also effective for cross-selling additional services to existing clients. For instance, a client using your firm for employment law might be unaware of your capabilities in M&A or intellectual property.

Expanded Takeaway: Invest in ABM tools that provide granular insights into account activity. By aligning closely with business development teams, legal marketers can ensure campaigns are relevant, timely, and actionable.
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6. Trust Is the New Currency

In a profession where reputation is everything, trust is an essential component of any marketing strategy. The adoption of AI and new technologies only amplifies this need.

• The Trust Equation: Clients are becoming more concerned about how their data is used and protected. Nearly 70% of customers believe that advancements in AI make it more important for companies to demonstrate trustworthiness.
• Legal’s Advantage: Trust and integrity are already cornerstones of the legal profession. By extending these principles into marketing efforts, firms can reassure clients and reinforce their credibility.

Expanded Takeaway: Legal marketers should emphasize transparency in all campaigns. Highlight data protection policies and showcase the human expertise behind AI-powered solutions to reassure clients that technology enhances rather than replaces personal service.
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7. Mobile and Multi-Channel Engagement Are Rising

Mobile and multi-channel marketing are increasingly critical for capturing attention and building relationships in an always-connected world.

• Mobile's Role in Legal Marketing: Busy legal clients are often on the move, making mobile-friendly content a necessity. Whether it’s SMS appointment reminders or push notifications for upcoming CLE webinars, mobile channels offer direct and timely ways to engage.
• Multi-Channel Integration: Clients often interact with firms through a mix of digital and traditional touchpoints. Ensuring these channels are integrated allows firms to deliver consistent, high-quality experiences.

Expanded Takeaway: Begin by optimizing your website and email campaigns for mobile responsiveness. From there, explore emerging channels like in-app notifications or even WhatsApp for client communication, ensuring seamless integration with traditional platforms.
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Looking Ahead

The marketing landscape for legal firms in 2025 is both challenging and full of opportunity. By focusing on these trends — AI, personalization, analytics, data, ABM, trust, and multi-channel engagement — legal marketers can position their firms for success in an increasingly competitive environment. Embracing innovation while staying true to the core values of trust and service will be the key to standing out and driving growth.