1.Overview

The Firm CRM maintains comprehensive client records integrating client information with relationship history. Proper client organization enables relationship intelligence across the firm.

2.Client Record Structure

Each client record includes:

1. Client Identification

  • Client Name: Legal entity name or individual name
  • Client Type: Classification (Existing Client, Potential Client, Vendor, Foreign Counsel, Opposing Counsel)
  • Business Type: Industry classification
  • Client Location: Primary office location(s)

2. Contact Information

  • Office Address, Mailing Address
  • Phone, Email
  • Website, Social Media

3. Key Contacts

  • Primary Contact: Lead contact person for client
  • Billing Contact: Person responsible for invoice approval and payment
  • Executive Sponsor: C-level executive overseeing firm relationship
  • Technical Contacts: Specialized contacts for specific issues

4. Relationship History

  • Initial Engagement Date
  • Engagement Source/Referral Source
  • Matter History: List of all matters with this client
  • Lifetime Financial Value: Total fees earned from this client
  • Practice Areas: Practice areas served for this client

5. Business Information

  • Estimated Client Annual Spend with firm: Based on historical spending
  • Strategic Importance: Classification of client importance (Strategic, Important, Standard)
  • Competitive Risk: Assessment of likelihood of losing client to competitors
  • Cross-Selling Opportunities: Practice areas not yet served

3.Client Contact Hierarchy

For corporate clients, the system maintains organizational structure:

  1. Parent Company Relationships: Links to parent company or holding company
  2. Subsidiary Relationships: Identification of known subsidiaries and affiliated entities
  3. Division Relationships: Within large companies, identification of separate business divisions served
  4. Related Parties: Links to related business entities

4.Contact Type Management

Each client can be classified with multiple contact types:

  • Client: Primary client relationship
  • Potential Client: Prospect for future business
  • Foreign Counsel: External counsel in other jurisdictions
  • Opposing Counsel: Regular opposing counsel in litigation
  • Vendor: Service providers (accounting, IT, etc.)
  • Referral Source: Attorney or entity referring clients
  • Industry Association: Industry association contacts

Frequently asked questions

The Firm CRM organizes all client relationship information, enabling relationship intelligence and data-driven business development. It maintains comprehensive client records integrating client information with relationship history, matter history, and financial value.

Each client record includes identification and classification, contact information, key contacts (primary, billing, executive sponsor), relationship history with matter list and lifetime financial value, business information including strategic importance and cross-selling opportunities, and organizational hierarchy for corporate clients.

The CRM tracks practice area coverage per client, identifies unserved practice areas, generates cross-selling recommendations, and supports client development strategies with stated objectives, competitive status, development actions, and timelines.

When a new matter is created, the system checks primary party conflicts, related party relationships, opposing party conflicts, and prior matter adverse relationships. Potential conflicts are escalated for analysis, waiver, or ethical wall implementation with automatic access and communication restrictions.