How Curiosity Shapes Legal Marketing Careers

Some legal marketers become indispensable strategic advisors. Others stay stuck in the ‘can you make this brochure’ zone. The difference isn’t talent, experience, or even luck. It’s curiosity.

After 20 years in this field, I can tell you: curiosity is a choice and it’s within your control. The marketers who ask better questions, who dig deeper, who challenge assumptions are the ones who earn a seat at the table. They move from taking orders to shaping strategy. The difference? They choose to be curious.

Where curiosity matters most

To succeed in legal marketing, you need four core competencies: relationship building, legal service delivery knowledge, competitive intelligence, and professional excellence. But competence alone isn’t enough. What separates good from great is the level of curiosity you bring to each of these areas.

Relationship building: Show up prepared

When meeting a lawyer for the first time, do your homework. Review their bio, narrow in on their client experience, and dig deep into their LinkedIn. What is their practice breakdown? Where do they spend their non-billable time? What do they engage with online? All firms have ready access to mountains of information. Figure out how to use it effectively. When I was first starting out, I would always ask a lawyer to give me a two-minute summary of their practice. But I never walked in cold. I listened and then I asked targeted questions about their client base, delivery style, ideal client, and challenges. I always asked for their honest opinion, even if I didn’t like the answer. When you get them talking, they open up. When you’ve done your research and ask smart questions, they get hooked. Surface-level conversation leads to a surface-level relationship. Curiosity is what moves you from intake to advisor.

Legal service delivery: Understand the work

You can’t market what you don’t understand. At a litigation boutique, I wanted to learn everything I could about advocacy. I was lucky to work on complicated pitches and learn about litigation strategy from dozens of partners. But to truly understand what happened when cases went to court, I had to see it for myself. So, I asked to join a virtual hearing. I watched a witness get cross-examined. I saw the judge react in real time. I listened to the behind-the-scenes discussion between counsel after court. It changed how I thought about their work and how I did my own. Had I not asked, I wouldn’t have been there. Had I not been curious, I would have stayed on the surface. The lawyers respected the ask and were proud to bring me in. That’s the difference between marketing from a distance and marketing with real understanding.

Competitive intelligence: Know what others don’t

If you don’t know what your competitors are doing, you’re already behind. Do your research. What’s their strategy? Their structure? What can you learn about their market presence? Monitor LinkedIn. Know their C-suite and how they show up. Understand their client base. But don’t stop there. When you see something that challenges your thinking, discuss it with your colleagues. Ask your lawyers how they perceive that firm delivering value. I spend at least an hour every day scrolling, double-clicking, and learning. I see campaigns and try to dissect what’s coming next. I set up alerts, so news finds me fast. This isn’t busywork. This is strategic intelligence that gives you an edge when it matters most.

Professional excellence: Push for more

Curiosity fuels success. The more you know, the better you work. We live in an AI world and preparation has never been easier. But preparation alone isn’t enough. Show up with an engaged, curious mind, and you’ll get more attention. And in legal marketing, how you show up matters.

Here’s the thing: lawyers have a role to play too. A lawyer once asked why we would bother doing a “win review” with a client who already accepted our proposal. My immediate thought? This person isn’t curious about the full picture. Win aside, to compete in the future, we need to know why we won, what we did better, and where we could improve. Not guesswork. We need to hear it directly from the client. Even when lawyers aren’t asking the questions, marketers can. Challenge them and push for the insight. That’s how you stay ahead.

Your move

Curiosity isn’t just about being naturally inquisitive. It’s about making a conscious choice to ask the next question, dig deeper, and challenge your assumptions. To legal marketers: stop waiting for instructions and start asking better questions. To lawyers: if you want your marketing team to move from execution to strategy, create the conditions for curiosity. Invite questions, reward depth over speed (please!), and recognize that the marketer who challenges your assumptions isn’t overstepping – they’re doing exactly what you need them to do.