For a commercial law firm, growth isn't just about landing shiny new clients. 

It's equally, if not more, about deepening the relationships you already have and ensuring you get maximum value from every client engagement. 

This is precisely where legal cross-selling becomes a strategic imperative. Far from being a mere sales gimmick, effective law firm cross-selling is a sophisticated discipline that, when done well, transforms your existing client base into a robust, diversified revenue stream. 

It's essentially a genuine safeguard against market volatility, making your firm more resilient.

The key barriers to cross-selling in law firms

While the concept of cross-selling is universal, there are unique barriers to cross-selling in the law firm model that make it less straightforward than simply selling to existing accounts.

Lack of trust creating "client control" mentality: 
There's often a deeply ingrained culture around "origination credit" and "client ownership." Partners can naturally worry about losing control of a relationship, or even a slice of their compensation, if they introduce another practice area.

This can lead to a siloed approach where incredibly valuable client opportunities are overlooked, or perhaps even intentionally kept internal rather than shared. It's a natural human tendency, but it can genuinely limit a firm's overall potential.

• Extra reading: For a deeper dive into why this "client control" mentality is so prevalent and challenging, take a look at Ross Fishman's candid assessment: "The Top 5 Reasons Your Law Firm Can't Cross-Sell."

Internal knowledge gaps: 
It's surprisingly common for attorneys not to be fully aware of the sheer breadth and depth of expertise that resides just down the hall, or in a different office across the globe. This lack of internal visibility makes it genuinely difficult to identify cross-selling opportunities that truly align with a client's evolving needs. 

You simply can't offer what you don't know you have.

• Watch: We talk about this a lot at Passle, see here where Connor talks about the big opportunities for building trust and awareness at the firm with the use of AI.

The "selling" stigma: 

Many highly skilled lawyers, particularly in elite commercial firms, are trained to be incisive advisors, deep thinkers, and meticulous problem-solvers – not salespeople. The very notion of "selling" additional services can feel uncomfortable, even unprofessional. This discomfort often results in missed opportunities or poorly executed approaches.

• Listen: Wendy Bernero takes on cross-selling in episode 171 of the CMO Series Podcast

Client comfort zones: 

Clients of top-tier firms often have long-standing, trusted relationships with specific partners or practice groups. Introducing new faces or suggesting additional services can feel like an imposition if it isn't handled with extreme care and a clear, compelling demonstration of added value. It's about a smooth transition, not a sudden, jarring pivot.

Misaligned compensation structures: 

This point is fundamental. If your firm's compensation models don't adequately reward collaboration and internal referrals, even the most well-intentioned cross-selling initiatives will struggle to gain real traction. People respond to incentives, and if the incentives aren't there for collaboration, it's hard to expect it to flourish.
 

How a firm can support cross-selling

• Leadership must lead the way: Senior partners and firm leaders need to actively support and talk about teamwork. They should also reward those who genuinely help other parts of the firm. Their actions speak louder than words.
• Reduce the noise, improve awareness: Rather than sending around huge digests of all the firm's latest dealings, build targeted connections based on shared expertise, client profiles and complementary practice groups.
• Build trust inside the firm: Encourage real connections between partners from different practice areas. Regular meetings, informal chats to share knowledge, and working together on client pitches can build the trust needed for good referrals. If I trust you, I'm more likely to send my valued client your way.
• Change how you see "client ownership": Instead of one person "owning" a client, focus on the firm's overall relationship with the client. Emphasize that the firm's combined expertise serves the client best, and that shared success benefits everyone. It's about "we" winning, not just “me.”

Law firms also need to foster trust throughout their workforce by showing consistency. Indeed, as with many of the approaches already discussed, those law firms more effective at delivering a consistent quality of advice and service do so through formal initiatives, such as instituting client service standards and monitoring perceptions of consistency through client feedback programs.

Jen Dezo from Thompson Reuters “Insights in Action: For law firms struggling with collaboration”

Give lawyers the right tools and training

• Create easy-to-use knowledge platforms: Make it simple for your lawyers to find who does what and how they've helped clients.
• Build an easy-to-use pathway for cross-selling: Build a way for lawyers to naturally cross-sell, in a way that creates regular, quick, opportunities for valuable interactions with clients.
• Train them on "solutions, not sales": An interesting way to approach cross-selling with sales-shy lawyers is to treat it as "cross-serving." A lawyer who knows how to listen to a client's problems, explain the benefits of other services, and smoothly introduce colleagues is one who is a master of cross-selling, whether they use the dreaded “s” word or not. The main goal should always be to solve a client's problem, not just to make another sale.
• Encourage joint business development: Get partners from different groups to work together on articles, webinars, or client presentations. This shows how the firm's different specialties can solve complex client issues together. This not only builds internal relationships but also shows clients your firm's combined strength.

Get incentives and recognition right

• Create fair pay structures: Compensation plays a big role in whether cross-selling can happen. This might mean sharing origination credit, creating bonus pools for team efforts, or recognizing non-billable work that boosts firm revenue. If you want a specific behavior, you need to reward it.
• Celebrate successes: Publicly acknowledge and celebrate good cross-selling efforts. Highlight how these collaborations helped both the client and the firm. This reinforces good behavior and makes it clear that this kind of teamwork is valued.

How to measure success - beyond just referrals

Tracking whether your cross-selling efforts are working means looking beyond just counting internal referrals. For top commercial firms, focus on these key measures:

• More money from existing clients: This is the most important measure. It shows you're getting a larger share of your clients' overall legal spending.
• More "sticky" clients: The more services a client uses from your firm, the less likely they are to leave. Track the average number of practice areas each of your main clients uses.
• Client feedback: Regularly survey clients and specifically ask for their thoughts on the value they get from working with multiple parts of your firm. What do they really think of your integrated approach?
• Partner teamwork rates: Monitor how often partners from different groups work together on pitches and client projects. Are they truly collaborating, or are they still working alone?

For commercial law firms, cross-selling isn't a minor task; it's essential for steady growth, keeping clients, and staying competitive. By breaking down internal barriers, encouraging real teamwork, and giving your lawyers the right tools and reasons, you can turn cross-selling from a buzzword into a strong, lasting way to grow your firm.