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In March 2020, the global travel industry came to a screeching halt with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Almost overnight, companies everywhere embraced virtual meetings, events and conferences moved online, and Zoom became a household name.

Over two years later, with vaccinations more widely available, firms are increasingly returning to the office – and to in-person connections. According to Deloitte, while corporate travel remains below 50% of pre-pandemic spend, hampered by the prospect of rapidly-changing travel restrictions and regulations, numbers are slowly beginning to rise.

For law firms, this is a vital moment, offering an opportunity to refresh pandemic-era business development (BD) strategies. This is true for smaller, regional firms, as well as international ones. According to a new report by UU����ֱ��, which explores the methods of organic growth used by leading UK law firms, 30% of small firms named strong client relationships as the most important aspect of their growth strategy. With in-person meetings traditionally playing such a key role in building client relationships, it’s unsurprising that some firms are keen to return to post-pandemic levels of travel, both nationally and internationally. In fact, Deloitte found that sales visits are the top reason for venturing overseas, with 43% of respondents ranking face-to-face BD engagements as one of their top two drivers for corporate travel.

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Industry-wide momentum

Peter Jackson, Chief Executive at international commercial law firm Hill Dickinson, has seen a shift in the industry-wide approach to travel over the past year. While the pandemic allowed lawyers at his firm to strengthen some of their client relationships, meeting “more regularly and more constructively”, communicating via a screen made it more challenging to build brand new connections.

“Increasingly, now, we are seeing a return in the demand for face-to-face contact”, he says, “and this is a sector-wide trend. If you don’t embrace it, you are in danger of missing out on certain opportunities.” The firm is now looking at how to balance the return to business travel with its carbon neutrality ambitions.

The power of networking

While international travel may still remain off the table for some firms, there is a general consensus around the importance of in-person networking, whether that’s by attending large-scale industry events or simply getting together with another lawyer or support team member for a coffee.

“Old fashioned networking makes a great deal of difference”, says Rosalind Connor, Managing Partner at workplace pension law firm Arc Pensions. “In the end, people want to work with people they know and driving “whole team” engagement means that clients and referrers will always find the right person from the firm for a role or opportunity.”

Kingsley Napley has recently begun recommending that team members attend in-person face-to-face events, from training exercises to seminars in office or more social/activity-based occasions. “In person events are now proving popular and a good way to reconnect with contacts and cement new relationships”, says Managing Partner Linda Woolley.

When virtual meetings still make sense

Despite the move towards in-person time, for some firms (and their clients), virtual meetings are still the preferred way forward. As well as keeping your carbon footprint under control, it allows everyone to save time and money, and keeps COVID risks low.

Ian Walker, Director at Ian Walker Family Law & Mediation Solicitors, has been able to utilise regular digital communications to deepen relationships with clients. “Inevitably clients have embraced greater convenience afforded by videoconferencing and have increasingly transitioned from being clients to customers”, he says. “Engaging with our customers concerning what they value in how we deliver our services and meeting their changing needs will be fundamental to staying relevant.”

While there is no sector-wide consensus on business travel, it is clear that the pandemic has shifted it from a default option to a strategic decision. Whether it’s to align with a particular partner or client’s preferred communication style, to cement relationships with colleagues or peers, or to secure a new case, it is best to be flexible and receptive to your team’s preferences, minimise risk and avoid dogmatic approaches.