Professional services firms are federations, not hierarchies.
Practice areas, departments, and industry groups operate with significant autonomy within most professional services firms. What the litigation group needs differs from corporate. Tax operates differently than audit. These silos affect how technology decisions get made, who has authority, and what solutions can actually succeed firm-wide.
Understanding practice area dynamics reveals whether you're selling to a firm or to fiefdoms.
Why Silos Exist
Practice area separation reflects genuine differences in how different practices operate.
Different work types. Litigation involves discovery, depositions, and court proceedings. Corporate work involves transactions and documents. IP requires technical expertise. Different work demands different tools and processes.
Different economics. Some practices are volume businesses with many smaller matters. Others handle few large engagements. Hourly billing dominates some practices while contingency or fixed fees work in others.
Different clients. Practice areas often serve different client types. Corporate practices serve businesses. Trusts and estates serves individuals. Different client types have different needs.
Specialization value. Deep expertise commands premium rates. Generalist approaches don't work in sophisticated professional services. Specialization creates natural separation.
Silo Impact on Technology
Practice area silos affect technology decisions in ways that shape your sales approach.
Decentralized authority. Practice area leaders often control their own technology budgets and decisions. Firm-wide mandates may not apply, or may be ignored by autonomous practice groups.
Different requirements. Each practice may have genuinely different needs. One-size-fits-all solutions may not fit any size well. Practice-specific configuration may be necessary.
Implementation variation. Even firm-wide systems get used differently by different practices. Training and support may need practice-specific approaches.
Internal competition. Practice areas compete for firm resources. Technology investments in one area may face resistance from others who want their priorities funded instead.
Selling to Practice Groups
When practice groups control decisions, sales must focus at the practice level.
Practice leader focus. Identify the practice group leader or department chair. Their support is necessary for practice-level adoption. Build relationships with practice leadership.
Practice-specific value. Frame your solution's value in terms the specific practice cares about. What matters to litigators differs from what matters to corporate attorneys.
Practice references. References from the same practice type carry more weight. Litigation partners want to hear from other litigation partners. Practice-matched references matter.
Pilot by practice. Practice-level pilots let you prove value without requiring firm-wide commitment. Success in one practice can lead to expansion.
Selling Firm-Wide Solutions
Some solutions need to work firm-wide. Selling across silos requires different strategies.
Executive sponsor. Firm-wide initiatives need executive-level sponsorship. Managing partner, executive committee, or CIO sponsorship creates authority that crosses practice boundaries.
Practice leader coalition. Build support across multiple practice leaders. If several influential practices support the initiative, firm-wide adoption becomes feasible.
Common ground identification. What needs do all practices share? Email, document management, and time and billing affect everyone. Find common ground that justifies firm-wide approach.
Practice customization. Allow practice-specific configuration within firm-wide platforms. Flexibility that accommodates practice differences increases acceptance.
Land and Expand in Professional Services
Practice area structure often makes land-and-expand the natural sales motion.
Single practice entry. Start with one practice that has clear need and receptive leadership. Prove value in that context before attempting broader adoption.
Success visibility. Make success in the first practice visible to other practices. Success stories spread through internal firm communications.
Internal referrals. Partners who succeed with your solution tell colleagues in other practices. Internal advocacy often drives expansion better than vendor sales efforts.
Expansion support. Actively support expansion to other practices. The implementation approach for the second practice can leverage learning from the first.
Navigating Cross-Practice Politics
Practice area politics affect technology decisions in ways vendors must navigate carefully.
Resource competition. Technology investment in one practice may come at expense of another. Be aware of how your sale affects internal resource allocation.
Historical tensions. Some practice groups have historical tensions or rivalries. A solution associated with one practice may face resistance from others.
Neutral positioning. When possible, position your solution as serving firm needs rather than specific practice needs. Avoid being seen as favoring one group.
Fair treatment. If expanding across practices, treat each practice's needs as equally important. Perception of favoritism creates adoption resistance.
Practice area silos are structural features of professional services firms, not dysfunction to overcome. Vendors who understand and work within silo structures succeed. Those who ignore silos or try to overcome them through firm-wide mandates often fail. Understanding whether you're selling to a unified firm or a collection of practices shapes every aspect of your approach.