Heather Suttie

For 27 years, I have advised leaders of premier law firms and legal service businesses worldwide — Global to Solo | BigLaw to NewLaw — on innovative strategies pertaining to business, markets, management, and clients.

The result is accelerated performance achieved through a distinctive one of one legal market position and sustained competitive advantage leading to greater market share, revenue, and profits.

The effect is accomplishment of the prime objective — To Win.

How I Help You Drive Legal Market Growth

It’s said that “Heather helps lawyers understand that they’re running a business.” This is why I focus exclusively on outcomes that improve a client’s condition.

My strength is developing and helping to execute legal market strategies and measurable growth initiatives that dramatically increase revenue and profits.

These include:

• One of one strategy development and market positioning that captures unique traits and amplifies strengths resulting in distinctive industry differentiation and dominance

• Innovative go-to-market measurable and tactical marketing plans that open new business opportunities domestically and abroad

• Proven business development growth strategies that yield and retain quality clients and work, significantly increase revenue, and sustain competitive advantage

— attained by helping legal professionals forge trusted relationships by putting their clients first.

Mostly, I offer an independent mind to audacious law firm leaders and legal service professionals who want change, and provide outstanding value through customized solutions to ensure they are one of one rather than one of many.

Clients and Comments

To date, clients include seven national law firms, five global firms, numerous regional law firms, specialized boutiques, and legal service businesses.

Clients say my “expertise in the legal industry, and with different law firms and range of practices is invaluable” and “planning, follow-through and execution is like no other.”

These traits plus observations such as, “always adds enormous value,” “a visionary thinker and creative advisor,” “always a step ahead and way out front,” “fearless energy,” “a powerhouse,” “always direct,” “talks sense,” “opinions that mean something,” “a quick mind and loyal to the core,” “refreshing candor and ‘cut to the chase’ style,” and “a thought leader in the legal market. Her emphasis on industries, financial focus with disciplined choices, and client-centricity is a model for future success” have earned me the reputation of being “a recognized go-to for strategy in the global legal services industry.”

Proven Business Acumen

I consult based on solid and successful business management expertise and experience.

Prior to legal, I led two major business turnarounds — one private; the other public, federally-regulated and unionized — that had struggled for nine and 19-years respectively. Both were repositioned by fixating on the core business, eliminating the ancillary, maximizing profit margins, enabling change based on hard data and exact timing with short-term goals, mid-term milestones and long-term objectives, and keeping intact a team that embraced the vision.

The private company’s budget was trimmed 62.5 per cent while its distribution increased 714.71 per cent. The public company’s reallocated budget remained flat, staff doubled, and distribution increased 170.02 per cent. These turnarounds took six and 19-months respectively, and remain successful and solvent to this day.

Now I work with law firm leaders and legal service professionals who want those same results.

Unique Legal Market Expertise

My legal career began as sole marketing advisor to Donahue LLP that operated from 1997 to 2003 within Ernst & Young as Canada’s first and so far only Big Four multidisciplinary (MDP) legal practice.

I am recognized as an authority on Big Four Legal. This is a result of being the only legal market strategist in Canada with Big Four Legal MDP experience combined with Big Four client consulting expertise.

The culmination of this expertise means that I am uniquely qualified and experienced as a conduit within and between traditional and non-traditional legal enterprises.

Professional and Personal Pedigree

I provide keynote presentations at legal conferences and retreats, and comment on global legal markets and industry trends.

As a former news journalist and writer with “a wonderful flair for making content approachable, insightful and informative,” I have contributed opinion columns for national and international legal publications, authored book chapters for international legal titles, and written blog posts “prescriptively,” “with priceless wit,” and “a certain stark honesty about the business of law.”

My Story is a personal account about the value of being different. It outlines how managing change and re-engineering my life and career more than once may encourage others to figure out what will make them happy and act on it.

I follow my own advice. As a result, I am one of one — the only independent management consultant who is a global authority on legal market strategy.