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Kinstellar – Emerging Europe’s Leading Independent Law Firm

Kinstellar is an international law firm focusing on Central, Eastern and South Eastern Europe, including the former Soviet Union countries. Kinstellar was created as a successor to Linklaters, the global leader in the legal services market in Central and Eastern Europe, by taking over Linklaters’ offices in Bratislava, Bucharest, Budapest and Prague. In 2010 Kinstellar opened new offices in Belgrade, Serbia and in Istanbul, Turkey.

Challenge when creating a new brand

From the very beginning the new Kinstellar management faced the crucial question of how to transfer values established throughout the history, experience, attitude and exceptional provision of legal services to the new brand, which was intended to fulfil several values and visions at the same time.
The first challenge was the brand itself, which was not to be formed from the name of any of the firm’s partners. The new brand’s objective was to evoke the idea of international partnership, continuity, new possibilities, excellence and innovative approach.
Another challenge came along as the brand was being launched on the market, only a month after the fall of Lehman Brothers, i.e., in a period when the global economic crisis was commencing.
As a result, the greatest challenge was to convince the firm’s partners and employees, as well as business partners, clients and the outside world that the new brand would not bring any change to the existing operation of the firm, and that what it would bring is a number of advantages such as a new fresh brand, more flexible operations and the exceptional position of a law firm that became the first and leading law firm on the Central and Eastern European market.

Strategy of regional brand management

The strategy of managing the new regional brand should be perceived in several consecutive stages that are structurally separate according to the requirements of individual markets.
At the first stage of presenting a new brand, it is crucial to concentrate on key groups, both internally and externally. A strong focus on both internal and external recipients is essential. The fundamental objective is to convince these key groups about the values and mission of the new brand and to transform them into bearers of these values.
The subsequent stage of the brand management strategy, which can take several years in the client-to-client domain, is one of convincing, maintaining and developing. In the case of Kinstellar that stage was also connected with the expansion into new markets, which stressed the regional power, importance and freshness of the young brand.
At that stage it is vital to work on internal communications. Within a law firm every single partner and lawyer is a bearer of the firm’s values and importance. The style in which they represent the firm, how they sell legal services and most importantly the style in which they provide legal services and the background for that provision form an indispensable component of brand communication and intensive development of the new brand.
Obviously, the external impact of the brand itself and its communication in the mass media also form an indispensable component. However, that segment has a very specific impact due to differences between markets and the necessity to make an impact on markets outside the region where the firm operates.
Further steps that should be considered after making the preceding steps are retrospective assessment and continuous efforts to stabilise the brand. The analysis should be based on the external perception of the brand rather than an internal assessment. In the case of international law firms this usually means renowned legal directory rankings, which indicate the position of the firm in the markets concerned, and in particular, how it is perceived by experts and clients.
At this stage the brand should seek to differentiate itself and maintain the added value. For Kinstellar that is certainly an innovative attitude to solving legal issues as well as the attitude towards clients. The attitude that allows new trends, changes and challenges to be seen.

Summary

Management and communication of a regional brand should always be perceived across both local and regional markets. It is not possible to apply the same approach in all aspects. Nevertheless, you can certainly find permanent values, mission and contents of your brand, which is not just a signboard on the building of your headquarters; it is the content and the background of everything you as a firm do, how you operate, and how you are perceived. This – but not only this – constitutes the atmosphere you and your employees “breathe” and represent for the outside world. Therefore you should not only endeavour to make the brand the best in all aspects. You should endeavour to make the brand human so that individuals in your firm can find themselves in the brand and identify with it because every brand is composed of emotions – both your emotions and your clients’ emotions.

Author: Jan Pošvář, Marketing Manager, Kinstellar, advokátní kancelář, Prague, www.kinstellar.com