Is word of mouth dying out?

For years, barristers have built practices through reputation. A solicitor recommends counsel, a colleague mentions a name, and good work leads to more work. That model has not disappeared. The better question is whether it now operates alone.

The current evidence doesn’t say that word of mouth is dead. It does, however, support the proposition that referrals are increasingly followed by independent checking, and younger clients are more likely to expect information to be findable, comparable and current. 

For barristers, the issue is not whether they should become online personalities. The question is whether their professional reputation remains credible in the places where clients and referrers now look.

RESEARCH FROM THE UK

The strongest recent evidence comes from England and Wales, where the Legal Services Consumer Panel’s (LSCP) 2025 tracker survey found that 44% of consumers shopped around before choosing a legal services provider.1 The two most common routes to choosing a provider remained traditional ones: 19% said they or a family member had used the provider before, and 18% relied on a recommendation from family or friends. But the same report also found that 57% of consumers who received a recommendation still looked for additional information about the provider before contacting them.¹

The generational evidence is suggestive rather than conclusive. The LSCP data does not say, that younger consumers ‘trust’ more when they find an online presence, but it does show that younger consumers are more likely to shop around: in 2025, 61% of consumers aged 25–34 shopped around, compared with 44% overall.¹ 

Digital discoverability is also becoming part of the UK legal-sector policy. The UK Legal Services Board’s 2024 paper on consumer empowerment states that consumers need sufficient information about providers’ price, quality, service, regulatory protections and redress so they can shop around and make informed choices.²

WHAT DOES IT MEAN DOWN HERE?

For an NZ barrister, that does not mean a website or profile will generate work on its own, or that a static profile is insufficient. The evidence supports a bit of both. Clients increasingly expect enough information to check who you are, what you do, and whether you appear credible. A sparse, outdated or hard-to-find profile may not destroy trust, but it removes a point of reassurance.

SO, WHAT’S NEEDED?

A barrister does not need to become a content producer.  But they should be discoverable in a way that is credible, current and professionally controlled. 

At a minimum, that means a clear online presence that supports the claims about who you are and what you do. Most barristers have a website, but there is still a portion who have no online presence via a Google search. The reality is that the generations coming through have been raised in an online world, and someone without a convincing online presence is a red flag. 

So, is word of mouth dying out? No. But it is changing. The evidence supports the view that reputation now travels through both personal networks and online verification. A recommendation may still open the door, but an online search increasingly follows it. 

ADVICE FROM THE NZBA MARKETING MANAGER

There is no requirement for TikTok dances here. Having a credible online presence can be achieved in a few simple steps:

1. Have you googled your business? Do it via an incognito tab. This will give you a better overview, without the influence of recent history, of how you’re seen by others. 
   
   
2. Is your NZLS registry up to date with contact details and business name? A lot of Barristers change chambers without updating this.
   
   
3. Do you have a find a barrister listing with the NZBA? Professional bodies give credence to any online presence and can serve as a substitute website for those who don’t have one. For NZBA Full Members, this is free. Details are here. 
   
   
4. Are you on LinkedIn? It’s a free professional network that can easily provide validation. You don’t need to give your opinion on everything. A few likes and ‘congrats’ comments a couple of times a year show that you’re still an active professional. 

For barristers, the question is not whether to abandon tradition for marketing. It is whether professional reputation, once formed by word of mouth, can still be found by those who now expect to check.

With the wave of technology, it is evident things are changing quickly. Simple actions can ensure that you stay relevant without compromising your reputation or authority. 

- Alice Forman BDes (Hons)
Marketing Manager - New Zealand Bar Association | Ngā Ahorangi Motuhake o Te Ture

REFERENCES

1. Legal Services Consumer Panel, 2025 Tracker Survey: How consumers are choosing legal services report (10 July 2025).
   
   
2. Legal Services Board, Consumer Empowerment – Update and next steps, Paper (24) 21 (30 April 2024).