Our May newsletter covers the MD Communications Legal 5K results, our BD breakfast roundtable, the latest LinkedIn insights, and our CEO Melissa’s SEND legal challenge moves forward.
Sweat, strategy & social: A busy month in Legal PR
It’s been a busy month at MD Communications, with plenty to celebrate, reflect on and share. In this edition, we’re bringing together highlights from our recent events, including the Legal 5K, last week’s BD breakfast, and our upcoming resilience event with Ash Alexander-Cooper, plus the latest LinkedIn insights. We celebrated diversity initiatives across the profession at the WDL Awards and were delighted to have been shortlisted in two categories. I’m also sharing an important personal update on the SEND judicial review.
Legal 5K: the results are in
The results are in from our Legal 5K in Regent’s Park last month, with 800 runners from the industry raising vital funds for special needs charity Skylarks.
Our exciting video of the event has just gone live – can you spot yourself?
A huge thank you to everyone who took part, as well as Commissioning Editor at the Law Society Gazette Eduardo Reyes, and a team of strong helpers, for helping hand out medals.
Congratulations to all the winners! We’d like to spotlight the two fastest Managing Partners: James Carroll at Russell-Cooke and Florence Brocklesby at Bellevue Law – well done!
If you were lucky enough to find a golden ticket in your tote bag, please do get in touch for your exciting prize! Don’t miss out on joining the race again in 2027 – contact us to express your interest.
Is BD still a relationship game, or are we fooling ourselves?
Our latest roundtable breakfast at The Ivy, co-hosted by Melissa Davis and Global Head of Brand James Hayhurst, brought together senior leaders from across the sector for a lively discussion on what’s really shaping BD and client relationships now.
The clearest takeaway? The strongest business developers are not simply doing more – they are building deeper relationships, staying visible and useful, and making BD part of everyday practice rather than something saved for the end of the quarter.
A huge thank you to everyone who joined us and shared their insights so openly. Thank you also to Daniel Chew, Partner and Head of Asia Group at HLK, for your insightful write-up of the event.
If you’d like to strengthen organic business development within your firm, our Magic Sauce course, led by James, draws on insights from the advertising world to explore the role relationships play in winning, growing and retaining clients. The programme helps firms build more effective, efficient, enjoyable and ultimately more profitable client relationships.
What the latest LinkedIn algorithm update means for your profile
The latest LinkedIn algorithm report is out and the updates have more in common with a successful BD and personal brand strategy than most realise.
Key takeaways:
💥 LinkedIn reach is down by up to 65%, but engagement is up. Fewer people see your content, but the right people are seeing it. The platform now rewards relevance over reach.
💥 Half your reach is decided before you post. Around 50.1% comes from profile strength and topic consistency. If LinkedIn can’t quickly understand what you’re known for, it won’t push your content.
💥 The algorithm now watches what happens after you post just as closely. The engagement window lasts up to four hours, so fast, thoughtful replies help drive reach and keep posts performing for longer.
Want more great insights? Read the blog in full
Join the conversation on my LinkedIn post
We will be running a couple of free short sessions on the algorithm update over the next few months, if you’d like to be put on the list to attend, please email Nick
Heading the to the IBA later this year?
What do the algorithm updates have to do with IBA attendance? If you’re attending the IBA Annual Conference 2026 in Copenhagen, we help lawyers and BD teams build a clear strategy to make the most of the conference and turn attendance into real return on investment.
From identifying the right relationships and raising your profile before the event, to smarter networking and follow-up afterwards, our support is designed to help firms build connections that lead to referrals, opportunities and growth.
Contact Head of International Linsay Leslie for more details.
Pressure is part of legal life. Burnout doesn’t have to be.
We’re organising an event with RPC and Ash Alexander-Cooper, centred on his book Mindful Soldier and what it can teach law firms about building stronger, more resilient teams.
The session will explore practical ways to handle pressure and support wellbeing, and is aimed at Managing Partners and those in leadership positions. If you’d like to be considered for the guest list, get in touch.
Standing up for SEND protections
My legal team has now brought a challenge on behalf of my daughter, Jessica, against the Government’s proposed SEND reforms, asking the High Court to quash the consultation.
The story has been covered by the Law Society Gazette and I have written about the case in Special Needs Jungle.
The claim argues that the DfE consultation is fundamentally flawed and does not make clear how existing legal protections for children with SEND could be weakened. The Government has not yet formally responded.
This goes far beyond policy wording; for many families, those protections determine whether a child gets the support they need.
P.S. Meet one of our Legal 5K champions
Our new series profiles the runners and stakeholders who contribute so much to our Legal 5K charity race.
First up is Mark Evans, who has been a huge supporter of the race, both as the President of the Law Society and also through his running group for the sector, LegalRunner.
Mark recently competed in the London Marathon, in aid of mental health charity LawCare, another cause close to our hearts.
