Evaluating the True Value of Your Professional Organizations: A Year-End Strategy for Law Firms

Why Law Firms Should Reevaluate Their Professional Organizations

Delisi Friday explains that lawyers often renew memberships, sponsorships, or donations year after year without much thought. Firms automatically say yes when familiar organizations ask for contributions, but rarely pause to ask why.

She stresses the importance of setting aside time each year — ideally with the leadership team — to review every professional group, nonprofit, and sponsorship. The goal is to ask:

• Does this still make sense for the firm?

• Are we supporting this group out of genuine alignment or simply habit?

Taking time to review these commitments helps law firms make intentional decisions about where their time, money, and energy should go.

Using Mendelow’s Matrix to Assess Organizational Value

To help with this evaluation, Delisi introduces Mendelow’s Matrix, a tool used worldwide to analyze stakeholders and investments. The matrix uses two key factors — influence and interest — to determine where each organization fits in one of four quadrants.

• Influence refers to how much an organization can impact the firm’s ideal audience or referral network.

• Interest measures how well the organization aligns with the firm’s mission, values, or personal investment.

The four quadrants of Mendelow’s Matrix include:

1. Key Players (High Influence, High Interest): These organizations drive real business growth, generate referrals, and elevate visibility among the right audience.

2. Keep Informed (Low Influence, High Interest): These groups may not directly generate business, but the firm values its relationship with them. They’re worth continued, limited support.

3. Keep Satisfied (High Influence, Low Interest): These organizations have market influence but may not align strongly with firm values. The focus here is maintaining goodwill without deep engagement.

4. Minimal Effort (Low Influence, Low Interest): These groups provide little benefit or alignment. It may be time to withdraw time or financial investment from them.

Delisi recommends that firm leaders complete the exercise independently before discussing as a group. This ensures honest input and a clearer overall picture of where resources are being used effectively — and where they aren’t.

Turning Internal Debate Into Strategic Decision-Making

According to Delisi, the purpose of this exercise isn’t to agree on everything but to start productive conversations. Law firm leaders often avoid debates, but disagreement can lead to smarter business decisions.

For example, if marketing data shows a certain organization has never produced a referral despite significant annual spending, that’s an opportunity to rethink the investment. The team might decide to scale back or redirect funds toward higher-impact opportunities identified as “Key Players” on the matrix.

Delisi encourages law firms to welcome these discussions rather than shy away from them. “Some of the best decisions in a law firm happen because someone is brave enough to ask, ‘What are we doing here?’” she says.

Balancing Strategy With Personal Connection

While efficiency and ROI matter, Delisi reminds lawyers not to lose sight of personal meaning. Some sponsorships or organizations may not bring in new clients but hold sentimental or community value.

She recalls how her father’s law firm always sponsored her childhood softball team — not because it generated cases, but because it mattered to the family. Supporting such causes still strengthens local relationships and reinforces authenticity, even if the influence is limited.

Final Thoughts

Delisi Friday’s message is clear: Not every sponsorship deserves the same level of support. If everyone gets a check, there’s no strategy. Using Mendelow’s Matrix helps law firms make deliberate, data-informed decisions about where to invest their time and money — ensuring that each partnership aligns with both firm goals and values.

To access Delisi’s downloadable Mendelow’s Matrix template and follow along visually, visit FirstCallFriday.com under the Resources section.