How to write tender case studies that strengthen your law firm’s credibility

Case studies are one of the most effective ways to build credibility in a law firm proposal — but only when they’re short, specific, and relevant.

Too often, firms include case studies that are overly long, jargon-filled, or only loosely related to the client’s needs. This article shows you how to write better ones.

Why case studies matter

Clients want proof. Not just a list of past matters, but short stories that show:

• You understand the type of work they need help with

• You’ve solved similar problems before

• You can deliver results that matter to them.

A good case study acts as social proof and reinforces your credibility — without sounding like an unfounded claim to general greatness.

What to include (and leave out)

Include:

• The client’s sector or context (keep it anonymised if needed)

• The legal issue or situation - what was at stake for the client

• What your firm did

• The outcome, result, or impact

• Any standout features (complexity, urgency, collaboration).

Leave out:

• Dense legal jargon or legalese (….the Judge was pleased to hear my evidence of the matter…)

• Internal team details the client won’t care about

• Vague or unrelated matters.

Structure to follow

1. Client or context
   e.g. A leading aged care provider, an ASX-listed insurer, a government agency

2. Issue or need
   e.g. Faced multiple historical abuse claims; required urgent advice on contract termination; sought a panel firm for ongoing regulatory matters

3. What we did
   e.g. Acted on 12 separate matters, implemented a streamlined triage process, led negotiations with multiple parties

4. Outcome or result
   e.g. Achieved early resolution on 9 claims; reduced exposure by $3M; secured a long-term retainer agreement

Keep it to 4 – 6 lines total per case study. Use bullet points or paragraphs to make it skimmable.

Bonus tips

• Tailor and tweak to re-spin your case studies for each tender don’t just dump in a long list of old ones

• Place your best or most relevant examples earlier in the line up

• Specifics sell - add in facts, figures, data, statistics to make it feel real

• If confidentiality is a concern, anonymise without losing context

• Include variety (different services, sectors, outcomes, business as usual vs high complexity) where possible.

About the author

Amy Burton-Bradley is a legal tender strategist and the founder of Bidtique. Law Firm Tenders is her resource site for firms who want to sharpen their approach to tenders, bids, and proposals.