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United Kingdom
Key definition
Target definition

What does Target mean? In corporate and M&A practice, the target is the company, business or assets that a bidder (offeror) seeks to acquire, whether by share purchase, asset purchase, merger or a scheme of arrangement. It is a descriptive expression rather than a defined statutory term; in public takeovers the UK Takeover Code refers to the “offeree company” (with a similar concept under the Irish Takeover Rules), though practitioners commonly use target. Typical usage and significance: - Focus of due diligence, valuation and deal protections (for example, warranties, indemnities and restrictive covenants). - The target board runs sale processes and owes directors’ duties; in public...

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Creating and managing a law firm client pipeline: identification, qualification, proposal and closure

Practice notes
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This Practice Note sets out what is meant by a pipeline of new clients and new business, and how to develop one

The need for a pipeline

Securing fresh clients and instructions is the culmination of your BD and marketing activity. Prospective clients decide to instruct you for a mix of reasons, for example:

  • your lawyers’ grasp of their organisation and legal needs
  • the firm’s reputation
  • the fee proposal and how they judge price versus value
  • the rapport with the team they met

Identifying prospects with the greatest likelihood of converting can be difficult. Building a pipeline of potential clients and new business—known in other sectors as the sales pipeline—is vital. A strong pipeline helps you maximise the chances of winning new work. It must be an ongoing effort so that when fee-earning work slows, other opportunities are already moving through the pipeline. Creating a pipeline blends science with art, and tends to deliver better results when approached in a structured, systematic fashion. Pipeline management can be learnt...

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Jon Whittle
Jon Whittle

Jon is a specialist in developing legal businesses using market intelligence and customer insight to implement successful programmes for change. He works with law firms to create sustainable growth alongside successful project management, implementing new technologies and evolving business operations. Jon has been working on the future of law firms for more than fifteen years, focusing on the strategies and tactics that help firms build real and defendable competitive advantage. Whilst working in a senior leadership role at LexisNexis he was also the architect and author of the widely read LexisNexis Bellwether Reports and is a recognised authority on how law firms can build and grow. Previously, Jon worked, for two decades, at board level, in some of the UK’s largest media companies, transforming traditional businesses into growth in the digital age.  He now applies the fruits of this experience,...

Web page updated on 21/05/2026

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