Future Proofing Client Acquisition as Search, Referrals and AI Converge
Tracks
Concurrent Stream 2
| Thursday, September 10, 2026 |
| 2:00 PM - 2:45 PM |
| Banheep A & B |
Overview
Client acquisition models for law firms have been quietly but fundamentally disrupted over the past three to five years. Search volumes are declining, zero-click results are increasing, referral pathways are changing, and AI driven tools such as ChatGPT are emerging as intermediaries that influence which firms are recommended and trusted.
This session examines client acquisition as a core business fundamental, not a marketing tactic, and explores how law firms can rebuild and future proof this foundation in an AI influenced environment. It reframes AI as an external market force, similar to past shifts such as online reviews and comparison platforms, that requires a strategic response at the business model level.
A key focus is the role of personal authority and human trust as commercial assets. While AI increasingly shapes discovery, clients still choose people. The session provides a practical framework for rebuilding client acquisition foundations that support long-term sustainability.
Speaker
Ms Kristen Porter
Director
Zenovate Marketing
Future Proofing Client Acquisition as Search, Referrals and AI Converge
Biography
Kristen Porter is a lawyer, legal marketer, and the founder of O*NO Legal, an award winning and innovative law firm advising real estate agency principals across Australia. She is also the co-founder of Zenovate Marketing, where she works with firm leaders on growth strategy, client acquisition, business sustainability and digital marketing.
Kristen brings a rare dual perspective to the business of law, combining hands on experience running a modern law firm with deep expertise in how lawyers’ clients discover, evaluate, and choose advisors. Her work focuses on helping firms rebuild and future proof core business foundations that have been disrupted over recent years, particularly in the areas of client acquisition, referrals, and trust based growth.
She is a sought after speaker within the real estate and legal services sectors, regularly presenting to law firms, agency owners, leadership teams, and industry groups across Australia. Kristen has delivered dozens of presentations, workshops, and conference sessions to audiences ranging from small leadership teams to rooms of several hundred attendees.
Known for her practical, commercially grounded approach, Kristen translates complex shifts in technology, client behaviour, and market dynamics into clear, actionable insights that firm leaders can apply immediately to build more resilient, sustainable practices.
