In this conversation, which brings to a close the special report Voices of Development, Communication and Legal Marketing, Natalia Virgili Catalán, Marketing & Communications Director at Fieldfisher, speaks not from theory but from the accumulated experience of someone who has built a communications function in a particularly demanding environment.

From the outset, she makes clear an idea that runs throughout the interview: before seeking to transform communication in the legal sector, one must first understand it in depth.

“Surrounding myself with people who knew more than I did about this sector was key to understanding it and developing strategies that truly added value to the firm,” she explains.

This is no minor point. In a market where reputation is built over years—sometimes decades—and where trust is the most valuable asset, communicating without understanding the internal culture can become a hollow exercise. Natalia insists that her first lesson was not designing messages, but listening.

Her time in communications agencies was crucial in acquiring a skill she now considers fundamental: adaptability. “Working with very different sectors taught me to quickly understand the specifics of each project and to offer solutions aligned with the client’s expectations.” This agility, applied to the legal field, enabled her to integrate seamlessly, without attempting to impose external dynamics.

When she joined Fieldfisher, she encountered something revealing: from the marketing department onwards, the firm operates almost like an in-house agency, serving multiple practice areas, distinct audiences and varied strategic needs.

“Each area has its own identity and approach. Our job is to support them and find the best way to generate impact for our clients.”

In her view, impact is not visibility for its own sake. It is consistent positioning. It is reputation built methodically. And above all, it is rooted in deep understanding rather than superficial transformation.

Communication as a shared culture

In the legal sector, one of the recurring debates concerns how to involve teams in communication efforts. Natalia acknowledges that many professionals speak of this difficulty. Her experience, however, has been different.

“At Fieldfisher, we have professionals who are willing to participate actively in communication, and that makes the work much easier.”

The distinction is significant. When lawyers understand that communication is not self-promotion but the collective construction of reputation, the dynamic shifts. Communication ceases to be the sole responsibility of a department and becomes part of a shared culture.

This perspective is particularly relevant at the firm’s current stage. Fieldfisher is engaged in a process of European consolidation and, in that context, communication -she emphasises- is not peripheral.

“Communication has become a key tool in positioning ourselves as a leading international brand in Europe.”

Positioning a brand, however, does not mean standardising its message. The challenge lies in aligning internal and external identity without diluting the local culture of each jurisdiction. “We are working to be a brand that is aligned across all our offices, while remaining consistent with the culture of each market.”

That balance between global cohesion and local authenticity is arguably one of the central challenges of international legal marketing.

Visible talent as a competitive advantage

When the conversation turns to innovation, Natalia does not begin with technology. Her answer is unequivocal: talent.

“The firm’s talent, especially its associates, has enormous potential to connect with clients and the market.”

For her, giving visibility to that talent is not merely a communications decision but a strategic one. In an increasingly fragmented market, where many firms compete with similar narratives, individuals are often the true differentiator. Empowering younger lawyers, enabling them to develop informed public positions and providing them with a platform becomes a sophisticated way of strengthening the firm’s profile. Communication, understood in this way, is also a tool for professional development.

Differentiation through coherence

Natalia is conscious that the legal market is experiencing a period of intense competition. Firms seek differentiation, but not all begin in the right place.

• The first step is to conduct an honest internal analysis,” she maintains: to identify genuine strengths and weaknesses. Without that diagnosis, any strategy rests on fragile foundations.
• The second step is to build a value proposition that is not merely a message but a culture. “It has to permeate the entire organisation, from management to every team.”
• The third, and perhaps most demanding step, is to embed that proposition internally before projecting it externally. “If it doesn’t generate impact internally, it is unlikely to do so externally.”

She is not speaking about eye-catching campaigns. She is speaking about sustained coherence over time.

This interview with Natalia Virgili Catalán, Marketing & Communications Director at Fieldfisher, brings to a close the special feature Voices of Development, Communication and Legal Marketing.

If the conversation makes one thing clear, it is that communication in the legal sector is no longer an auxiliary function. It is structural. It concerns internal alignment as much as strategic projection.

In a demanding and sophisticated international market, reputation cannot be improvised. It is built from within, projected with consistency and sustained over time.

In this context, communication is not about amplifying messages; it is about sustaining identity.