Why Mandatum
What You Get When the Consultant Also Knows the Market
Most brand agencies are generalists who will take on a law firm brief. Mandatum is built for that brief specifically — and the difference shows in the work.
← HomeCore Advantages
Six Reasons Firms Work with Mandatum
Sector-Specific Expertise
We work only with law firms and professional service practices — which means we understand the referral economy, the reputational sensitivities and the Law Society's publicity guidelines before the brief even begins. Clients do not pay for us to get up to speed on their market.
Editorial Process, Not Ad Agency Process
Our work follows the discipline of long-form editorial — written briefs, structured drafts, defined feedback rounds, clean handovers. The process produces tighter, more considered output than the iterative concepting loops common in creative agency work.
Transparent, Scoped Fees
Engagements are fixed-scope and fixed-price — SGD 195 for the review, SGD 575 for the refresh, SGD 1,150 per month for the retainer. There are no hourly billing surprises, no scope creep invoices and no additional fees for standard revisions within the agreed rounds.
Written Outputs You Can Actually Use
Every deliverable is a working document — editable, annotated where necessary and accompanied by a usage note. We do not produce slide decks of brand principles that sit in a folder. The output is copy, statements and editorial guidance your team can put to work.
Singapore CBD Presence
Based at 50 Raffles Place, we work from the same professional district as the firms we advise. Discovery sessions and closing presentations can be held in person, which tends to produce better conversations than remote-only engagements for this kind of work.
A Path, Not a One-Off
The three engagements are designed to build on each other — from initial review through refresh to ongoing retainer. Firms can enter at the level that suits them and progress at their own pace, with continuity of advisor and accumulated understanding of their practice.
In Depth
What Each Advantage Means in Practice
Expertise
Seven Years Working with Singapore Law Firms
Since 2018, Mandatum has worked exclusively within Singapore's legal services sector. That focus means we have developed a working knowledge of how boutique practices grow, how their referral networks function, what institutional and commercial clients look for when they assess a firm's credibility, and where communications typically fall short.
- Familiarity with Law Society of Singapore publicity rules
- Experience across litigation, corporate, IP and family practice areas
- Understanding of Singapore and regional client expectations
Process
A Process That Stays on Track
Law firm partners are pressed for time and have low tolerance for process that drifts. Our engagements are structured so that each stage is defined, each feedback round is bounded and the path to handover is clear from day one. Client time requirements are stated upfront — typically two sessions for a review, three to four for a refresh.
- Fixed-scope engagements with clear milestones
- No open-ended revision rounds
- Structured feedback at defined review points
Service
A Named Advisor, Not a Rotating Team
In larger agencies, client relationships are often managed by one person and delivered by another. At Mandatum, the advisor leading your engagement is the one doing the work. You are not paying for senior relationship management while junior staff write the copy.
- Direct access to the advisor throughout the engagement
- Consistent context — no re-briefing between sessions
- Continuity across multi-stage work
Value
Transparent Pricing, No Hidden Costs
The three engagement tiers are publicly priced. SGD 195 for a brand positioning review, SGD 575 for a communications refresh, SGD 1,150 per month for the annual retainer. Additional work outside scope is quoted separately before any commitment is made.
- Fixed price, no hourly billing
- Scope additions quoted in advance
- Monthly invoicing in SGD for retainer clients
Results
Measurable Improvements in Firm Positioning
The outcomes we track are practical: a clearer brand positioning statement, more consistent communications across channels, thought-leadership pieces published and circulated, and — in retainer engagements — a measurable increase in the volume of editorial content the firm produces. We are not in a position to attribute business development outcomes to communications work alone, but firms with cleaner positioning tend to convert referrals more reliably.
- Written deliverables ready for immediate use
- Consistent editorial voice across all platforms
- Quarterly content reviews for retainer clients
How We Compare
Mandatum vs General Brand Agencies
| CAPABILITY | MANDATUM | TYPICAL AGENCY |
|---|---|---|
| Law firm sector focus | ||
| Law Society publicity rules awareness | ||
| Fixed-scope, fixed-price engagements | ||
| Named advisor doing the work | ||
| Written, editable deliverables (not slides) | ||
| Entry-level review before retainer commitment | ||
| Singapore CBD-based, in-person sessions available | ||
| Consumer and FMCG brand capabilities |
The last row is intentional. Mandatum is not the right choice for consumer brand work — that is outside our focus by design.
What Sets Us Apart
Three Things Only Mandatum Offers
01
The Briefed Outsider Perspective
Most of a firm's communications are written by the people inside it — who cannot see the gap between how the firm reads internally and how it reads to a prospective client with no prior context. The Brand Positioning Review is specifically designed to provide that outside read, in writing, by someone who understands the sector.
02
Editorial Planning Built for Firms
The Annual Retainer's monthly editorial planning session is structured around a law firm's calendar — practice area developments, regulatory changes, deal activity, lateral hires. Content ideas come from your work, not from generic content marketing templates, and the output reads like the firm's thinking, not an agency's.
03
The SGD 195 Entry Point
Most brand consultancies ask for a significant commitment before delivering anything of substance. The Mandatum Brand Positioning Review is a complete, usable output at a price that removes the barrier to getting started — and which gives both sides enough to work with to decide whether a longer engagement makes sense.
Track Record
Milestones and Recognition
7
Years in practice
60+
Engagements completed
14
Retainer clients (current)
3
Practice areas specialised
APRIL 2025
Asia Legal Business — Editorial Services Spotlight
Mandatum featured in ALB's annual overview of specialist service providers for Singapore law firms, covering brand and communications advisory.
FEBRUARY 2025
Law Society of Singapore — Business Development Panel Presentation
Catherine Raj presented on communications strategy for small firms at the Law Society's first-quarter business development programme for managing partners.
DECEMBER 2024
Singapore Business Review — Recommended Advisory
Listed in SBR's end-of-year directory of recommended professional services advisory firms operating in Singapore's legal sector.
Ready to Start
The Review Is the Right Place to Begin
SGD 195. Two weeks. A written read of how your firm's identity lands — and where to take it. No commitment beyond the brief.
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