The Visibility Trap:
When Authority Isn’t Enough
Written by Sam Abeysekera on 17 October 2025
Decades of cases, a reputation that precedes you, clients who trust you implicitly.
Yet – sometimes the call doesn’t come.
Or it comes too late, when damage to the case has been done.
This paradox sits at the heart of current-day legal practice:
Authority isn’t always enough.
The Visibility Trap
Authority earns you recognition. So does visibility. Peers and referral sources might admire you, respect you, or even mention your name in the right rooms.
But admiration doesn’t always translate into action.
Why? Visibility without 'market clarity' is wasted.
If decision-makers aren't crystal clear about when to call you and what your value is to their issue, your reputation fades into background noise. Decision-makers need to clearly understand in their terms – “this is when I should call you and here's why.”
The lawyer they think of vaguely is rarely the one they speed-dial when the stakes are highest.
Authority gets you noticed.
Market clarity gets you hired.
The Risk of Being Seen as “Optional”
Without messaging that differentiates you, the internal monologue that increasingly runs in a GC's or decision maker's mind is: “We can probably handle this in-house.”
It sounds practical. It sounds efficient. Even seasoned partners risk being framed as a “nice-to-have” instead of a strategic necessity.
But here’s the irony: when you're brought in late, the costs multiply – not just in money but in reputation, risk, and in lost leverage.
The very thing they think they’re saving by skipping you becomes what they put most at risk: their credibility.
When you’re a fallback option, each “maybe later” becomes a gamble.
The team takes higher risks; decision-makers hedge.
And the moment that needs your insight most, arrives – without you in the room.
That’s the hidden cost that no one acknowledges until the damage is done.
This is why clarity about your strategic value matters.
When your messaging makes your 'why' unmistakable – why you’re different, why bringing you in early protects the team’s goals – then the “optional” story collapses.
You don't simply move out of "optional"; you become the only viable path.
You stop being positioned as overhead and start being positioned as a necessity.
But the bigger error isn’t only about how you’re perceived – it’s when you’re actually called.
The Timing Paradox
Too many specialists get the call only when mistakes are baked in. By then, the path forward is narrow.
If you're called too late, you patch. You salvage. You fight uphill.
But when called early? You architect. You protect. You lead.
When you’re positioned clearly, you shift from “last resort" to the essential strategist.
The team looks stronger with you, not the other way around. Clients who perceive value will never see you as optional again.
Authority vs Clarity
Closing reflections
Even if you're unsure, I can confidently anticipate that you already have the authority to be in your practice lane.
The question now is: how much further could your authority take you if you make market clarity your additional calling card?
Sam Abeysekera
Sam is dedicated to empowering female partners and founders in the legal industry to break through barriers and redefine success. As the lawyer's advocate, she equips her clients with strategies to become seasoned rainmakers and thrive within the dynamics of law firm culture, all while maintaining balance and authenticity.
