Citywealth Leaders List, 60 seconds interview – Corina Schnyder, schnyder360 legal marketing

Date: 11 Nov 2026

Karen Jones

This week’s 60 seconds Citywealth Leaders List interview features Corina Schnyder, Founder and Legal Marketing Consultant at schnyder360 legal marketing. She is a legal directories and business development consultant, specialising in helping law firms and lawyers achieve higher rankings and greater visibility through strategic submissions, compelling content and effective pitches.

Tell Citywealth readers about your role and the brand you represent.

I am the Founder and Principal Consultant of schnyder360, a specialist marketing and communications consultancy working with law firms and professional advisers.

After more than a decade in senior marketing roles at leading Swiss law firms, I founded schnyder360 to provide strategic, hands-on support to firms looking to strengthen their market position. Our work covers everything from marketing and business development strategy to legal directories, awards, communications and profile raising.

At its heart, schnyder360 is about helping firms make better use of what they already have: their expertise, their people and their track record. Often, the challenge is not a lack of expertise, but making sure the right people know about it.

What does a typical day look like for you?

One of the things I enjoy most about running my own consultancy is the variety. I might start by interviewing partners about their most significant matters for a legal directory submission, spend the afternoon developing a firm’s marketing strategy and finish the day reviewing an article or discussing profile raising opportunities.

Working with different firms and practice areas keeps things interesting. Much of my work involves asking questions, understanding what makes a firm or individual stand out, and finding the most effective way to communicate that.

Of course, running a business also means wearing many hats, from client work and business development to managing the business itself. There is rarely a dull day!

What recent campaign, rebrand or initiative are you most proud of?

Without doubt, launching schnyder360. After more than a decade working in-house, establishing my own consultancy was a significant step.

I wanted to combine the strategic perspective of an in-house marketing leader with the flexibility and specialist expertise of an external adviser. It has been particularly rewarding to work with firms that might not otherwise have access to dedicated senior marketing expertise, while also supporting larger firms on specific projects.

Receiving two industry awards this year, including Citywealth’s Bronze PR & Communications Agency of the Year, has also been a wonderful recognition of what I have been building.

What are the biggest marketing challenges facing private wealth firms today?

Differentiation. Many firms are technically excellent, have impressive track records and provide outstanding client service. Yet when you look at how they present themselves, they often sound remarkably similar.

In private wealth, this is particularly challenging because discretion, trust and long-term relationships are fundamental. Firms cannot always publicise their most interesting work, so demonstrating credibility requires a thoughtful approach that goes beyond generic claims of excellence.

How do you differentiate a private wealth brand in a crowded and often conservative market?

I would start with a simple question: why should a client choose your firm over another equally qualified competitor?

The answer is rarely just technical expertise. It might be a particular industry focus, international experience, the way partners work with clients or the firm’s ability to handle unusually complex situations.

The key is to identify those differentiators and support them with credible evidence, whether through client feedback, thought leadership, rankings or the individual reputations of advisers.

I also think firms sometimes underestimate the importance of their people. In private wealth, relationships are highly personal. A firm’s brand matters, but so does the reputation of the individual adviser. The strongest positioning brings the two together.

What metrics matter most to you when measuring success?

It depends on the objectives. Improved rankings, industry recognition, engagement with thought leadership and new business opportunities are all valuable indicators.

I also think qualitative feedback is often overlooked. What are clients saying about the firm? Are partners being invited to speak at relevant events? Is the firm becoming better known for the expertise it wants to be recognised for?

Ultimately, marketing should support commercial objectives. The important question is not simply what we have done, but what difference it has made.

What do you consider to be the most important attributes for a marketing leader?

Commercial awareness, curiosity and the confidence to challenge.

A good marketing leader understands the firm’s business, builds strong relationships and asks the right questions. Curiosity is essential, particularly in professional services, where understanding complex work is often the starting point for communicating its value.

And sometimes, being effective means being prepared to challenge conventional thinking rather than simply agreeing with what is expected.

Who or what inspires your creative thinking?

Often, inspiration comes from outside legal marketing. I enjoy seeing how other industries communicate value, build trust and differentiate themselves.

I also enjoy reading academic research on reputation, branding and behavioural psychology. There is a fascinating gap between how professionals believe their reputations are built and how clients and other external audiences actually form their perceptions.

But some of the best ideas come from conversations with clients. Asking the right question can uncover a much more interesting story than any marketing brainstorming session.

Where was the last place you travelled for work or inspiration?

London, where I recently attended a Legal Marketing Association event and caught up with colleagues in the industry.

Having spent much of my career in the Swiss legal market, I find it valuable to exchange ideas with professionals working in other jurisdictions. London has a particularly active legal marketing community, and these conversations are a useful reminder that, while markets differ, many of the challenges we face are remarkably similar.

I always come away with new perspectives and usually a few ideas I want to put into practice.

If you were not in private wealth marketing, what would you be doing?

Probably something in academia. I am fascinated by how professional reputations develop and why some highly capable individuals become widely recognised experts while others remain relatively unknown. It raises fascinating questions about the role of networks, visibility, professional recognition and the organisations people work for.

I am currently exploring doctoral research on this subject, so perhaps I will eventually combine the two!

How do you relax after a busy campaign or event?

Living in the Swiss Alps, I am fortunate to have the mountains on my doorstep. I love spending time outdoors with my family, whether skiing in winter, hiking or mountain biking in summer, or simply enjoying our garden.

I find that being active and spending time away from my desk is the best way to clear my head. And with two young daughters, there is rarely a quiet moment anyway!

Which private wealth brand do you think is getting it right, and why?

I particularly admire Wedlake Bell’s branding. In a market where many firms rely on similar messages about excellence and international expertise, it stands out without being overstated.

I love its typography, which feels elegant, sophisticated and timeless. The overall identity strikes a balance between tradition and modernity, demonstrating that a law firm doesn’t need to be loud or unconventional to be distinctive.

For me, it is a great example of how thoughtful design can communicate a firm’s personality and make it memorable.

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