Download our Start-up GuideJoel Cortez
/dʒoʊl/
Founder & Managing Director | Head of PPC Advertising & Business Development at Intellistart Law Firm Marketing
About Joel
“I founded Intellistart in 2018 after spending several years working within the legal sector and legal lead generation. Throughout my career, I’ve always been fascinated by two things: law and technology.
My background includes studying Law (BA and LLB), working within law firms, and helping to build a successful Claims Management Company that generated civil litigation enquiries through digital marketing. That experience gave me a front-row seat to understanding how legal enquiries are generated, how prospective clients make decisions, and what law firms need to grow sustainably.
In 2021, Ewelina joined the business and together we committed to growing Intellistart full-time. Since then, we’ve had the privilege of supporting more than 200 law firms across England and Wales through website projects, advertising campaigns, consultancy, audits, and strategic advice.
Today, I continue to work closely with law firms of all sizes, helping them attract more of the right enquiries whilst ensuring that every marketing investment contributes towards long-term growth.”
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Joel’s Core Focus
My core focus is helping law firms generate qualified enquiries and maximise their return on investment.
Whilst many agencies focus on clicks, impressions, or rankings, I focus on what happens after a prospective client finds your firm. Are they making contact? Are they the right type of enquiry? Can the process be improved? Is marketing contributing to business growth?
Everything I do is built around answering those questions and improving outcomes.
My work at Intellistart
At Intellistart, I lead our PPC, conversion strategy, and business development functions.
At any given time, I oversee up to 100 active advertising campaigns and manage advertising budgets exceeding £100,000 per month across multiple practice areas.
My work goes far beyond Google Ads. I help law firms build complete conversion systems, incorporating:
- Landing pages
- Call tracking
- CRM integrations
- Reporting systems
- Lead qualification processes
- Conversion optimisation
- User journey improvements
Successful marketing isn’t about generating traffic. It’s about building a system that turns visibility into enquiries and enquiries into clients.
Legal Sector Contributions & Features
Supporting law firms extends beyond client work.
I am passionate about sharing practical knowledge and helping solicitors navigate both the marketing and commercial aspects of running a legal practice.
Alongside our partners, I helped develop the Start a Law Firm programme, including one of the sector’s first dedicated guides for solicitors looking to establish their own firms.
Now in its fourth edition, the guide has been used by hundreds of solicitors and provides practical insight into the regulatory, operational, commercial, and marketing considerations involved in launching a law firm.
I also regularly share insights through LinkedIn, consultations, and conversations with law firm owners looking to improve their digital marketing strategies.
Results achieved for our clients
Throughout my career, I’ve worked with law firms ranging from start-ups to established multi-partner practices.
Many of the firms we support come to us because they are investing in marketing but are unsure whether it is working effectively.
By improving tracking, optimising campaigns, and refining conversion journeys, we help firms make more informed decisions and achieve stronger returns from their marketing investment.
Read specific client case studies to find out more:
Joel’s contributions
I believe legal marketing advice should be practical, honest, and actionable.
Through our blogs, I share insights on topics including PPC, conversion optimisation, law firm growth, digital strategy, and legal sector trends. My aim is always to provide information that law firms can genuinely use rather than simply adding to the noise.
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Skills our clients benefit from
My clients benefit from a combination of:
- Legal sector knowledge
- PPC management and conversion optimisation
- Business development experience
- Campaign analysis
- Landing page design and lead generation strategy
- Tracking and reporting systems
- Commercial awareness
Most importantly, I focus on connecting these disciplines together rather than viewing them in isolation.
Academic background
I studied Law (BA and LLB), which gave me a strong understanding of the legal profession, legal services, and the challenges law firms face.
Combined with my practical experience working within law a law firm and a CMC, this foundation allows me to understand both the legal and commercial realities facing solicitors and law firm owners.
Why law firm marketing?
I’ve always had an interest in both law and technology.
Early in my career, I discovered that legal marketing sits at the intersection of both disciplines. It combines strategic thinking, problem-solving, data analysis, communication, and business development.
What I enjoy most is helping good law firms connect with the people who need their services.
When done properly, marketing isn’t about selling. It’s about helping the right clients find the right legal representation.
What clients value in working together
Clients often tell me they appreciate my honesty, responsiveness, and practical approach.
We don’t operate a traditional sales model at Intellistart. When firms speak to us, they’re speaking directly with the people responsible for the work.
If I believe something will work, I’ll explain why. If I think a different approach would be more effective, I’ll say so. My goal has always been to provide realistic advice, clear expectations, and marketing strategies that make commercial sense.
Ultimately, I want clients to view us as trusted advisors rather than simply another supplier.
– Stuart Matthews, Treadstone Law Solicitors in Manchester
Your questions answered
Many advertising managers working with law firms focus exclusively on generating more clicks when they should be focusing on generating better enquiries.
A successful PPC campaign doesn’t stop when someone clicks an advert. The landing page, enquiry process, call handling, tracking systems, and follow-up procedures all play a role in determining whether that click becomes a client.
The firms that achieve the strongest results tend to view marketing as a complete system rather than a collection of separate activities.
Unlike SEO, PPC can begin generating enquiries relatively quickly. However, achieving consistent profitability often requires testing, optimisation, and data collection.
The strongest campaigns are built over time through continuous refinement rather than being treated as a set-and-forget activity.
Not necessarily.
The right budget depends on your practice area, location, competition, and objectives. In many cases, a well-structured campaign with effective conversion systems can outperform larger budgets that lack strategic direction. A £1,000/month budget is comfortable to get started.
A straightforward discussion about your firm, your goals, and your current marketing.
There is no hard sell. My role is to understand your objectives, identify opportunities, and provide honest advice about what is realistic, what may need improving, and how we may be able to help.
Yes. I am directly involved in both the strategy and delivery of PPC campaigns, landing pages, and conversion systems.
This ensures there is no disconnect between advertising performance, website structure, and lead handling processes.
Over the years, I have worked with firms ranging from sole practitioners to multi-partner and Legal 500 firms across England and Wales.
The common factor is a focus on improving enquiries, conversion, and overall marketing efficiency within regulated environments.
The most common mistake is treating marketing as separate channels rather than a connected system.
For example, running PPC without properly structured landing pages, or investing in SEO without considering conversion flow, often leads to wasted opportunity.
A law firm website should act as the central hub of the entire system, capturing, filtering, and converting enquiries regardless of where they originate.
When that structure is missing, even strong marketing activity underperforms.