When I sat down with Chicago family law partner Colleen Breems, we talked about something most lawyers think about but hesitate to do, niching down. Not as a branding gimmick, but as a long-term strategy for building authority, earning trust, and creating leverage. Colleen has done exactly that in Cook County, building a strong reputation as a Guardian ad Litem and Child Representative while still maintaining a broader family law practice.
Here is what actually works when you decide to specialize.
Niching Is Earned, Not Announced
Colleen did not declare herself the go-to Guardian ad Litem one morning. She earned it. That meant mastering statutes, learning local court practice, meeting deadlines, writing thoughtful reports, and handling high-conflict matters with professionalism.
Judges appoint lawyers they trust. Trust is built through consistency. When you repeatedly demonstrate competence in a specific role, decision makers start to associate your name with that function. That is real positioning.
Focus Builds Memorability
Saying you are a “family law attorney” is accurate, but it is not memorable. Saying you regularly serve as a Guardian ad Litem or Child Representative in complex custody matters creates a clearer mental hook.
Niching helps people understand exactly when to call you. It shortens the decision-making process for referral sources. When the right case appears, they do not have to think hard. Your name surfaces immediately.
Visibility Should Support Substance
Colleen emphasized that marketing cannot replace competence. Articles, speaking, and conversations with colleagues help clarify what you do, but they work best when backed by strong performance.
She wrote about the differences between Guardian ad Litem, Child Representative, and Attorney for the Child roles. She made herself available to colleagues with questions. She let her work speak in courtrooms.
Branding without substance is fragile. Substance with strategic visibility is powerful.
Strategic Networking Beats Random Networking
Colleen’s biggest early mistake was networking without focus. Coffee with everyone feels productive, but it rarely builds meaningful referral patterns.
Once she became intentional about who she met, especially those connected to judicial appointments and relevant cases, her efforts produced better results. Niching requires aligning your relationships with your intended lane.
If you want to be known for something specific, your network should reinforce that identity.
Niching Does Not Mean Shrinking
One of the biggest fears lawyers have is missing out. Colleen made it clear that focusing her practice did not eliminate other work. It sharpened her positioning.
She still handles broader family law matters. But she is known for a specific strength. That reputation enhances the rest of her practice rather than limiting it.
Colleen’s Big Mistake
Colleen admits she was overly enthusiastic about networking early in her career. She met everyone without a clear strategy, which diluted her time and energy.
The turning point was becoming intentional. Understanding who to meet, why to meet them, and how those relationships fit into her long-term positioning changed everything.
Legal skill and business strategy are not the same thing. Both matter.
Closing Thoughts
Niching down is not a logo change or a clever tagline. It is a commitment to becoming so reliable in a specific lane that the right people start to trust you with the right work. If you want to build a niche, stop waiting to feel ready. Pick the part of your practice that you genuinely care about, get close to the decision makers, do the unglamorous work consistently well, and make it easy for people to remember what you are known for. Over time, your focus will not shrink your opportunities, it will multiply them.
About Colleen Breems
Colleen M. Breems is a partner practicing exclusively in matrimonial and family law. She represents clients in divorce, parentage, post-decree matters, prenuptial and postnuptial agreements, and related family law issues, with a focus on practical, client-centered solutions.
She is frequently appointed by Cook County judges to serve as a Child’s Representative or Guardian ad Litem, advocating for the best interests of children in family law cases. She is also a trained mediator and parent coordinator and is active in pro bono service through Chicago Volunteer Legal Services and the Junior League of Chicago.
Connect with Colleen Breems
Website: https://beermannlaw.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/colleen-breems-a8a4631b/