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April 16, 2008
By Roger Bloom
Associate training in business development can mean more matters, better retention
It has been said that law schools do a good job of teaching people the law and a lousy job of teaching people how to be a lawyer.
Case in point: Ask a recent graduate about, say, contracts and you’ll get an hour-long exposition on legal theory, statutes and precedents. Ask that grad how she’s going to go about getting clients and you get a blank stare. And of course the reality is, no one’s going to make partner anywhere without a book of business, no matter how good her legal skills.
So it falls to the law firms that hire newly minted attorneys to instruct and guide them in the ways of business development.
But here again, many associates are being let down: They get an office, an orientation session and a couple of assignments from partners, and next thing you know they’re immersed from morning till night in research and writing, with barely enough time to grab something from the Corner Deli around noon.
Business development?
“Take up golf,” they’re advised.
Or, “Take people to lunch. The firm will pay for it.”
And that’s about it.
So, not having anything like the time to learn golf, they decide on the lunch route and soon find themselves sitting with an acquaintance who may or may not have value as a business contact in a quasi-trendy little place near the office and … now what? Too often, an hour-long exposition on everything they and their firm can do, which has their lunchmates wondering what they were thinking when they agreed to dine with an attorney.
It doesn’t have to be that way. Many larger firms have marketing departments available to help the associates with their personal business development efforts. Some require a certain number of associates’ hours each year be spent on business development. And some have in place associate training programs in business development, recognizing these as a low-cost investment in the future growth, stability and leadership of the firm.
Associate training programs also can and should be undertaken by middle-market firms without dedicated marketing staff, for the same reasons: Associates who are trained and encouraged in their business development efforts bring in more matters, feel supported and so are less likely to leave, and develop into the next generation of partners and executive partners. And these programs are relatively low-cost and straightforward: business development is a set of proven techniques and methodologies that can be learned relatively quickly.
An associate training program should include monthly or quarterly seminars for associates on these topics:
- How to build, maintain and use a personal network
Making contacts, “keeping in touch,” putting people together, tapping your network’s expertise for clients’ benefit, converting contacts into clients.
- How to conduct a business lunch with a potential client
The art of listening; the attitude of helping, not selling; how to ask for the work.
- How to “work the room”
Initiating conversation, active listening, making a positive impression, extricating yourself and moving on.
- Writing for non-lawyers, including how to get articles published and how and when to write press releases
Re-learning plain English; how to query a publication about including your article; who to send press releases to.
- Public speaking
Overcoming the fear factor, how to prepare, presentation tips, choosing venues, how to get speaking engagements.
- Volunteerism
Choosing a group or organization to join; how to leverage membership into business contacts.
- How to keep clients
Keys to superior client service; how to become a trusted advisor.
A business development professional can be brought in to conduct group sessions. Ideally, these will also include one or two of the firm’s senior partners who are especially good at the technique being discussed. These partners can serve as an in-house resource for the associates after the consultant is gone.
Business development consultants also can be retained on an ongoing basis to provide individual guidance to associates in their business development efforts. In addition, business development can be made a priority in a firm mentoring program, bearing in mind that the best legal mentors are not necessarily the best business development mentors.
In all of this, the goal is an associate who is knowledgeable and confident in his business development skills. An associate who can and does communicate clearly and empathetically with clients, potential clients and referral sources, in person or in writing. An associate who, when facing that business contact across a table at that quasi-trendy restaurant, will listen more than talk, who will center the conversation on the contact’s interests, business and possible legal needs, and who will be able, given the opportunity, to ask for a matter -- and get it.
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