The Ultimate Playbook for Building a Successful Legal Practice.
Feeling puzzled about how to catapult your legal career into the stratosphere? Look no further. As a seasoned performance coach for attorneys, I specialize in crafting winning strategies that turbocharge your trajectory. It's time to unleash your potential and construct your very own playbook for triumph.
Here's the deal: your playbook isn't just a plan—it's your ticket to standing head and shoulders above the competition. It's about harnessing what makes you uniquely YOU and using it as your ultimate advantage. Let's dive in and sculpt a strategy tailored to elevate you above the rest. The purpose of the “playbook” is to have a solid plan of how you will differentiate yourself from other attorneys in your firm or industry.
Here are the top ten things I recommend you include in your playbook.
1. Claim Your Niche
Forget being a jack-of-all-trades. Choose a niche where you can dominate, becoming the go-to expert. Generalists fade into the background; specialists rise to the top.Focusing your marketing and business development efforts on a specific industry can make a world of difference. Choose a narrow market where you can become an expert and stand out. Very few attorneys make a career out of being a generalist.
2. Master Your Industry
Dive deep into your clients' world. Immerse yourself in their industry, devouring knowledge voraciously. Attend conferences, engage in discussions, and stay ahead of trends. Your goal? Be the attorney who understands their business inside and out. In-house counsel consistently prioritize lawyers who deeply understand their business and industry. Immerse yourself in learning—read extensively, write, engage in conversations, ask questions, and cultivate a genuine curiosity. Attend conferences where you will learn something new and useful. It may not be a legal conference. Find something that gives you depth in your industry. Subscribe and read to a non-legal magazine or newsletter that keeps you up to date and gives you insider knowledge about industry trends. Then, share this newfound knowledge with your clients!
3. Be Everywhere
Visibility is key. Plant yourself firmly in your target market's line of sight. Speak at events, pen articles, and network like your career depends on it—because it does. Consistency breeds recognition. Marketing becomes more manageable when you concentrate on a specific sector. Every industry has its own ecosystem of attention—trade groups, conferences, networking events, publications. Engage actively where your prospective clients spend their time. Look for opportunities to speak at local bar or industry events. Write articles for Linked In or your firm’s blog or newsletter. Volunteer for committees or events with your local bar or trade group. The trick is to find something that intrigues you so that participating is not a chore.
4. Be Consistent
Rome wasn't built in a day, and neither is a thriving legal practice. Dedicate yourself daily to your goals. Consistency is your secret weapon.Building trust, the cornerstone of strong relationships, takes time. Dedicate daily time to your marketing efforts and stick with it.
5. Double Down on Client Service
When clients start coming in, prioritize exceptional service. Be responsive, communicate proactively, and ensure availability. This attention to detail fosters repeat business and word-of-mouth referrals. Clients really prize an attorney that they can reach easily. This doesn’t mean you have to be available 24/7 but during business hours make sure that you have a habit of returning all phone calls and emails by the end of the day.
6. Go Beyond the Billable Hour
Build relationships that transcend mere transactions. Offer insights, host seminars, and show genuine interest in your clients' success. Your added value will be remembered long after the billable hour. Nurture client relationships with “off the clock” efforts. Schedule regular calls or site visits to understand their business better and seek feedback. Offer CLEs for their in-house team and stay informed about their company and competitors with tools like Google Alerts. Send a client an article that you know will interest them or educate them in their role. The thoughtfulness will set you apart and deepen your relationships.
7. Forge Alliances
In a midsize to large firm, your colleagues are crucial. They can bring you into cases and create cross-selling opportunities. Strong relationships with peers who move firms, go in-house, or retire can lead to valuable referrals and client transitions. One of my biggest business development hacks was to cross-sell other attorneys to my clients. This really demonstrated our commitment to servicing the client and moved me from one of many outside counsel to being a trusted advisor to the client. I jokingly called myself their “legal concierge” but it was truly a valuable experience for my clients. It is hard to find a lawyer that you can trust and especially one that is committed to the client's success. I made sure I only connected my clients with other lawyers or advisors that would give them the same attention to detail and responsiveness that I provided to my clients. Have clear conversations with your colleagues about your expectations when they work on your client files.
8. Don’t Be Afraid to Ask
Focus on helping, educating, and building trust. When opportunities arise, confidently ask for the work as the expert you are. If you find out the client has a new initiative where your expertise would be invaluable, it is not being “salesy” to let the client know. Don’t assume the client knows you or your firm’s capabilities. Active listening requires also active responsiveness and letting the client know you can help.
9. Follow Up.
Follow-up with clients after a project is completed. Ask them what worked and what didn’t. Ask them if there is anything they wish you had done differently? Ask them for feedback and use that feedback to change how you do business. It is mind-boggling to see how attorneys just disappear after a project. The number one opportunity for client development is to continue building existing client relationships.
10. Testimonials.
If the client was happy with the work, ask them for a testimonial that you can share with other clients. Use their testimonial on social media or keep it for future pitches. If appropriate, ask the client to write a testimonial for you on Linked In. If you are submitting for any legal accolades, client references are essential. Ask your client if you can use their name as a reference for future projects.
Building a successful legal practice is a journey, not a destination. But armed with these strategies honed over years of my legal career and coaching practice,, you're primed for greatness. Start small, stay consistent, and watch as your efforts yield monumental results. Your playbook awaits—let's write your success story together.
