When you talk, you want others to listen, right? Whether it’s a now-or-never event (making a key point in an oral argument, for instance) or one in a long stream of communications (talking with a colleague about some aspect of a representation), getting your point across and making some sort of advance in what you’re […]
Before engaging in any rainmaking activity, you must determine the investment to payoff ratio. Simply put, what results will your investment of time and energy buy you? Is there another activity that likely has a better yield? Your goal is to determine whether a given activity is likely to move you closer to your rainmaking […]
Overwhelm can tank a day faster than just about anything else. When you have more email than you can handle, an out-of-control task list, and phone calls that just won’t stop, it’s almost impossible to operate effectively. Even if you manage to limp along, you may find that you’re distracted and that things are falling […]
I gave a 1-hour presentation about rainmaking in the Chicago office of a large law firm, and following the presentation, a lawyer approached with a question: Is it ever too late to rebuild professional relationships that have languished? The short answer is that it depends on the relationship. The deeper the relationship, the more likely […]
Having a robust and well-tended network of contacts is a professional necessity. Whether you’re looking to grow your practice, to find a new position, to join a club (literally, or a “club” of highly-regarded writers, speakers, etc.), or just about anything else, you may find that your success depends on knowing people who can facilitate the […]
One of the interesting things about practicing law is that, until relatively recently, little discussion occurred about how to advance in practice beyond becoming a top-notch practitioner. Other skills have always been required (including, for example, the ability to communicate well and to lead well), and it’s quite clear that more is needed now. Client development […]
So you want to grow your practice… What’s your focus? You could answer that question with many different right answers. This short blog post from Chris Brogan offers one answer: Focus on your habits. It isn’t rocket science to understand that your likelihood of success (in business development or otherwise) increases substantially if you have […]
You’ve probably heard it before: it’s much easier to source new business from an existing client than from a non-client. You may also know that many clients judge their experience based largely on the day-to-day interactions between you – how well you serve the client, in other words. Studies show that clients unhappy with the […]
We often discuss leadership as if it is a state or quality that either exists or doesn’t. But the truth is that whether one seeks to become a leader or whether one is already serving in that capacity, leadership develops over time. A leader’s development tends to proceed through three stages. The first stage is […]
This is a true story. Trial had finally started. Richard listened patiently as Nathan gave his opening statement. When he finished, Nathan sat down at his counsel table. When Richard stood to offer his opening, Nathan crooked his finger to beckon Richard over. Motioning Richard to lean down, Nathan turned his body so they were […]