Law Consulting Blog : Cordell Parvin's Law Consulting Blog : Coach & Consultant For Lawyers & Law Firms : Business Development, Career Planning

 How do I ask for the business and close the sale? That is among the questions I am most frequently asked. The lawyers I coach frequently add that they have built their profile and relationships, but they simply have not found a way to convert it to business.

Do you have the same question? I could give you and the many lawyers who ask the question an answer, but I think you will find it way more helpful to answer the question on your own with me giving you clues along the way. So, for the next few days, I will give you parts of the puzzle. If you find the thoughts helpful, share the blog with your friends and discuss what you get out of each post.

So, here is your first clue: If you don't know how to ask for business, think about why you don't know. Many lawyers I coach will say: "I want the business, but I don't want to come across to my friend/contact like I am exploiting our relationship." Other lawyers I coach say: "I want the business, but I do not want to come across like I am a used car salesman." Think about your reason for not knowing how to ask for the business. Think about the two reasons I shared with you. Does that give you a clue?

I will give you a second clue: If you have read Seth Godin's book Linchpin, you will likely have a good idea. Although the book does not address lawyers and clients and does not specifically answer how to ask for business, it does give you clues you can use.

So the first clue to answer how ask for business is to ask and answer why you uncomfortable doing it.

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Years ago when I was responsible for attorney development in my firm, I gave a business development presentation to a group of brand new partners at their orientation. As I surveyed the crowd, I realized that not one of the new partners had given any thought to business development. Not one had a prepared a business plan with written goals.

Instead, each of the new partners was only concerned with pleasing the senior partner who had lobbied to get them promoted. That strategy might have worked when the economy was so good that even the worst law firms were doing well. It certainly no longer works. If over the years those income partner did not develop clients of their own, they likely were let go. Even the partner with all the business who lobbied to get them promoted could no longer protect them.

I thought of the old school thinking as I was reading Seth Godin's book Linchpin: Are You Indispensable? on my Kindle . Early in the book Seth describes the old American Dream and the New American Dream. His list of each seems very close to the old dream for young lawyers and the new dream for young lawyers. 

Here is my take on old and new dreams:

Old dream for young lawyers:

• Get your hours
• Do your assignments
• Put in face time at the office
• Keep the lawyer feeding you business happy
• Suck it up

Lawyers in the old dream never needed to worry about client development. Instead they needed to worry about keeping the senior lawyer for whom they worked happy and hope he never got hit by a bus when he crossed the street. The old dream worked because work was plentiful, seniors lawyers did not want younger lawyers they developed to have clients on their own and leave the nest. Young lawyers were told: "You don't need to worry about client development. We have all the work for you that you will ever need."

New dream for young lawyers:

• Develop a unique skill that will be needed for many years
• Become a people person and build relationships
• Get to know your clients' businesses and industries
• Create remarkable articles, blog posts, podcasts and webinars your clients will value
• Be generous with your non-billable time
• Become involved in your community/bar
• Stay in contact with people you know both in person and using social media

It takes way more than getting your hours, working hard and sucking it up to achieve what is needed in the new economy. What are you doing to create and accomplish your New American Dream?

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Recently I have been reading about large law firms who have reported that their firm revenues are down and their firm profits per equity partner are up. I also read an Am Law Daily article : To Dream the Impossible Dream: Making Partner Increasingly Out of Reach. How do you suppose revenue is down at firms and profits per partner are up and why do you suppose making partner is increasingly out of reach?

Well, there are only so many ways. Maybe those firms have cut their costs. Could be, but law firms can only cut so much without laying off lawyers. Maybe those firms have ditched  unprofitable clients. Could be, but how many unprofitable clients did those firms have in the first place? My best guess is they have reduced the number of equity partners and laid off non-equity partners and senior associates.

So if you are a non-equity partner or senior associate you must not only have significant billable hours, but you also must develop your own book of business. Finally, according to the Am Law Daily article, you must pass the so-called "Cleveland Airport Rule." The rule itself is simple: would a partner at your firm be comfortable getting stuck at the Cleveland airport with you and not want to self-immolate?

If you have hours, clients and pass the Cleveland Airport Rule, Seth Godin would likely say you are a Linchpin: Are You Indispensable?

When I was a young associate, a partner in my first firm unknowingly gave me about the best piece of advice I have ever received. He said: "Cordell, you are a very smart lawyer. After all you finished third in your law school class. But, smart lawyers graduate from law school every year and they are easily replaced by other smart lawyers. Your success in this firm will depend more on how well you attract, retain and expand relationships with clients. Lawyers with those skills are indispensable."

Are you busy doing the work for senior lawyers in your firm and hoping they appreciate your work so much that it will be ok for you to never have clients of your own? I hope not. If you want to become indispensable:

• What are you learning about client development?
• What are you doing  to attract new clients?
• What are you doing to exceed your clients expectations and create value for them?
• What are you doing to build relationships with your clients and with partners in your law firm?

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