By Steve Fretzin and Lauren Paxton
How Lawyers Build a Book of Business
Why the best rainmakers focus on relationships, consistency, and solving problems, not selling
Many lawyers enter the profession believing that exceptional legal work will naturally lead to new business.
While great client service is essential, it is rarely enough to sustain long-term growth.
Building a successful legal practice requires intentional business development, and that’s a skill few attorneys are formally taught.
As a result, many lawyers avoid networking, hesitate to ask for business, or assume they simply aren’t “salespeople.”
In this episode, executive coach and former law firm partner Lauren Paxton explains why lawyers need to rethink business development altogether. Instead of viewing it as selling, she encourages attorneys to see it for what it truly is: helping people solve meaningful problems while building authentic professional relationships.
Stop Thinking of Business Development as Sales
For many attorneys, the word sales creates immediate resistance.
Lawyers associate selling with pressure, persuasion, or convincing someone to buy something they don’t need.
Lauren believes this mindset is one of the biggest barriers to business development success.
Clients don’t hire lawyers because they enjoy purchasing legal services.
They hire lawyers because they have problems they cannot solve on their own.
When attorneys shift their focus from selling to helping, business development becomes far more natural.
Instead of asking, “How do I get this person to hire me?”
The better question becomes:
“How can I understand this person’s challenges and determine whether I can help?”
That subtle shift changes every conversation.
Why Relationships Alone Aren’t Enough
Lawyers are often excellent at building relationships.
They’re trusted advisors.
Good listeners.
Thoughtful communicators.
Yet many discover that despite having an extensive network, very little new business comes from those connections.
Lauren refers to this as getting stuck in the “friend zone.”
People enjoy knowing you.
They appreciate your company.
But they don’t necessarily understand what you actually do or when they should refer work your way.
The solution isn’t becoming more aggressive.
It’s becoming more intentional.
Your network should clearly understand:
- Who you help.
- What legal problems you solve.
- Which industries you serve.
- What types of matters make you unique.
When your message becomes more specific, referrals become much easier.
Clarity Creates Opportunity
One of Lauren’s strongest messages is that effective business development begins long before the first networking event or client meeting.
It starts with clarity.
Before lawyers build a marketing strategy, they should answer several important questions:
What type of practice do I ultimately want?
Who are my ideal clients?
Which industries interest me most?
What kinds of legal matters energize me?
What reputation do I want to build?
These answers provide direction for every business development decision that follows.
Without clear goals, attorneys often spend years chasing opportunities that don’t align with the careers they actually want.
The Power of Narrow Positioning
Many lawyers believe broad positioning attracts more business.
In reality, the opposite is often true.
When attorneys describe themselves as handling “everything,” potential clients struggle to remember what makes them different.
Referral partners face the same challenge.
Lauren encourages lawyers to become more specific.
Rather than trying to appeal to everyone, focus on the clients, industries, and legal challenges where you provide the greatest value.
Specificity makes you memorable.
It also makes it easier for colleagues and referral partners to recognize opportunities that fit your expertise.
The clearer your niche, the easier it becomes for others to advocate on your behalf.
Business Development Is Built Through Small Habits
Many lawyers think business development requires dramatic effort.
Lauren disagrees.
The attorneys who consistently grow their practices often rely on small, repeatable habits rather than occasional bursts of activity.
- Simple actions performed consistently create momentum.
- Checking in with former clients.
- Commenting thoughtfully on LinkedIn.
- Scheduling coffee with referral partners.
- Sharing valuable content.
- Introducing two people who could benefit from knowing each other.
- Following up after industry events.
None of these activities feel extraordinary on their own.
Together, however, they build stronger relationships, greater visibility, and a more consistent pipeline of opportunities.
Consistency outperforms intensity.
Your Existing Network Is Your Greatest Asset
Lawyers often focus their attention on finding entirely new clients.
Yet many overlook the tremendous opportunities already sitting within their existing relationships.
Former clients.
Current clients.
Colleagues.
Alumni.
Professional organizations.
Referral partners.
Friends.
These relationships already contain trust.
The challenge is staying visible.
Business development isn’t always about meeting new people.
Frequently, it’s about reminding existing relationships how you can help when legal needs arise.
The strongest books of business are often built by deepening relationships that already exist.
Business Development Is a Long Game
One reason many lawyers abandon business development is because they expect immediate results.
Attend one networking event.
Publish one article.
Make a few introductions.
Nothing happens.
Lauren encourages attorneys to take a much longer view.
Business development works through compounding.
Relationships deepen gradually.
Trust grows over time.
Referrals often emerge months or even years after an initial conversation.
Every interaction contributes to future opportunities, even when immediate results aren’t visible.
Lawyers who embrace this mindset remain consistent long enough to experience meaningful growth.
Curiosity Builds Better Conversations
Another powerful insight from Lauren is the importance of curiosity.
Many networking conversations become transactional because lawyers focus on explaining what they do.
Instead, Lauren encourages attorneys to ask thoughtful questions.
Learn about someone’s business.
Understand their challenges.
Explore their goals.
Listen more than you speak.
Curiosity builds stronger relationships because people naturally enjoy conversations where they feel understood.
Ironically, lawyers who spend less time talking about themselves often create more business opportunities than those delivering polished elevator pitches.
Build the Career You Actually Want
Business development shouldn’t feel like a separate obligation competing with legal work.
It should become part of how you build the career you want.
Every conversation.
Every relationship.
Every follow-up.
Every opportunity to help someone.
These moments accumulate over time into something much larger than a single client matter.
They become the foundation of a sustainable practice built on trust, credibility, and meaningful professional relationships.
For lawyers willing to stay consistent, focus on solving problems, and invest in genuine connections, business development becomes far less intimidating and far more rewarding.
“Business development involves a mindset of: ‘This is a journey, and there’s no failure. There’s just figuring out all the different ways it doesn’t work until you fall into the one that does.’” — Lauren Paxton
About Lauren Paxton
Lauren Paxton is an executive coach and consultant who works with lawyers and law firms to strengthen business development, leadership, and career growth. A former Chambers-ranked law firm partner and Assistant U.S. Attorney, Lauren combines neuroscience-based coaching with decades of legal experience to help attorneys build thriving practices that align with their strengths and long-term goals.
Her insights have been featured in Forbes, Newsweek, and CFO Magazine, and she is widely recognized for helping lawyers develop authentic, sustainable approaches to rainmaking and leadership.
Connect with Lauren Paxton
Website: https://www.laurenpaxton.com/
Connect with Steve Fretzin
LinkedIn: Steve Fretzin
Twitter: @stevefretzin
Instagram: @fretzinsteve
Facebook: Fretzin, Inc.
Website: BETHATLAWYER.com
Email: Steve@Fretzin.com
Book: Legal Business Development Isn’t Rocket Science and more
YouTube: Steve Fretzin
Call Steve directly at 847-602-6911
Ready to Grow? Schedule Your Free Consultation
If you’re ready to build a stronger book of business, create lasting client relationships, and grow your practice with confidence, now is the perfect time to schedule your free consultation. Simply fill out the form below or call (847) 602-6911.
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