Most lawyers I know in private practice have had an outstanding partner or the most promising associate leave their firm. Most have wondered why. I think I may have an answer: The lack of good communication. I’ve enjoyed watching several 30 for 30 shows on ESPN. One of the best was 30 for 30: Marcus Dupree The Best That Never Was. I watched amazed at the talent I saw on the screen. I…

Create a yearly Business Plan-If you need a template for a business plan just ask me. Breakdown Your Plan-Create 90 days or monthly goals (actions). Plan and Schedule Client Development Activities Each Week-Decide what you plan to do, estimate how much time it will take and then schedule it on your calendar. Keep a Client Development Journal-Keeping track makes it more likely you will actually do the activities. Have a Client Development Partner-Like a workout…

When some of you my age read the title to this blog post, you thought it was going to be about George Carlin’s 1972 monologue Seven Words You Can Never Say on Television. No, it’s not George Carlin. It’s a blog post I read several years ago  7 Words That Can Transform Your Business And Life. As you will see when you read it, the 7 words are in a sentence. They are:…

You likely know the Maya Angelou quote. I’ve used it in other blog posts:   Your clients want to feel appreciated. Here are some initial thoughts on how you can do it: Saying to a client: “I want to know more about your company because the more I know the better I will be able to help you.” Or, you might say: “Tell me a little about the history of your company, where you are…

When it is considered safe to visit, I recommend you spend a day with your clients with no charge. This is especially important if COVID has kept you from seeing clients in person. I did that frequently as a lawyer and even put associates in my clients’ offices or out on a construction project and did not charge for their time. I remember at least two of my visits were to bridge construction projects like…

A law firm leader once asked me if I would suggest questions to ask junior lawyers to determine if they would be the best suited for client development coaching. At the time I didn’t have questions, but at his request I suggested these. What do you believe you will get out of the coaching program? You would consider the coaching program a success if________. What do you want to learn? What client development efforts have…

I have written on this subject many times. But, I suspect after COVID-19 fewer law firms than ever have client development coaching programs for their young lawyers. You will hear baby boomer lawyers say: When I was a young lawyer, no one coached me. True. No one coached me either and I can’t begin to tell you how many hours I wasted trying to figure out by trial and error what would work most effectively…