Partners: Help Your Associates Build Marketing Skills

From NewYorkLawyer.com
By Sharon Meit Abrahams
Law Firm Partnership & Benefits Report
Originally published November 20, 2008

The first priority of a young lawyer is to develop knowledge and skills as a lawyer, but there are actions you can take as a partner to help guide associates in the right direction for preliminary client development activities. New clients take time to ripen, but the seeds need to be planted early and watered often. The following are some things you can do to place associates on the right path.

Begin with an honest conversation about how client development efforts affect the future of the firm to give the associates motivation for an early start. Using your firm's standards and guidelines, explain how marketing efforts affect partnership consideration, compensation and bonuses. Many associates embrace firm myths about how compensation is calculated and make assumptions based on these myths. As a partner, it is your responsibility to clear up the misunderstandings and give a truthful explanation of the process.

A young lawyer must understand that her goal is to become a good lawyer, and that can only happen if she focuses on educating herself through experiences and training. Though learning the law is primary, you can also explain that certain marketing behaviors, if started now, can become fruitful in the future. The easiest and first step is the development of a contact list. This should be kept in a format that can easily be transferred should the computer system be changed or the associate leaves for another firm (not that you will encourage her to leave).

Also explain the need to identify and locate undergraduate friends and professors as well as law school contacts. And do not forget to get the associates thinking about all other contacts they might have through family, friends, social networks, and past employment. If a contact list is built from the start of the legal career, it will eventually become an extensive list with invaluable business potential by the time the associate makes partner.

In developing their contact lists, the associates should understand that they need to be actively engaged with the people on the list. If the firm provides marketing funds, explain the benefit of taking people to breakfast, lunch or coffee. If there are no funds, brainstorm with the associates about other things they can do to stay in touch with their contacts. Examples could include e-mailing interesting articles, distributing a firm newsletter and placing friendly telephone calls -- which all have the added benefit of being free.

Associates in most firms are concerned mainly with producing client hours and are shortsighted when it comes to activities beyond the billable hours. Encourage the associates to develop new relationships outside the firm, explaining that clients often come from those who know and trust them. Ask the associates to join organizations that they will enjoy and stick with for years to come. Find examples from your life or from colleagues where the client relationship was spawned from a charity, social club or volunteer activity. Make it clear to the associates that the time they invest in activities outside of work will become valuable in the future.

Whether or not your firm has a formal "shadowing" program, ask your associates to join you at board meetings or cocktail parties. Your associates will learn by watching you in action. By allowing your associates to tag along, you are giving them an opportunity to build their networking skills in a client-rich environment. If possible, ask the firm to provide formal training to help hone marketing, sales and presentation skills. The cost of the program will be reaped tenfold down the line.

TIPS FOR YOUNG ASSOCIATES

With all the guidance stated above, associates still need to be proactive in developing their own style and techniques for client development. The following are tips you can give the young associates to get them started on the right track.

1. Understand partners are your first clients. Partners will control your workload, the quality of your work and your access to clients. Give good service, and you will be rewarded.
   
   
2. Provide excellent client service. Once you have exposure directly to clients, be responsive, build relationships and provide a superior work product. One day the client will begin to call you directly.
   
   
3. Network inside and outside the firm. It is critical to build internal relationships as well as outside contacts. The internal connections will become advocates while the external will eventually become clients.
   
   
4. Find a niche. Find an area of the law that you enjoy and aim to become an expert in that area. Write and speak about this area to become known as an expert. Work will come eventually because of reputation.
   
   

CONCLUSION

Associates will bond with and become loyal to the partner(s) who take a genuine interest in their careers. This is true for guidance in developing their technical skills, but also their future growth as a client developer. Give guidance and support to a younger attorney and you will personally be rewarded with a dedicated colleague.

Sharon Meit Abrahams is the Director of Professional Development for the international law firm,McDermott Will & Emery. Abrahams has more than 20 years of experience in the training and education field, specializing in client relations, marketing, sales, communications and management development training. Her book, "100 Plus Pointers for New Lawyers on Adjusting to Your Job," is published by the ABA Career Resource Center.