How to Excel at Business Development
By Jules Grieve
Head of Scotland Market
JMC Legal Recruitment
In an increasingly competitive legal landscape, it has never been more important for lawyers to hone their business development skills. Client relationships are the bedrock of all law firms and in parallel, the success of individual lawyers' careers is inextricably linked to their ability to establish, develop, and maintain these critical relationships.
In simplistic terms, partners at law firms can be viewed as a business in their own right. The firm they work for is simply how they choose to brand themselves to the market. Although their success is undoubtedly linked to the quality of their legal advice, this means little without a steady flow of client income.
However, building client relationships is not only relevant for senior lawyers. Those who focus on their business development abilities tend to get promoted more quickly, command higher salaries and arguably take greater satisfaction in their work. The best lawyers understand this and as such spend a significant portion of their valuable time nurturing client relationships.
This article aims to outline some key strategies and considerations to help you excel at cementing fruitful, long-term client relationships which will support you in reaching new heights in your career. Whether you have partnership ambitions or not, business development is a transferable skill set which will stand you in good stead at any step in your career.
Think Holistically
Although it is easy to think of business development as attending events to entertain and network with clients, this is a very narrow definition. By far the strongest business development tool any solicitor can rely on is their reputation in the market.
To take full advantage of the powerful tailwind that reputation can provide to your career, remember that every activity you undertake which impacts a client ultimately feeds into business development.
Ensure your work is conducted to the highest standard possible, stick to deadlines, communicate clearly and go the extra mile for clients to ensure their problems are being addressed. Acting with honesty and integrity is a given.
Providing high-quality service to your existing clients will benefit your business development twofold. Firstly, they will see the value you add which will help you to retain and potentially increase their business going forward. Secondly, the client will likely recommend your service to their peers and contacts, helping you to develop business relationships organically through word of mouth.
Scratch Beneath the Surface
That being said, active and intentional development is essential to establish and advance client relationships.
Attending networking events and industry conferences are important ways in which you can engage with clients. However, it is equally important for you to take the reins.
When conducting business development events, the real key is to ensure your clients feel valued. This requires you to know them, not just as people who pay fees but on a personal level as individuals.
If you have this baseline knowledge, you should be well-positioned to create an occasion which is bespoke and tailored to what your client enjoys. Whether that is attending a sporting event, going out for dinner or a casual trip to the pub, arrange something where the client will feel comfortable and will enjoy themselves. If you have a mutual interest, this can be a great starting point.
Another approach can be to combine the entertainment with a training session, panel discussion or round-table. These work-oriented elements can help to stimulate interesting conversation, as well as highlighting that you have expertise in areas that your clients may not have considered.
Crucially, when the entertainment side of the event begins, try not to talk about work for the whole event. Getting to know your client on a personal yet still professional level will help to elevate your relationship and ultimately support you in attracting and retaining their business.
It is never too early to start
Considering the importance of client relationships, it is striking how often business development activity is neglected by lawyers at earlier stages of their careers.
Business development is a skill set like any other: the earlier you start focusing on it, the longer runway you have to master it. Junior lawyers are often busy trying to solidify their internal networks, but it is never too early to start sowing the seeds of prosperous client relationships.
Being aware of this is a fantastic starting point. Hone your legal craft and focus on providing exemplary legal service. When comfortable, start to take a more active role in business development activity. This can include seeking to participate in internal relationship management, or attending external events where you can practise your networking skills and meet useful professional contacts.
Clients follow lawyers, not law firms. Think of yourself as a brand in your own right and market yourself accordingly. This isn’t something which comes naturally to everyone. Still, as long as you are improving your business development activity year-on-year, this will compound over time and you will see a positive impact on your career.
The three C’s
Client relationships are not always easy to manage. The below three points are key considerations to bear in mind while thinking about your business development strategy.
Consult
If you are lucky enough to have an individual or team within your firm focused on business development activity, reach out and consult with them on any proposed client engagement activity. They will be thrilled to hear you are looking to improve your business development skill set and will support you in formulating and planning activities to strengthen your client relationships.
Consider
Ensuring your events are inclusive and accessible to all should be a standard part of your business development practice. Often business development events can revolve around alcohol, but you should ensure that your events are welcoming for non-drinkers. It is also important to consider any accessibility requirements your clients may have when choosing events and activities. The key to building good relationships with clients is demonstrating that you respect and value them as colleagues and individuals, so be sure to keep this at the forefront when planning your business development events.
Consistency
It is vital to be consistent and ensure you are engaging with each client at regular intervals. Make sure that you check in throughout the year with each key client and that they are aware of your presence in the market. After any business development event, circle back to those clients or prospective clients that you caught up with. Don’t fall into the trap of only focusing on clients when the work is flowing in - consistent engagement over a long period of time will enshrine mutual trust and understanding into your client relationships.
To conclude, there are few activities a lawyer can undertake which are more beneficial than crafting strong, enduring, and fruitful client relationships. Hopefully, the tips covered here will help you to do this, no matter what stage of your legal career you are at.
Written by Jules Grieves, Head of Scotland Market
JMC Legal Recruitment
