Insights

I find myself in conference rooms drawing a lot of circles. When I work with law firm leaders and professionals, I use several exercises to help them identify their niche. The Venn diagram exercise is just one—and it’s a simple but powerful way to visualize where you can thrive. I’ve used it for both individual professionals, practice groups and law…

It’s a question someone asked me after a session with a group of law firms from Asia. We were talking about outreach strategies, and I mentioned how an American lawyer might say, quite directly, “I’d love to earn your business.” That kind of candor works well in the U.S.—it’s seen as confident and clear. But in many parts of Asia,…

Your Friends and Neighbors (Not the Apple+ series with Jon Hamm, where trust breaks down…) In real life — and in business development — your “friends and neighbors” are everything. Law firms often wait too long to train associates on how to build a network. But the most valuable relationships — the ones that lead to future business — are…

They had the tools. They had the talent. So why weren’t they winning the work? Many years ago, I knew of a brilliant law firm. They had everything going for them. A smart, dedicated marketing team A best-in-class CRM Terrific research and analytics tools Even a pitch process that looked great on paper But they still weren’t landing the business.…

“Are business development tactics universal?” It’s a question someone asked me after a session with a group of law firms from Asia. We were talking about outreach strategies, and I mentioned how an American lawyer might say, quite directly, “I’d love to earn your business.” That kind of candor works well in the U.S.—it’s seen as confident and clear. But…

Last week, I had the honor of speaking at a fantastic program started by the incredibly talented Andrea Markstrom, CIO of Schulte Roth & Zabel LLP. The group – i.WILL (Inspiring Women Igniting Leadership and Learning) – has a mission to help women advance in their careers— and it was a privilege to be part of it. I joined Nicole…

Between client work and writing a second book, it was amazing to take a few days off. This photo was taken in the Luxembourg Gardens, one of my favorite spots in Paris. It reminded me how powerful it can be to pause, whether in a beautiful place like this or back at the office. In a world of constant deadlines…

According to a study by Heidi K. Gardner, a thought leader in professional services, and Anusia Gillespie, a brilliant innovator, integration is essential for success. With 47% of lateral partners leaving their new firms within 5 years, it’s important to pay attention. Firms bring on lateral partners with high hopes—for new clients, expanded practices, and fresh energy. But almost half…

As a CMO, I remember sitting in my office close to midnight. I was still working — eyes blurry — trying to finish refining an RFP for a prospective client we likely wouldn’t land. It was directory season, and I was drowning in submissions and strategy. There was also a PR issue we were trying to mitigate. Then the phone…