Law firm leaders often ask, how early is too early to have “the talk” and speak with associates about business development?
It’s never too early. Why?
1. Associates want to know how the firm operates, and they want to know their work has meaning.
Sharing how the firm gets and grows clients makes leadership more transparent, which is essential to Gen A through Z! Show associates the way, in the words of Simon Sinek, by starting with “the why.” If you want to win the talent war, begin by being good to the talent you have.
2. Demonstrate that you care, you are loyal and invested in them and want them to be engaged and part of the enterprise.
(FYI: According to Gallup, companies with higher employee engagement are 20+ percent more profitable.)
3. At its core, business development is about doing great work and keeping clients extraordinarily happy at all levels of their organization.
Being empathetic to a client’s problems and how they are evaluated within their organization is essential to client service, even as a first-year associate. Business development skills can go a long way in strengthening all your lawyers’ working relationships.
4. Training associates means giving something back to them.
Yes, as one partner used to say to me, “But what if we lose them?” Well, chances are you will, yet they will be less likely to want to leave if they feel the firm is interested in their growth.
And if, as is expected in most cases, they leave, they will likely remember the firm in a good light for providing them with training and essential skills. We all know how vital alums are to professional services.
5. Surprisingly, associates can bring in business.
While some firms still say they want to avoid having their associates developing clients (that mindset is shrinking), at some point in their careers, associates’ former classmates can become potential clients. In other cases, an associate may even know someone in charge of hiring legal counsel for a financial institution. At many of the firms with which I’ve worked, associates can be sources of business.
How do you do this?
🖋 Figure out what your firm’s learning objectives are regarding business development.
🖋 Develop a program that mixes outside experts with experts from your marketing department.
🖋 Involve your partners by having them share stories about how they built their practices and won clients.
🖋 Clarify your approval, reimbursement and budgeting process for associates interested in spending time with and entertaining potential clients.
A business development training program for associates doesn’t need to be complicated, but it should be well-thought-out and strategic. And yes, a big part of being an associate should be learning to be an excellent lawyer, caring for and developing clients, should be considered part of that equation.
