Author: Richard G. Stock;     Lexpert     November / December 2000

Many law firms have partners and associates who are successful in keeping clients satisfied with both the content and delivery of the work they do. Individually, many lawyers build on their bilateral relationships with clients and prospects to develop business. But very few firms mobilize the energy, talent and contacts in a systematic fashion to grow the business. At one end, the firm may have a solid branding strategy, and at the other, it may have good incentives for business development built into its compensation systems for partners and associates. But this is not enough.

Law firms can harvest the energy and opportunities of each member of the firm by making Practice Group Leaders accountable for success in business development by each member of the group. It follows that such Practice Group Leaders must be compensated specifically and appropriately for success, not just for their efforts. Here is a business development checklist for the Practice Group Leader.

1°    Require that each partner and associate who is a member of the practice group devote four (4) hours each week (200 hours per year) for marketing and business development. This standard must be officially sanctioned by the group's partners, and by the firm if possible.



2°    Ensure that the 200 hours are pre-planned and documented in the Personal Performance Plan of each lawyer by November 30th of each year for the coming year.



3°    Balance the initiatives suggested by each member so that enough of the initiatives are client-focused, some are financial, others develop talent while others improve processes internal to the group. The correct blend of initiatives will reflect the firm's overall strategy.



4°    Ensure that there is activity and reporting by each lawyer to the other members of the group -- in writing (e-mails, forms) -- on a monthly basis. This can be funnelled through the Practice Group Leader and summarized before distribution. Frequency, completeness and timeliness are hallmarks of good marketing.



5°    Is every client of every practice asked for a lead or prospective contact ? Ensure that this is done every time before the file is closed, that the same form (physical or on-line) is used by every lawyer, and that all the leads/prospects are compiled. Obtain a web-based lead management system. In the meantime, use paper.



6°    Marketing at the practice group level is both relationship-based and reputation-based. Mostly, it is about frequency and multiple points of contact. The prospects have to see your name everywhere:


• with their accountants, financial planners, bankers;

• on your web page;

• in the yellow pages -- for personal services law.





7°    Give some thought to a common theme for marketing by all the practice groups in the firm. A few firms have gone ahead with a "satisfaction guaranteed or your money back". Reading the fine print is necessary on this one, but the leverage and differentiation is enormous for the first firms that do it. Other firms have used innovation as a theme. Embedding the theme in strategy and in the firm's values and reward system is a serious challenge.



8°    Each lawyer should make a phone call to two different prospects or past clients each day. A system is necessary to synchronize the lists to avoid two lawyers calling the same prospect. A successful call is one where the contact is made. Leaving voice mail does not count in the tally. Each lawyer should end up with 40 different names at the end of the month. This is plenty, because some will want documentation or visits. Process automation and contact database software are helpful tools here.



Prepare a script of what the lawyers can say on the phone. It is a good idea to simulate the phone calls for practice runs in the firm. Not everyone is equally good at it. Remember that it is the firm and not the individual lawyer that is being promoted.



9°    Visits are important. The Practice Group Leader should visit a different prospect each week. That's 50 visits each year. It is recommended that half of those be prospects identified by members of the group. This buddy system fosters mentoring, sharing of contacts and regularity for the initiative. The other visits should be to the top 25 clients, as measured by the billing volume of the practice group.



10°    Lastly, the entire firm should consider a session -- annual retreat -- of two days where associates' and partners' progress on items 1° to 9° is discussed. A part of the retreat should be reserved to practice presentation skills (verbal/laptop, etc.).

Practical and specific measures taken on a regular basis build the momentum and the habits essential for sustainable business development. The real dividends are available through business development at the practice group level -- a clear focus on the team, and not only the firm or individual contribution.