Law Firm Associates Here Is What You Need To Learn About Client Development Now

Developing the Next Generation of Rainmakers Law Firm Associates: Here is what you need to learn about client development now A friend of mine reminded me of a riddle: When was the last time a lawyer could be successful in a law firm without having clients? His response was: When Houston had a football team called the Houston Oilers. Having watched the Dallas Cowboys lose to the Houston team that moved to Tennessee, I could have said: The last time the Cowboys won the Super Bowl. That was actually the year before the Oilers moved to Tennessee. I recently discovered that several of my Lateral Link colleagues focus on recruiting associates. I am reposting this blog with some edits to update for those recruiters and the associates with whom they work. But, if you are a law firm associate this is also for you, and if you work with associates, I hope you will share it with them. If you read the entire post, you will find that it includes slides from a presentation I did for senior associates and slides from a presentation I did for junior associates. I hope to also include handouts I gave for those presentations. In a podcast interview with Dallas lawyer Tricia DeLeon, I asked:  What is One Piece of Advice for Young Lawyers? When you listen you will hear her say “start your client development efforts now”.   Are you an associate in your firm? Have you begun learning about client development and implementing what you are learning? Does your firm have a program on client development for associates? Every partner I coach tells me they wish I had coached them earlier in their career. The time to learn, to practice and to ramp up client development activities is significant. By the time you are eligible to be promoted to partner, your firm leaders expect you to have the skills to attain, retain and expand relationships with clients. I gave presentations for Junior Associates and Senior Associates on client development. Click on Client Development in a Nutshell: Junior Associates for the Junior Associate slides. Click on Client Development in a Nutshell: Senior Associates for the Senior Associate slides. Here is the handout for Junior Associates.    Here is the handout for Senior Associates. I am frequently asked for ideas for these two groups. Here are a few. Junior Associates: Senior Associates: Law Firms: When was the last time your law firm did any kind of program to help associates get started on learning and practicing good client development habits? Associates: Take my word, if you start learning client development skills now, you will enjoy your career more in the future. I did it and had a blast practicing law. I practiced law for 37 years developing a national construction law practice representing some of the top highway and transportation construction contractors in the US.