Law Firms 2016 How You Might Help Your Lawyers

Developing the Next Generation of Rainmakers Law Firms: 2016 How You Might Help Your Lawyers I am working with a Dallas firm today. I’ll meet with small groups and individuals. At lunch I will make a presentation for the entire office titled: Client Development for 2016 and Beyond. Whenever I spend a day with a firm, I tell the lawyers that what happens after I am gone is more important than what happens the day I am there. I learned this many years ago when I gave presentations on preparing a business plan and client development in each of our law firm offices. I left each office being told that I had inspired the lawyers. Three months later, when I checked back in, I discovered nothing had changed. So, with that background let me ask: Do you have any plans to help your lawyers in 2016? I have an idea I urge you to consider. If you have someone in your firm like me who gets great joy out of helping young lawyers, you can do take advantage of my idea in-house. If not, I recommend you find someone outside to help. How do you avoid the one shot presentation problem? I suggest you spend at least a day each quarter helping your junior lawyers. What would the day look like? I recommend that you have a 60-90 minute program for the entire office over lunch. The four quarter topics might include: What would you do the rest of the day? I recommend 45 minutes one-one-one or small group coaching. If you start at 9:00 AM, you could have eight coaching sessions. In each one-on-one or small group coaching session, the lawyers with whom the senior lawyer meets will create a 90 Days Action Plan. Just creating a plan every 90 days and then having a way to be held accountable will generate more revenue for your firm because your lawyers will be more focused and strategic about how they use their time. I get energized each time I meet in person with the junior lawyers I am coaching. I see the progress they are making and their increased enthusiasm. If you are the senior lawyer chosen to coach lawyers in your firm, I’m confident you will find the same enjoyment. 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.