The legal industry is evolving faster than ever, and firms that fail to adapt risk falling behind. Technology is transforming how legal services are delivered, client expectations are higher than ever and relying on a handful of rainmakers to generate business is a risky strategy. What happens if they leave? Or if a major client takes their work elsewhere? Without a firmwide approach to business development, long-term growth and stability are anything but guaranteed.
Too many firms rely on a handful of partners to drive revenue while everyone else focuses on legal work. But what happens when those rainmakers leave? Or when their biggest client moves on? Business development shouldn’t rest on just a few shoulders – it needs to be part of the firm’s DNA. Here’s how to get everyone involved in growth.
Common Pitfalls in Law Firm Business Development
Many law firms fall into the trap of thinking that business development is the responsibility of just a few senior partners or rainmakers. This outdated approach not only limits growth opportunities but also creates significant risk. When firms rely too heavily on a handful of people to bring in clients, they leave themselves exposed if those individuals retire, move to another firm or lose a key client.
Another common mistake is treating business development as an afterthought – something to focus on when billable work slows down rather than a core function of the firm. This reactive mindset makes it harder to build strong relationships, identify opportunities and establish a pipeline of future clients.
Firms that fail to embed business development into their culture also miss out on the collective power of their lawyers and professionals. Associates, counsel and even business professionals can all play a role in strengthening relationships, generating referrals and enhancing the firm’s reputation yet many firms overlook this untapped potential.
A firmwide business development culture ensures that growth isn’t concentrated in just a few hands. It creates stability, reduces risk and positions the firm for long-term success. Instead of hoping a few rainmakers will always carry the load, firms should be equipping and encouraging everyone to contribute.
Assessing Your Firm’s Current Culture
Every law firm has a business development culture, whether it is intentional or not. The real question is: does yours inspire engagement or foster avoidance?
Warning signs of a weak business development culture include:
- Believing that some lawyers simply are not suited for business development.
- Prioritizing billable hours at the expense of long-term client relationships.
- Providing little to no structured training on how to cultivate and sustain business.
A proactive and inclusive approach ensures that business development becomes a shared responsibility, driving long-term success for both individual lawyers and the firm as a whole.
How to Build a Business Development Culture That Drives Growth
Make content relevant to your audience: Clients don’t want to read generic insights that they can find anywhere. They need content that directly addresses their challenges, industries and pressing legal concerns.
- What to Do: Identify key issues your clients face and create content that provides solutions. Use case studies, real-world examples and client success stories to make it more engaging.
Encourage a Growth Mindset: Business development isn’t an innate talent, it’s a skill that can be developed.
- What to Do: Host internal workshops where experienced rainmakers share their best practices. Provide mentorship programs to help younger attorneys develop their client relationship skills.
Make Relationship Building a Priority: Developing strong client relationships shouldn’t be left to senior partners alone. Every lawyer, at every level, should focus on networking, staying in touch with contacts and looking for ways to add value.
- What to Do: Encourage lawyers to schedule at least three coffee or Zoom catch-ups per month with a potential client, referral source or industry connection.
Get more personal in your outreach: Generic firm announcements and broad check-in emails often get ignored. Clients respond better to personalized outreach that acknowledges their specific challenges and business goals.
- What to Do: Before reaching out, research what’s happening in the client’s industry or company and reference it in your message. Offer a tailored solution instead of a generic “checking in” email.
Set Personalized Business Development Goals: Not every lawyer will approach business development the same way, and that’s okay. Some excel at networking, others at writing thought leadership content or speaking at industry events.
- What to Do: Work with your lawyers to create a tailored business development plan that aligns with their strengths and interests.
Create Incentives for Business Development: Recognizing and rewarding business development efforts motivates more lawyers to participate.
- What to Do: Establish clear incentives such as credit for origination, internal recognition or professional development opportunities for those who bring in new business.
Recognize Effort, Not Just Results: A single big win shouldn’t be the only thing celebrated. A strong culture acknowledges the effort that goes into building relationships, even if it doesn’t lead to immediate results.
- What to Do: Create a quarterly “business development spotlight” highlighting attorneys who are actively working on growth efforts, even if they haven’t closed a deal yet.
Provide Ongoing Training: Business development isn’t something you learn once, it requires continuous improvement.
- What to Do: Schedule monthly business development training sessions and encourage attorneys to participate in external networking and leadership development programs.
Prioritize Content Marketing: A strong content strategy helps showcase expertise and keeps your firm visible to potential clients.
- What to Do: Set up a content calendar and assign attorneys to contribute articles, LinkedIn posts or client alerts. Make it easy by providing writing templates and support from the marketing team.
Showcase your lawyers as industry insiders: Clients want to work with lawyers who understand their industry inside and out. Encourage attorneys to write, speak and engage with clients in meaningful ways that’s through publishing insights, presenting at industry conferences or participating in relevant discussions.
- What to Do: Identify key industry events and ensure your lawyers are involved as speakers, panelists or attendees.
Adjust Strategies for Changing Times: The way firms approach business development today is different than it was five years ago, and it will continue to evolve.
- What to Do: Stay ahead by regularly reviewing and adjusting your business development strategy based on client feedback, industry trends and competitive insights.
Putting It All Into Practice
Building a business development culture isn’t just about encouraging participation, it’s about making it part of how the firm operates. Firms that succeed in this area:
- Diversify their client base instead of relying on a few major clients.
- Create opportunities for collaboration and cross-selling between practice areas.
- Attract and retain top talent who want to be part of a firm that supports growth.
- Strengthen their reputation and visibility in the legal market.
- Drive consistent revenue growth while maintaining long-term stability.
Building a Sustainable Growth Culture
A strong business development culture isn’t just about landing new clients. It’s about embedding a growth mindset across the firm so that every lawyer sees their role in building relationships and creating opportunities. Firms that adopt this approach are more adaptable, competitive and set up for long-term success. The ones that get it right will attract better opportunities, strengthen client loyalty and position themselves as industry leaders.
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