Becoming a partner at a law firm is a huge milestone. You’ve put in the hours, delivered excellent work and earned the trust of your colleagues. But now that you’ve reached this new level, the expectations shift and one of the biggest changes is that you’re now expected to generate business.

For many new partners, this is uncharted territory. You’ve been the go-to associate or counsel who executed flawlessly. But now you’re being asked to think like an owner, not just a service provider. That can feel daunting, especially if you haven’t had much experience with marketing or business development.

Here’s the good news: you don’t need to become a salesperson. You need to become more intentional about how you show up, how you stay connected and how you align your efforts with the kinds of work you want to do. The sooner you embrace that mindset, the more successful you’ll be in this next phase of your career.

Understand the Shift from Doing to Leading

As an associate, your job was to do the work. As a partner, your job is to bring in the work—and still do some of it too. That’s a big shift. It means thinking beyond your current matters and focusing on how to create opportunities for yourself and others.

Clients now expect you to have business judgment, not just legal knowledge. They want someone who understands their challenges and can anticipate what’s coming. Internally, your firm is counting on you to help drive revenue, mentor others and build long-term relationships that grow over time.

Start by building awareness of how your work fits into the bigger picture. Who else at the firm touches the client? Where could your matters lead to new opportunities? Who do you know in your network that could benefit from your insight?

Build Your Personal Brand Internally and Externally

You’re probably known inside your firm for your work ethic and reliability. But do people outside the firm know what you do? Would they know to call you if they needed help in your practice area?

That’s where your personal brand comes in. It’s not about self-promotion. It’s about clarity. It’s about making it easy for people to associate you with a particular type of work and client.

Update your LinkedIn profile to reflect your new role. Make sure your bio and online presence reflect the kind of work you want to attract. Share insights on LinkedIn, speak on panels and attend conferences that align with your target clients. Internally, let other partners know what types of matters you’re interested in and how they can collaborate with you.

Your name needs to be attached to something clear. You want people to say, “If you’re dealing with X, you need to talk to [your name].”

Reevaluate and Reengage Your Network

You’ve built a strong network during your years of practice, but you may not have tapped into it intentionally. Now’s the time to look at it through a new lens.

Go through your LinkedIn connections and old contact lists. Identify people who’ve moved into decision-making roles. Reach out and reconnect, not with a sales pitch, but with curiosity and authenticity. Let them know what you’re up to and ask on what they’re working. The goal is to stay top of mind and keep the relationship active.

You’d be surprised how many people want to help if you just remind them what you’re doing and how you can add value.

Create a Focused Business Development Plan

Business development can feel overwhelming because there’s no one way to do it. The key is to create a simple plan that aligns with your strengths, your goals and your schedule.

Start with a one-page, simp business development plan:

  • What type of work do you want more of?
  • Who’s your ideal client?
  • What industries are you most interested in?
  • Who in your current network could be a connector or client?
  • What are 3 to 5 things you’ll do over the next quarter?

Make it actionable. Maybe that means writing a short client alert, attending one industry event, reconnecting with five past contacts and reaching out to one internal partner for a collaboration. Small consistent actions really add up.

Be Proactive Inside the Firm

New work often comes from other partners, not just from outside contacts. So make it a priority to build strong internal relationships. Ask to join client calls, pitch teams or strategy meetings. Let other partners know on what you’re focused. Offer to co-author articles or help with client outreach. The more visible and helpful you are internally, the more likely others will think of you when new matters come in.

Also, take the time to understand how your firm’s marketing and business development functions work. Get to know the people in those departments. They can be incredible resources for raising your profile, supporting your efforts and finding opportunities.

Develop a Comfortable Way to Talk About Your Work

You don’t need a flashy elevator pitch, but you do need a few clear, confident ways to explain what you do and who you help to the people you meet.

Think about the kinds of problems you solve and the outcomes you deliver. Try something like: “I help private equity firms manage risk in complex cross-border transactions” or “I work with life sciences companies on regulatory strategy for product launches.”

Practice saying it out loud until it feels natural. You want to be able to say it easily at a conference, over coffee or during a client meeting. This helps people understand when and why to reach out to you.

Make Time for Visibility

You don’t have to post every day, but you do need to show up. That could mean writing a LinkedIn post once a month, speaking on a webinar or even just commenting on relevant posts from people in your industry.

When you do post, share something useful or interesting. A trend you’re seeing. A tip for clients. A reaction to a legal development. Keep it short and conversational. You’re not trying to go viral, you’re trying to be remembered.

If writing isn’t for you, consider podcasts, press interviews or video clips. The key is to find a format that works for you and stick with it.

Track Your Progress and Celebrate Wins

It’s easy to feel like you’re not doing enough, especially when you see others winning big clients. But business development is a long game. Track your outreach, your meetings, your speaking engagements and your writing. Look at the progress you’re making over time.

Celebrate small wins. A great meeting. A new referral. A client following up six months after a post you wrote. These moments matter and they build momentum.

Remember Why You’re Doing This

Business development isn’t a checklist or something you do when you have time. It’s how you build a practice that lasts.

It’s about staying top of mind, being someone clients trust and turning relationships into opportunities, slowly and steadily. The lawyers who do this well aren’t necessarily the most outgoing. They’re the ones who follow up, who add value, who show up even when there’s nothing immediate on the table.

You already have the experience. Now it’s about making sure people know what you do and how you can help. That takes focus, consistency and a willingness to be just a little more visible than you were yesterday.

You don’t need to get it all right at once. But you do need to start.

You’ve earned your seat at the table. Now it’s time to grow into it. You don’t need to be perfect. You just need to be present, proactive and open to learning.

This is the start of your next chapter and you’ve got what it takes to make it count!

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