Leftfoot - Legal Business Development

Natalie Bennett is a partner in the Washington office of McDermott Will & Emery.   She focuses her practice on intellectual property with an emphasis on infringement litigation. An experienced trial lawyer she has litigated intellectual property disputes through trial to final judgment. https://www.mwe.com/en/team/b/bennett-natalie-a (Natalie Bennett Bio) We talk with Natalie about building on the opportunities in front of you About staying motivated and excited about client work We discuss the value of business development ‘at bats’ Controlling costs and the pressures being faced by today’s in-house counsel Advice to work by – Those who stay will be champions This episode is sponsored by https://www.altlegal.com (Alt Legal): http://www.leftfoot.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/logo_ALT-Legal.png ()

Thoughts, Words, and Strategies for Sale!   Ilan Nissan is a Senior Partner and noted rainmaker at Goodwin. In addition to client work, he sits on the firm’s Executive Committee and leads the Private Equity and Mergers and Acquisition business.  http://www.goodwinlaw.com/professionals/n/nissan-ilan (Ilan Nissan Bio) Tune in to hear why packaging advice matters! Hint: client customization is key Specialized advice and the end of the ‘Dog and Pony’? It’s helpful and profitable to establish relationships at all levels. Hint: young people move Diverse teams and human nature – it’s not a ‘box check’ What can you do today? Inventory your network, both personal and professional Get out from behind your specialty – know what your firm does well and doesn’t do well  

To Build Your Brand Today’s guest Anusia Gillespie earned a JD and an MBA – employing both as a marketing and business development consultant for lawyers. She recently accepted a new position at Harvard Law School Executive Education and works with both the Harvard Law School Executive Education team and Harvard Law School professors to create programs designed to ‘turn lawyers into leaders’. https://www.linkedin.com/in/anusiagillespie/ (Anusia Gillespie on LinkedIn) Listen in and hear how to view business development as a creative outlet – a way to grow yourself personally Many lawyers jump to socializing their message before thinking – which activities will be the most effective Anusia outlines 4 core steps to developing an effective personal brand and business development approach Play it cool with your brand – it’s a turnoff to see someone a little too eager. This episode is sponsored by https://cloc.org (CLOC) (Corporate Legal Operations Consortium): http://www.leftfoot.c

Have Fun with Business Development Kristina Launey is the Managing Partner of Seyfarth’s Sacramento Office. She’s a litigator and counselor specializing in all aspects of employment law.  Efficient and effective, she provides clients with options that achieve results in light of their business realities. http://www.seyfarth.com/KristinaLauney (Kristina Launey Bio)  Having a genuine curiosity and interest in the law will go a long way. Would you like clients to cold call you like they cold call Kristina? There’s more to it than solving a client’s legal problem. Is your focus the Voice of the Client? This episode is sponsored by https://www.lawline.com (Lawline): http://www.leftfoot.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/lawline-for-upload.png ()  

Business Development is Problem Solving Grayson Yeargin is a partner in the Washington, DC office of Jones Day. He concentrates his practice on assisting clients with compliance requirements and providing guidance through government investigations. http://www.jonesday.com/gyeargin/ (Grayson Yeargin Bio)   Yes, it is important to pay attention! Tune in to see how business development can be like trying to get hit by lightning. We discuss why clients are separating out commoditized work and specialized work. Push yourself to see business development differently. The first 5 seconds and the 1st moment of execution are key. This episode is sponsored by https://www.lawline.com (Lawline): http://www.leftfoot.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/lawline-for-upload.png ()

Today’s Boutiques Offer Quality and Value This is the first episode of our ‘Boutique’ series. Today’s guest advises clients on protecting, enforcing and leveraging their intellectual property, the Founder of WR Samuels Law, Bill Samuels. http://www.wrsamuelslaw.com/William-Samuels.shtml (Bill Samuels Bio) Listen in as Bill and Nicole talk about: – Seeing what people need and providing it to them – Being a resource – Client’s niche specific needs driving expansion – Never stop building relationships – Following-up Episode Mentions: https://www.altlegal.com (ALT Legal) and https://www.trademarknow.com (TradeMarkNow)   This episode is sponsored by https://www.altlegal.com (ALT Legal): http://www.leftfoot.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/logo_ALT-Legal.png ()

Hello, Efficiency! https://cloc.org/speakers/jeffrey-franke (Chief of Staff to the General Counsel and Sr. Director of Global Legal Operations at Yahoo, Jeff Franke); and https://cloc.org/speakers/steven-harmon (VP and Deputy General Counsel at Cisco, Steve Harmon). Today’s guests hold leadership roles in https://cloc.org (CLOC – the Corporate Legal Operations Consortium). Within CLOC, Leaders of some of the largest law departments in the US are coming together to solidify and implement legal operations standards in an effort to solve challenges in their ecosystems. Episode 56 is the second of two episodes featuring these distinguished guests. Listen in as we discuss why: The time has come for legal to focus on outcomes Legal Operations is gaining ‘seats at the table’ The use of LPOs and legal tech and why it’s important to clients Today’s GCs are highly experienced lawyers – the best of the best The Corporate Legal Operations Consortium (CLOC) is: Providing in-house legal with the content and comp

  Legal Operations Today https://cloc.org/speakers/jeffrey-franke (Chief of Staff to the General Counsel and Sr. Director of Global Legal Operations at Yahoo, Jeff Franke); and https://cloc.org/speakers/steven-harmon (VP and Deputy General Counsel at Cisco, Steve Harmon).   Today’s guests hold leadership roles in https://cloc.org (CLOC – the Corporate Legal Operations Consortium). Within CLOC, Leaders of some of the largest law departments in the US are coming together to solidify and implement legal operations standards in an effort to solve challenges in their ecosystems. Episode 55 is the first of two episodes featuring these distinguished guests. Listen as we talk about: The effective use of law firm data as a differentiator Avoiding misalignment of expectations versus effort Corporate clients value outputs while firm pitches focus on inputs Counsel to counsel relationships are valued but not sufficient Tune into Episode 56 for the continuation of our discussion with Jeff and Stev

And ‘the Magic Bucket of Pricing’ https://www.perkinscoie.com/en/professionals/toby-brown.html (Toby Brown Bio)  Today’s guest is the Chief Practice Management Officer at Perkins Coie, Toby Brown. He leads his firm’s revenue management and efficiency programs, legal project management, pricing, process improvement, practice innovation, alternative staffing and new partner integration.   An industry leader he is the founder of LMAs P3 conference and co-founder of the blog ‘3 Geeks in Law’. He also co-authored the book Law Firm Pricing Strategies, Roles, and Responsibilities.  Listen in as we talk about: The addition of business professionals in both law firms and in-house legal departments How legal tech can be a solution looking for a problem The nature of the lawyer/client relationship and fee discussions Large firm retainer agreements Artificial Intelligence and ‘then a miracle occurs’ Scoping and the ‘magic bucket of prices’ Pricing and risk. Timelines and risk Advice to the ne

Don’t Be Left Behind Let’s hear from the other side of legal business development table. This is the first of several in-house General Counsel interviews on LeftFoot. http://www.linkedin.com/in/lucybassli/ (Lucy’s Bio on LinkedIn) Assistant General Counsel, Legal Operations and Contacting / Corporate External and Legal Affairs at Microsoft, Lucy Bassli practiced law at Davis Wright Tremaine before joining Microsoft where she oversees legal operations and a centralized contracting office specializing in process efficiencies and automation.  She recently moved into the Office of the President to expand Legal shared services and implement operational improvements. Listen in to hear: The most rewarded attribute of the in-house counsel at Microsoft The multiple risks, not just legal risk managed by in-house counsel The importance of staying within budget for each piece of work The inherent bias that successful organizations face from outside firms and service providers Strategies for bill pre

The Growing Role of Legal Procurement. Dr. Silvia Hodges Silverstein is the executive director of The Buying Legal Council an organization of procurement and operations professionals tasked with sourcing legal services and managing legal services supplier relationships. http://www.buyinglegal.com/?p=11571 (Dr. Silvia Hodges Silverstein Bio) Legal procurement involvement is a top management mandate to manage costs and supplier spend ensuring that purchases are in compliance with company policies and make sure they use the reputable firms and quality suppliers. Makes sense for both sides to bring in purchasing and the business side of the law firm ecosystem the ‘bad cops’ so that counsel on both sides can remain ‘good cops’. The unbundling of work is much more accepted and legal work will continue to shift from traditional firms to new model law firms. Disruptors operate more simply and are more affordable. Traditional firms may not see those alternatives as attractive but they are attractive to clients.

The Staying Power of the Monthly Newsletter. In episode 51 we talk with a transactional immigration attorney, http://smalawyers.com/steve-maggi-esq/ (Steve Maggi )of http://smalawyers.com/ (SMA Immigration Lawyers). Persevere, attempt everything from a marketing, business development perspective then comes up with a formula that works. Be flexible and adapt with the industry and the needs of your clients. Create an environment of trust. Consistently market. For Steve referrals from other lawyers are a big resource. He teaches 2 or 3 CLE classes per quarter. From a time/value perspective, it’s well worth the time.  Immigration has a very human element so they encourage reputational marketing by asking satisfied clients for reviews on Google. It’s the 2nd referral that proves your doing good work. Invest in those you work well with which can lead to referrals without hesitation. Be strategic and go after an environment where the client is under-represented.  If you don’t love what you do – don’t d

Meet the Client’s Objective On Episode 50, Nicole talks with the head of Dorsey’s UK and Continental European Private Equity Group, Partner, Fabrizio Carpanini. http://www.dorsey.com/people/c/carpanini-fabrizio (Fabrizio Carpanini Bio) Know your stuff – the law and your practice. Learn what do to and what not to do. You can waste time and money chasing business. Be realistic, do research, go after prospective clients with the right amount and type of matters that align with the specialties within your practice. Make sure you have a valid reason to compete against the incumbent. It’s important to come up with ways to stay in touch and in front of current clients in a way that is of value. Break down the financial roadblocks that prevent partners from bringing others in to assist their clients.  He supports a controlled effort to reward collaboration that benefits clients and has positive results. The further east you go the more business becomes about relationship and trust rather than proving one

Think Outside the Box https://www.dlapiper.com/en/us/people/p/pinover-eugene/ (Bio Gene Pinover)  Eugene Pinover joined DLA Piper as a Partner and Chair of the New York Real Estate Practice in April of 2016; after a 20-year career at Willkie. It’s important to understand the ‘give and take’ and appreciate that the other slides point of view is critical to getting a deal done. Every client you’ve ever had you will lose for some reason you have nothing to do with. You always have to be to be thinking about the ‘next client’, where the business will come from and where you can make a difference Lawyers are in the business of taking business from other very good lawyers. Clients can’t tell the difference between tactically super performance and very good performance. You need to sell yourself and your firm in a different way. Most non-US and non-British lawyers are reticent to give business advice. They answer yes and no.   American and British lawyers are treasured because they think outside the box and are

Be Interested in the Person Not Just Their Business https://www.hollandhart.com/cgroll (Chris Groll Bio) Today’s guest is Chris Groll, a Partner and the chair of the Mergers and Acquisitions Sub-group within Holland & Hart’s Corporate Practice Group. Chris assists both buyers and sellers through M&A transactions and is the outside general counsel for several privately held companies across a variety of industries. If you’re not an extrovert you’ll need to find ways of communicating with others that are comfortable. As an introvert, large networking functions and working a room can zap your energy. Chris gains energy through direct in-person relationships. She gets to know her clients, and the people they introduce her to. She gets to know them personally. Develop honest relationships, not those developed specifically for business development.   Be truly interested in the person. The stickiness of clients comes from relationships. Good work is necessary but not sufficient Chris sends client bill

Practicing Law is Problem Solving  http://www.cahill.com/professionals/pierre-gentin (Pierre Gentin Bio)  Nicole talks with 20 year Credit Suisse veteran; Cahill, Partner, Pierre Gentin. Pierre keeps a guitar and keyboard in his office. He feels music can be helpful in thinking through ideas. Solve client problems as a low-key provider of practical solutions. Be careful not to pester clients or make suggestions that will be perceived as chasing business. Show your client something if it’s clearly in their interest and has urgency.   Visibility is important and can be achieved in different ways. Put in the time – do the substantive work, speak, write, teach and take on pro bono efforts. Teaching ‘keeps Pierre on his toes’ – it requires reviewing material and engaging with academics – it shows intellectual curiosity. Be prepared to throw yourself at the things that interest you (in and outside work). Show your passion, which will translate to your work in the eyes of others. Look for what i

Combing Specialized Talent to Solve Client Business Problems http://hls.harvard.edu/faculty/directory/11330/Gardner (Dr. Heidi Gardner Bio) Nicole talks with Dr. Heidi Gardner a distinguished fellow in the center for the legal profession at Harvard Law School. Our conversation highlights Dr. Gardner’s recently published book ‘Smart Collaboration: How Professionals and Their Firms Succeed by Breaking Down Silos’. Evidence shows that strong collaboration leads to higher profits and more dedicated and committed employees and that clients are more loyal when served by multiple partners. Competence trust is the highest barrier to collaboration amongst partners. Professional skills are more of a concern than technical skills. Requiring a business plan and specific collaborative activities before agreeing to bring lateral hires into a firm goes a long way towards integrating the lateral for longer-term success and client retention. Ladder your client teams for a more client-centric approach. Natural conversatio

  Show That You’re A Compassionate Person  http://www.lauferknapp.com/Attorneys/Joseph-P-Cadicina.shtml (Joe Cadicina Bio) Joe Cadicina is a name partner and the managing member of his firm. In family law reputation is the way to grow – Joe’s a reputable family law lawyer working for a reputable family law firm. Be sincere and show you have your clients best interests in mind. Bar association involvement shows your giving back to the community and contributing to the protection of the profession. The manner in which you conduct yourself as a community member, as a neighbor, and as a member of a committee or organization, translates into how others perceive your ability to do good work in your profession. Get involved, socialize – and you’ll expand your network through others. It’s important that you enjoy the organizations in which you get involved with – that you have an interest in the topic and are enthusiastic about the cause. Life requires that you work hard – it’s important to

In lieu of an interview this week we’re providing an audio update on LeftFoot.   Highlights:   We launched in April of 2016.   As of today we’ve aired 44 episodes and have over 6000 listeners.   We are self-produced and responsible for technical production and distribution.   Being listed as New and Noteworthy on iTunes, and receiving two unsolicited media mentions have been highlights.   What’s on tap for 2017?   We’ll continue our weekly interviews.   We welcome suggestions of law firm partners and other successful professionals who are comfortable with their business development responsibilities to be guests on LeftFoot.   We recently purchased LeftFoot.com.   We’ve begun to take on sponsor advertisers – you’ll begin to hear industry specific sponsorship ads on all episodes starting on January 3rd.   We’ve completed the pilot of our 12 session business development audio challenge and we have other business development courses in developm

Do What You’re Comfortable With and Good At  http://www.dwt.com/people/roypsalins/ (Roy Salins Bio) Today’s guest is Davis Wright Tremaine LLP, Partner, Roy Salins. For Roy staying in touch with people comes naturally. Be positive about what you do with everyone you come in contact with – not just your business connections. Roy opts for direct communication versus blast emails. Sending an article with a tailored note that says specifically why the information provided is important to the client. Busy people will take 5 minutes to talk with you. Check in, ask about what they’re working on, be interested not interesting. Offer to brainstorm – at no cost. You can sell anything once but if the work isn’t excellent you’ll never get it again. Stay in touch, do good work, be responsive, be efficient.  Over the long term and with a volume of work – the data gathered by firms on work done at a client will be of value to the client. Referrals result from excellent work, well received.