Lawyers who consistently drive business growth are not necessarily those who dedicate the most hours to business development. Instead, they are the ones who persist in their efforts, even when faced with a heavy workload. As client demands escalate, deadlines loom, and unexpected issues arise, it can be challenging to allocate time for business development. However, this is precisely why many traditional business development plans falter—they assume that lawyers have more time available than they actually do.
When asked why they do not engage in more business development activities, lawyers often cite being “too busy” as the primary reason. A more effective strategy involves cultivating a limited set of habits that can be maintained even during the most hectic periods. This approach focuses on consistent, repetitive actions rather than attempting to implement a full, 37-item law firm marketing plan or relying on sporadic bursts of activity.
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A simple yet effective philosophy is to strive for incremental improvement by doing a little more and doing it better. One practical way to achieve this is to take a weekly action that reinforces your personal brand, positioning yourself as the go-to expert in your specific area of expertise. This can be accomplished by becoming known for a particular industry, practice area, legal issue, type of client, business problem, or point of view. Your weekly brand-building action might involve sharing a useful observation on LinkedIn, writing an internal note about a development in your area, or creating a checklist that clients may find valuable.
Many lawyers are highly skilled, but they often struggle to differentiate themselves in the eyes of potential clients. If someone were to ask, “Why this lawyer?” there should be a clear answer. The goal of these weekly actions is not to produce a high volume of output, but rather to achieve consistency and repetition over time. By doing so, you can create a perception that ultimately matters. Each small action is a practical demonstration of thought leadership, and when repeated consistently, it can have a significant impact.
Client development is essentially a relationship-driven process. Every week, focus on advancing one key relationship, whether it’s with a client, prospect, referral source, former colleague, or industry contact. This can be as simple as reconnecting with a former client, asking a colleague about their current projects, or following up with someone you met at a conference. The critical aspect is to “move” the relationship forward, rather than simply maintaining a static connection. A name in your CRM or a LinkedIn connection is not a meaningful relationship; it’s the active engagement that matters.
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Some lawyers may feel stuck, citing busyness or a lack of reason to reach out to others. However, rather than trying to sell something, it’s more effective to be curious and ask questions. Inquire about the other person’s challenges, changes, and priorities. One meaningful conversation can be more valuable than 50 passive online connections. By being genuinely interested in others, you can build stronger relationships and create opportunities for growth.
Deliver One “Wow” Experience
Business development is not solely focused on acquiring new clients; it’s also about retaining existing ones by delivering exceptional service. Every week, look for opportunities to surprise and delight your clients, making them think, “That was really good” or “I wish all my outside lawyers did that.” This might involve responding promptly to their inquiries, anticipating potential issues, or sharing valuable insights that can help their business. Most “wow” experiences don’t result from grand gestures, but rather from consistently doing ordinary things exceptionally well.
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When you deliver high-quality service, you demonstrate your investment in the relationship and earn the right to ask for more work or explore cross-selling opportunities. Every week, give at least one important person a useful reason to think about you, whether it’s by sharing an article, congratulating them on company news, or offering a valuable resource.
Billable pressure is not going away. So any business development strategy that depends on lawyers suddenly discovering large amounts of spare time is built on a weak foundation. The better approach is to create a rhythm that survives busy weeks. Small actions, repeated consistently, week after week and year after year, drive long-term practice growth. Remember: The lawyers who become rainmakers are not always the ones who spend the most time on business development. They are the ones who keep doing it when everyone else gets busy.