Raising the Bar Blog - Developing high achievers into world class rainmakers

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The short answer is maybe. The Chamber might be the right organization for building your business or it could be wrong for you but exactly right for the lawyer down the hall.

Any organization you join must meet three important criteria:

1. Is the organization aligned with your values?
2. Does the membership reflect your target market?
3. Does the organization provide opportunities to assume a leadership role?

The last question is especially important. Simply joining an organization that meets the first two criteria without becoming actively involved will significantly limit the value of your membership. A leadership role places you in the spotlight with the chance to show your skills and commitment to the success of the members. Whether you are a seasoned attorney or just starting out, plan on getting active right away in the organizations you choose. Volunteer for a committee and do more than you are asked. As you gain credibility, you will have the opportunity to increase your visibility, which can ultimately increase your profitability.

More on how to choose

One way to be sure you are targeting an organization that you can both serve and benefit from is to consider what organizations your best clients belong to. You might also consider community organizations, political groups, and groups that represent your religious affiliation. Emmet Bondurant, partner at Bondurant, Mixson and Elmore and recognized by the National Law Journal as one of America’s Top Ten Trial Lawyers told me when I was interviewing him for my book, Raising the Bar: Legendary Rainmakers Share Their Business Development Secrets that he chose one organization to join that was considered by some to be politically controversial but which was aligned with his philosophy and his practice and that has brought him much satisfaction and success.

So, should you join the Chamber? What do you think now? Will joining meet your goals? 

Until next time,

Robin

Last week I raised a reader’s question about how to turn down a request for a Super Lawyers or Legal Elites nomination he didn't want to give without damaging an otherwise good referral source. I asked for your thoughts and received this response directly from Super Lawyers.

Cindy Larsen, Director of Research and Editorial at Super Lawyers, a Thompson Reuters Service, explained the nomination process this way.

Super Lawyers sends an e-mail notification to lawyers reminding them when they are accepting nominations. In that email, they state the following:

“A word about "campaigning" i.e., soliciting votes for Super Lawyers: Don't do it. It's against the rules (and could result in your disqualification), it doesn't work, we can detect it and it doesn't reflect well on you or your firm. Besides, the nomination process is merely the first step in our multiphase methodology. You’re much better off making sure we have up-to-date information on your practice because our research department will review this information and consider it in the selection process.”

Ms. Larsen went on to explain that Super Lawyers tracks who votes for whom, and if they have evidence that a lawyer has campaigned for nominations they will disqualify the lawyer from consideration for that year. The nomination process is confidential so any lawyer soliciting nominations would never know whether or not he/she received those nominations.

The bottom line from Ms. Larsen: only nominate lawyers who are deserving of the designation. 

Thanks so much, Cindy for taking time to respond to our reader’s question.

Until next time,

Robin

According to a recent online article on LinkedIn account ownership by British solicitor Michael Simkins, this is a new area that the legal profession will be forced to handle in the very near future. (You can read the full article here.)

The Issue

The question is whether the employer or the employee is entitled to control an employee’s LinkedIn account. Simkins writes that, “Client or contact details are only capable of being ‘owned’ if the employer can demonstrate that they amount to confidential information.”

English courts, Simkins says, have ruled in the past that information in Outlook address books amount to information databases and do indeed belong to employers. Since LinkedIn is essentially a web-based database, he believes it is likely that courts may rule on that in a similar fashion.

To my knowledge, no U.S. cases have been brought before the courts relating to LinkedIn -- so far.

Many companies are currently scrambling to include LinkedIn policies in their employee handbooks. Employees who have built extensive LinkedIn connections would be wise (but may not know) to consider negotiating terms relating to their online network before accepting employment.

Why is this issue important? Two reasons.

First, what does this mean for your own biz dev efforts? Can you take your connections with you if you leave your firm?

Second, with all these issues looming, social media law could become a whole new area of legal expertise (and opportunity for business development), if you are not already on it.

What is your firm doing about this issue? Do you have a policy on LinkedIn connections? Is this a new practice area you are developing? 

Until next time,

Robin

Welcome to the new Raising the Bar blog. I’ll be answering your questions here and offering comments on topics that are relevant to your business development success so let's get started!

Clients often ask if they should be blogging. This is what I say about that.

Blogging requires both a real commitment to posting on a regular basis and to pushing out content that goes beyond serving your own PR goals. If you are ready to say yes to both, then you'll be sharing information and connections to others that can help them reach their objectives and help you reach yours, as well.

Could you be missing opportunities by not blogging? If your best work comes by word-of-mouth, then blogging (and other social media initiatives) expand the possibilities for that. Blogging can enhance your reputation, demonstrate professional competencies and build trust in you as an authority in your practice areas. It can also showcase you as self-serving and myopic, so check your motives before committing to a blog.

What should you do?

• Study and follow other blogs.
• Look for what’s common among the blogs you like.
• Build a blog strategy around what you like and benefit from and then, use it.

But Robin, what about time?

Time is not an excuse unless you want it to be. Kevin O’Keefe (Real Lawyers Have Blogs) talks about that in his discussion of the new business bestseller, Rework. If you “don’t have enough time” it’s because you don’t want it enough.

Should you blog? Only if you want what blogging can do for you enough to do it right.

Do you have a question about business development? Ask it here and I'll answer in a future posting.

Until next time,

Robin

Habit #7: Incorporate Systems For Staying In Touch Into Your Daily Routine

The best rainmakers know that relationships need care and feeding to grow. That’s why they build systems to stay in touch into their daily routine.

You probably already have a time management system for your day-to-day activities like keeping up with filing deadlines, court dates and other time-sensitive requirements. But what about your marketing plans? Do you have a system for managing those? Without one, rainmaking can quickly become a casualty.

Build a system of reminders

Staying in touch doesn’t have to be an overwhelming or even a time-consuming task. It just requires reminding yourself to do it. Start by categorizing your contacts into A, B and C lists.

A List: These are your trusted advisors. (See Habit #4 for more on that.) World-class rainmakers stay in touch with their trusted advisors at least monthly. That might mean scheduling a lunch, making a phone call, writing an email, personal note or remembering a birthday. Put that in your calendar prompt and treat it the same way you do your other important dates and times. Schedule your prompts so you have only one or two a day or week so you can easily keep up. Breaking these activities into small bites will make it easier to follow through and help you quickly establish new habits around these activities.

B List: These are good contacts that could evolve into A Listers. You just haven’t established as close a relationship with them yet. That’s why it is important to build them into your reminder system for at least a quarterly contact—perhaps for a birthday or other important occasion or milestone.

C List: This is your holiday card list-- good people to know who have not yet achieved B or even A List status. But holiday cards are not limited to traditional December greetings. One top Atlanta rainmaker uses Thanksgiving cards to set herself apart. While holiday cards are opportunities to create a handwritten message to friends and acquaintances you appreciate, sending those messages at Thanksgiving gives you more time to think about the personal note you will send. Your Thanksgiving card arrives before the December rush and your thoughtfulness will help you stand out. The secret is starting early. In fact, you could start that system today—well in advance of any last-minute scramble.

What are some of the ways you use now to stay in touch?

• What activities have you found are best for helping you build and expand your business relationships?
• What kind of results are you getting? Where is your time best spent?
• How much time do you spend each day on staying in touch?