How to Handle Derivative Referrals

It is well established that referrals are a very important source of business for lawyers and other professionals. I’ve written about that here, here and here.  Since legal needs are are episodic, for most attorneys, being in the right place at the right time to hear about a legal need is challenging. Having other professionals keeping their ear to the ground for services that you can provide, dramatically increases your marketing effectiveness.

It is also well established that leads that come through referrals are much more likely to turn into business.  They are pre-qualified.

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A Career in Law Practice Management

The practice of law continues to evolve and law firm technology continues to improve.  As a result, the world needs more professionals who can help attorneys to incorporate good law practice management tools.  In the latest episode of Counsel to Counsel, I interview Heidi Alexander, Deputy Director of Lawyers Concerned For Lawyers about how she turned

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Starbucks Sells More than Coffee-Redux

Almost a decade ago, I drafted a blog post entitled Starbucks Sells More than Coffee.  For a number of reasons, this has been one of the most popular posts on my blog.  For starters it doesn’t hurt to use a strong brand name like Starbucks in your marketing.  But clearly, something I wrote in that post has resonated and stood the test of time.

Almost 10 years has passed, and the world has only gotten more complicated. We have so many more channels available for communicating with the public and with our networks.  It is harder than ever to get people’s attention and cut through the “noise” of social media. It is with this in mind that I am referring back to this post and adding some additional commentary.

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Breaking Through the Glass Ceiling

Women have made significant gains in the legal profession. But even in 2020, women are woefully underrepresented in the partnership ranks of major law firms.  In the coming months, I will be interviewing women who have broken through the glass ceiling and have been elevated to partnership.

In the latest episode of the Counsel to Counsel podcast, I am joined by Hether Cahill, a partner at the Boston law firm Burns and Levinson. 

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If you Don’t like Sports, Try Becoming a Sports Fan FAN

If you live in Boston, it’s pretty hard to ignore what is going on with the sports scene. For the past 17 years or so the Boston Red Sox and the New England Patriots have won many championships and you can throw in a few championships as well from the Boston Celtics and the Boston Bruins. Because of the sports culture of the city, sports does tend to be a popular topic in networking situations. But if you’re like me, sports viewing does not occupy a significant portion of your free time. I tune in when one of our teams makes it to the championship round and I may enjoy one night a year at Fenway Park, although I’m just as likely to end up at Fenway to hear a concert featuring aging rockers (I saw the Who this past summer-inspiring to see that Pete Townsend can still twirl his arm while playing guitar and not end up in the hospital).

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A New Year, A New Decade, A New Chapter!

My mother-in-law once said to me “life stage is a compelling force“.  As we enter 2020, I now have two children out of college and one well on her way.  I have therefore decided that this is a great time to leave Marc Z Legal and return full-time to Seckler Legal Recruiting and Coaching.

As I have done for over 20 years, I will continue to focus on recruiting partners, associates and in-house counsel for law firms, life sciences and technology companies.  I will also continue to coach a broad cross section of the bar on marketing and career issues.

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Want to Make a Significant Career Shift in 2020? Find your Bridge

If 2020 is the year that you plan to make a significant career change, then figure out the bridge you need to take to get you where you want to go.  Employers generally hire candidates who already have specific experience. Most firms and most corporations are not looking to train lateral hires.

That doesn’t mean you are eternally trapped doing the same kind of legal work you have been doing for the past five years.  I’ve seen many lawyers make dramatic shifts

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New Years Resolutions? Hire a Coach!

What are your career goals for 2020?  Increase your business?  Make a lateral move?  Go in-house?  Become a better manager/leader at your law firm?  If you need help in defining your goals or if you simply need help in executing them, hiring a coach can help!  Beth Masterman of Masterman Executive Coaching talks about that in one of my recent podcasts.

You can also read about coaching in an article I published in the ABA publication GPSolo or on my website.

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