Coaching for Law Firms
Marketing is an essential part of any business, but many lawyers graduate from law school with little understanding of how to generate work. They are uncomfortable with selling or simply lack a plan for building their practice.
They also graduate without the skills they need to take on leadership roles. As a law firm coach, I can help you build the next generation of leaders who will ensure the future success of your firm.
And when it is time for an attorney to move on, I can help facilitate a smooth transition that protects the firm’s interests while ensuring the attorney leaves with goodwill toward the organization. If it is a senior lawyer, I can help ensure that the attorney has a good succession plan in place.
Marketing coaching services
Helping High Potential Attorneys to Grow their Practice
Many of the attorneys you hire are uncomfortable with selling or simply lack a plan for building their practice. At the same time, smaller law firms may not have the resources or support in house to work with junior partners or high potential senior associates to develop these skills and ultimately reach their potential to generate more business.
I coach associates and partners on how to incorporate effective business development and marketing techniques into their practice. I help them to build their client and referral relationships and how to use existing strengths to augment business development. I work with your high potential attorneys to learn the skills they need to be successful in developing their own originations. I support them in getting past the obstacles that are getting in the way of their success.
Leadership Coaching
Building the Next Generation of Leaders
Law firms and corporate law departments may have an outstanding reputation, but maintaining it means preparing the next generation of leaders. I help new partners develop the skills they need to become contributors to a sustainable and profitable firm. I help in-house counsel to develop the skills they need to effectively run the legal function in their company. Leadership is the ability to translate vision into reality. Becoming a strong leader also requires an ability to prioritize and delegate.
I work with clients on strategic planning, increasing profitability, enhancing teamwork, managing staff, and associates, gaining support for new policies and initiatives. I help leaders develop better time management skills so they can carve out time to lead with greater effectiveness. These are critical skills that contribute to building a profitable and sustainable law firm or corporate legal function. I can help your leaders get there.
Outplacement for Attorneys
Not every associate will make partner and sometimes, a law firm’s strategic focus will shift which leads to layoffs. When these layoffs occur, is in the firm’s best interest to ensure that people who leave do so with good feelings, as they act as prime referral sources and brand ambassadors. It also helps with company morale. I do conventional outplacement. Typically, I am engaged by a firm to work with individuals who require support in identifying opportunities and learning ways to use networking to uncover unadvertised positions. And I also help with basic job hunting skills such as writing effective resumes and honing their interviewing skills. For many associates who don’t make partner, this is the first time in their lives that they have been unsuccessful in reaching their goals. I provide the emotional support they may need and help them see the opportunities that are now open to them, even though they did not choose to leave the firm. They get the help they need to be successful in their next role. You get the benefit of sending off lawyers who will leave with good feelings about your firm.
Outplacement for Senior Lawyers
Eventually, every professional athlete faces the same challenges: when to retire and what to do next. For the most part, an athlete’s career is limited. Few players will be able to compete into their 40’s. Lawyers, on the other hand, do not face these constraints. They can practice full-time well into their 70’s or 80’s and even continue to actively participate in firm management. For many law firms and for many law firm partners, this is not an optimal strategy. Any healthy business needs a succession plan. Younger attorneys may be looking to take on leadership roles. They may head for greener pastures if they do not see those opportunities. Firms that don’t take the time to transition their clients to the next generation may find that key clients leave the firm when senior partners depart. At the same time, after 30+ years in practice, a lot of lawyers are ready for some sort of change. Yet many are unsure what that change should be or how to implement that change. To help lawyers and law firms facing these issues, I offer The Next Stage coaching. The Next Stage is a program that grew out of my own desire to find renewed meaning in my work at the start of the pandemic.