It’s the last month of the year, and I can feel your motivation for business development flagging. It’s okay, you’re not alone.

So how can you motivate yourself (or others) to finish out the year strong, and get some business development in?  Continue Reading MISSING: Business Development Motivation. 4 Tips to Find it this December!

It’s easy to think that the hard part of networking is the event itself, and if we can navigate that successfully, we’ve done our jobs well and the work will come in. But a big part of successful relationship development is continuity, and that means following up AFTER an event to ensure that you don’t drop off the other person’s radar. Particularly at this time of year, it’s easy to become very busy and distracted (both you and your prospects!) and no longer be top of mind with someone that you really may want to be better connected to.

So what should you do after a networking event? FOLLOW UP! Continue Reading Three Easy Ways to Follow Up After a Networking Event

The ILN’s Corporate Specialty Group is pleased to announce the sixth release of its corporate publication, “Establishing a Business Entity: An International Guide.” This collaborative electronic guide offers a summary of key corporate law principles in more than 40 countries across the globe, serving as a quick, practical reference for those establishing an entity in these jurisdictions.

Our corporate group has once again put together a strong resource for those doing business in their respective jurisdictions. The previous guide has been updated with current figures and regulations, and we have introduced three new jurisdictions in the current guide. Continue Reading Sixth Release – ‘Establishing a Business Entity: An International Guide’

We’re so pleased to announce that we’ve welcomed a new member firm in China, Llinks Law Offices.
Llinks Law Offices is a leading PRC law firm, with a national and international practice, specializing in cross-border transactions. They are renowned for providing high-quality legal service and formulating innovative solutions to complex legal problems. With offices in Shanghai, Beijing, Hong Kong and London, Llinks assists its global clientele in achieving their business goals, whilst providing both a high-caliber and professional service, through a combination of technical excellence, commercial awareness and a practical, constructive approach to legal issues.

Continue Reading International Lawyers Network Welcomes a New Member Firm in China

If you’re a regular Zen follower, you’ll know that this week’s topic from rainmaking trainer and coach, Jaimie Field, is a favorite of mine – using gratitude in business development. Read on to learn why!

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In one week’s time, it will be Thanksgiving in the United States.  And, you will probably be feasting with friends and family, watching football games (and probably arguing with them). I believe that many of us have forgotten that Thanksgiving is a time when we are supposed to be grateful for all that we have received during the past year.  Continue Reading Rainmaking Recommendation from Jaimie Field: The Benefits of Gratitude on Business Development

A few years ago, I remember a woman I know posting on Twitter that her daughter had said “this is the best day of my life. We went to the park, we’re going to mcdonalds, I found a penny. The best day of my life.”

She was 5 at the time, but she had already been through a lot, dealing with a very scary brain tumor that year.  And that, plus a few big things going on in my own life and friends’ lives, have me thinking – the best days of my life really have been about the little things.

Sure, graduating from college was exciting, buying my first house was exciting (well, more nerve-wracking and expensive than exciting), but were they the “best” days of my life?

Nah.

Those have been about the little things – the first time each of my nieces said my name for the first time (or any time they say it, frankly).  Every time one of my dogs comes racing over to see me like I’m his favorite person in the world (I am). Slipping my hand into the hand of the person I love for the first time. Crossing the line of my first marathon (okay, that was kind of a big one). Really focusing to help a friend going through a tough time, and knowing that being there makes a difference. Laughing until I cry with women who really get me. Those are some of my best days.

Continue Reading Building Relationships – It’s about the Little Things

The ILN is proud to announce our latest firm of the month, Stradling Yocca Carlson & Rauth, Southern California!
Stradling is a premier business law firm with more than 130 attorneys in ten offices across California, Colorado, Nevada, and Washington. Stradling represents companies and other entities which seek a sophisticated law firm with experienced counsel to guide critical transactions and disputes. Originally founded in 1975 to represent Southern California’s most innovative emerging growth companies, Stradling is known today as a leading full-service business law firm representing high growth and established organizations at all stages of their existence, including formation, angel and seed financing, venture capital financing, mergers and acquisitions, private equity transactions, IPOs, and debt financings. They bring a tremendous amount of technical expertise to each transaction ranging from extensive corporate, securities, and finance experience, to specialized proficiencies in core areas such as executive compensation and employment, tax, intellectual property, environmental, and real estate law.

Continue Reading ILN Firm of the Month – Stradling Yocca Carlson & Rauth, Southern California!

As I was scrolling through Instagram the other night, I came across a post from a former ILN lawyer (shoutout to Craig Levey) who announced that he’ll be running the Boston Marathon in 20 weeks. What’s more, he’s using those 20 weeks as an opportunity to spend a training session each week with “a local executive, entrepreneur, or Boston personality,” and sharing that on social media. This is something I just love, and it’s also something you can emulate, without having to run the Boston Marathon (though, if that’s your goal, more power to you!).

Let’s talk about why this works, and how you can do what Craig is doing.  Continue Reading Combining Your Passion with Relationship Development

While I’m out of the office today attending the Economist’s Annual General Counsel Conference in London, I’m bringing you another Rainmaking Recommendation from trainer and expert, Jaimie Field! I’m a big fan of Jaimie’s recommendations in this post, and use them myself – in fact, as a holdover from my days in high school (yes, that long ago), I still use a paper agenda to schedule my daily tasks, even breaking up long term projects so that I work on them a little bit every day to make progress. For me, it works really well to have a tangible list that I can cross things off of. I also create a monthly plan, which is tied into my overall operational plan for the ILN, which I review weekly to ensure that I’m maintaining continuity on my goals, and my organization’s goals.

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There is a “law”, really an old adage, you may have heard of called Parkinson’s Law.  This proverb says “work expands so as to fill the time allotted for its completion.”

What this means is that you will get the work done only as fast as needed to beat the deadline. In the case of procrastinators, if you only have a day till the deadline, then you will get the work done on that day – it may not be spectacular work, but it’s done.  Continue Reading Rainmaking Recommendation from Jaimie Field: Parkinson’s Law and Rainmaking

Over the last few years, data has become more and more popular a subject, as we try to quantify everything to do with our businesses. “Please don’t make me try to quantify my relationships TOO!” I can hear you opining. But I promise, the goal is a worthwhile one.

What is always our goal when it comes to any business development or relationship development tactic? Maximizing the benefit and maximizing efficiency, right? Continue Reading Lawyers: Can you Build Relationships with Data?