Rainmaking trainer and expert, Jaimie Field, is bringing us another solid tip for business development today, and it’s about exercise! She mentions me in here – not by name, but I’m the one who ran the Paris marathon this weekend – but that’s not the only reason I’m sharing this post. I’ll add to her comments that exercise is a great tool for business development, not just for the reasons she outlines below, but also because it gives you opportunities to connect to potential business contacts. Running with my lawyers enables a different group of people to network as we explore a new city – you may find that joining your local gym exposes you to potential clients or referral sources, or your weekly squash game is something that you can play with a new client. Rather than meeting for drinks, you meet for a round of golf or a new running route. Train for a race with a client or potential client, and it could change your whole relationship. Explore exercise as another way to develop business, as well as change the relationship you have with your health. And if you are a female runner, or a woman wanting to become a runner, check out the Badass Lady Gang, which has almost 60 chapters around the world and is a great way to get started (full disclosure, I lead my local chapter). Continue Reading
ILN Firm of the Month – VDE Legal, Brussels, Belgium!
We are proud to announce our latest firm of the month, VDE Legal, Brussels, Belgium!
VDE LEGAL is a law firm that guarantees their clients high-quality legal services, by offering them the services of specialised lawyers, with genuine expertise.
Their clients include SMEs, large companies, multinational corporations, public sector institutions and legal entities and individuals. VDE LEGAL gives top priority to maintaining the quality of their client relationships.
Developing a learning culture in your organisation
While I’m out of the office this week, I’m really pleased to be bringing you a special guest post from one of the ILN’s member professionals. Alice Steen, Knowledge Manager at Holmes O’Malley Sexton, discusses best practices for developing a learning culture in your organization.
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Alice Steen, Knowledge Manager, at Holmes O’Malley Sexton reflects on ten years of learning and development (L&D) – providing strategic planning, specialist training, funding and supports for the staff’s further education, career and professional development at the thriving full service law firm.
Alice is a qualified solicitor with post graduate qualifications in higher education, teaching and learning, together with being a Lean Black Belt.
Alice joined Holmes O’Malley Sexton (HOMS Solicitors) in 2008 when it had just one office and 26 practising solicitors, 2 legal executives and 3 trainees. She has witnessed the firm’s solicitors, legal executives and trainee numbers grow by nearly 300% along with now having four offices in London, Dublin, Limerick and Cork. The nature and demands of her own role have changed dramatically as a result. Continue Reading
Play to Your Strengths to Enhance Your Leadership Skills
Being a strong leader is something that a lot of us aspire to, whether we’re serving in a position of leadership or not – whatever our role in our firms, the way we work, collaborate, and engage with others has a big impact on them. Knowing your strengths, and leveraging them, can help you create great teams within your firm, and as collaboration is key to success, this is a skill we certainly want to pursue.
A few years ago, I had the opportunity to take a strengths assessment test called StrengthsFinder, which provided me with five themes, and what stood out within each of those themes (more on my results later). In the follow up to taking this assessment, I learned that we’re all inclined to want to focus on areas of weakness and how to improve them. 61% of people believe that we grow most in areas of greatest weakness [statistics and themes are from a session with Alycia Sutor, of then Akina Corporation, now GrowthPlay].
That’s why we address weaknesses in performance reviews, and ask people to change or strengthen those areas. Even when we’re looking critically at our own performances, we’re looking for feedback on areas where we can do better, what our liabilities are, and how we can improve or mitigate them. Continue Reading
Rainmaking Recommendation from Jaimie Field: If Content is King, What Happens When…
In today’s rainmaking recommendations post, coach and trainer, Jaimie Field is talking about what happens when you get writer’s block – and she event mentions yours truly!
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If content is king, what happens when you get writers’ block?
You are staring at a blank white screen on your computer, your hands poised nervously over the computer keyboard (or if you are old school, the 8”x14” yellow legal pad with a pen in your hands) waiting for some inspiration to hit you.
I have been plagued with writer’s block for a few days and have been wracking my brain for ideas; I have been scouring the internet for some revelation of what I could write about for this issue of Rainmaking Recommendations, and…….. Continue Reading
Two Ways Marathon Training Can Prepare you for Business Development
The curse of the marathon runner – we’re either running, or we’re talking about running. Apologies to everyone around me who isn’t a runner who’s had to suffer through my running and running-adjacent conversations over the last several months.
I’m 12 days away from my first marathon (in PARIS!) and I’m both excited and anxious about it. I joke that my life is either about work or running or trying to take care of my dogs – with little room for anything else. But it’s not an exaggeration.
So it’s no surprise that as I’m well into my taper (the period before the marathon where you reduce your mileage so that your legs will be fresh to run the 26.2 miles that the marathon demands), all I’m thinking about is running. What can that possibly have to do with business development? Quite a lot as it happens. Continue Reading
Lawyers: Use Content to Create and Deliver Value for Readers
This morning, I’m bringing you a guest post from Lance Godard, of The Godard Group, who is sharing some excellent tips on how to use content to create and deliver value for readers. Have you been wondering how you bridge that gap between good writing, and great writing that catches the attention of potential clients, referral sources and influencers, and shows you to be a thought leader? Lance has the answers. For over 30 years, Lance has worked with lawyers and law firms to help them craft their messages, so if you’re looking for someone to help you with your content, look no further than The Godard Group.
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Blog posts, presentations, podcasts, and more: today there are more ways than ever for lawyers to market themselves and their firms. Whatever the method, though, it’s critical to remember that the most effective marketing is that which creates and delivers value to your clients and potential clients. Continue Reading
ILN Executive Highlighted in 2019 JD Supra Readers Choice Awards
I’m thrilled to announce that JD Supra has included me in this year’s Readers Choice Awards, which acknowledge top authors and firms for their thought leadership in key topics. I was selected from among thousands of authors published in 2018 for the level of visibility and engagement attained with readers on the topic of marketing and business development.
We also have two ILN member recognized – Patricia Wagner and E. John Steren of Epstein Becker & Green were recognized as top authors in Antitrust & Trade Regulation.
You may remember that we had Lance Godard contribute a guest post a few years ago on three reasons why every lawyer should study the JD Supra awards, and these are just as relevant today, so I encourage you to check these out. To recap:
- Clients read what they need to know
- Content marketing works
- Less is definitely not more
Read more to find out why the awards are relevant to you, even if you haven’t participated or been recognized, and how you can make use of them in your practice. Continue Reading
Overcoming Awkward Silences at Networking Events
There are some people who can talk with anyone – my brother-in-law is like that. Put him in a room with a bunch of people he doesn’t know, and he excels at connecting with them without awkward silences.
But for many of us, that is unfortunately not one of our strengths. I’m a prime example of that. Raise your hand if you’ve ever been speaking with someone, only to have the conversation taper off and leave you standing there wracking your brain to come up with something to say?
*Hand raised* Continue Reading
International Lawyers Network Welcomes New Member Firm in Taiwan
We’re thrilled to welcome our newest member firm into the ILN, Lee and Li, Attorneys-at-Law, Taiwan. The firm are leaders in their local and Chinese markets, strengthening our position in Asia. As business needs continue to grow globally, law firm clients require access to an experienced legal support system. “Lee and Li is comprised of talented legal professionals,” said Alan Griffiths, ILN Executive Director “and with an impeccable reputation for being creative, business-focused and responsive, they are an ideal ILN member firm.” Continue Reading
