Is Your Firm Culture Working Against Business Development?

My most recent column for Slaw was published today and it deals with the issue of creating a business development culture within your law firm.

I’ve worked with a number of law firms who have unwittingly created a culture that works against business development, rather than supporting it. Partners lament the lack of effort made by associates or even young partners to develop business. They can’t understand why lawyers wouldn’t want to increase their income by bringing in business. After all, they get a ‘piece of the action,’ so why not put in the effort?

Business development takes time and effort. Our culture in general is increasingly impatient. Instant gratification is the order of the day. But instant gratification is rare when it comes to business development. It can take months or years to cultivate relationships that ultimately bring in business.

Not only does the culture work against a business development mindset, but firm culture only makes things worse. Firms expect lawyers to put in the effort to develop business and to focus on the potential long term rewards, but often this means sacrificing billable hours, and therefore compensation. That’s tough at any time, but in this economy, it’s even less likely to motivate lawyers who may have already taken a financial hit. 

Many firms support lawyers in furthering their legal education and legal skills by providing training on substantive legal issues, having younger lawyers work with more seasoned lawyers to observe and learn from their expertise, supporting attendance at continuing legal education programs or providing those programs in house. But how many firms actively educate attorneys about business development, support business development efforts (as opposed to merely rewarding results), or cultivate business development skills? How many rainmakers mentor other lawyers, allow them to observe their client development efforts or make specific suggestions about business development to others?

Too many law firm partners and managers dismiss the idea that business development skills can be taught or nurtured. Instead, they assume that lawyers either have ‘it’ or they don’t. They complain that their lawyers aren’t doing it or aren’t capable of doing it without putting in any effort to determine who has the potential to develop business and to support those individuals in any meaningful way.

For more of my thoughts,  read my Slaw column on law firm culture and business development – and let me know what you think, too.