Back from vacation, $1500 in cash lighter and 4 lbs heavier. In the meantime, my Google Reader registered more than 1000 posts. Here are a few highlights (in no particular order):

In this blog you will find marketing and business development advice primarily from my perspective. I’ll have some guest bloggers with alternative voices, but the main voice here is mine.

I am always happy when I run across a new voice to share with all of you. I very much enjoyed reading this article Commentary: Tough Love for New Associates by Jason Braun, originally posted in Texas Lawyer.

When I became a lawyer, a partner gave me what I now realize was great advice: “Don’t think like an associate,” she told me. “Think like a partner.” I wisely nodded my head. “Of course,” I solemnly replied, hoping she would not notice my confusion.

Truth be told, I really did not understand her advice. But over time, I learned that the basic premise behind the advice is to put the client first and let the partner be your guide.

Jason has great, and simple, advice for his peers. Here’s a taste of what he has to offer … read the whole article for the details:

Partners are Associates First Clients (wow, they’re my clients, too!)

New lawyers should act as though they owe a fiduciary duty to their firm and its
partners, whether or not the law recognizes one. Those who act on this belief
will respond to situations appropriately.

Follow the Leader

Some associates complain ad nauseam about partners who criticize their appearance or yell at them. They whine about the long hours the partners demand and are indignant that partners refuse to listen to their ideas regarding a case.

Don’t be one of those associates.

Make Your Own Rain

In firms, those who make the rain also make the rules. Associates who want to
make their own rules should become rainmakers themselves. The legal industry is
a service industry, and lawyers must constantly market and sell their services.

Cheerleaders Can Be Tough

This is the touchy-feely category that many associates do not believe has a place in the stern and serious world of law. A new lawyer can be a hard-as-nails associate, fighting aggressively with opposing counsel, and still be a great morale builder.

Everyone works better when morale and spirits are high. Not surprisingly, partners want morale to be up at the firm. Many associates, however, are entirely self-absorbed and pay constant attention to how they are feeling after having two bad days in a row. Get over it.

The firm is better served when associates focus on building the morale of others.

I’m reading with interest Nadine Slavitt’s article Overcome Insecurity and Bring in More Business. Most likely because I see myself in many aspects of the article. I know how to dress the part and do my job:

My guess is that for many lawyers, dressing the part is not too difficult — a suit, some nice shoes, a good haircut, and you’re basically there. And, because of the hoops through which people must jump in order to become lawyers in the first place, many have mastered a good work ethic and already strive to become the best lawyers they can be.

When I was in sales (for a very short time), I too experienced that “networking and bringing in business can be painfully difficult for many lawyers, both young and old.”

Nadine opines that the insecurity we feel around networking and business development is not rooted in lack of confidence in our accomplishments, but that we question our use of social skills and networking capabilities in bringing in new business. I tend to agree with this.
The article is short and only offers two roots to the problem and quick solutions, while I am certain there are many, many more:
Negative Internal Dialogue – you have to ignore those nagging voices that keep you from reaching out your hand when networking opportunities arise:

Many lawyers have told me that they are not comfortable marketing themselves. They say things like, “I won’t know anyone at the networking events,” “They’ll think I’m pushy,” “I feel like a used car salesman,” “I’ll look stupid,” “They already have a lawyer,” and “I’m just not good at this.”

Lack of Experience

Many lawyers experience difficultly admitting that they lack experience and feel insecure in developing business. After years of attending law school, practicing law, advising clients and building a reputation in a highly regarded and competitive profession, it can be uncomfortable to admit that we have very little experience networking and developing business.

I find that the lack of experience networking is the key issue. Striking up a conversation with a stranger is intimidating for anyone. It takes practice and skill. I have a few recommendations that will allow you to “test the waters” of networking:

  • Take an Improv class. You will learn to become comfortable in conversation, how to listen to the person you are interacting with, how to add to the conversation.
  • Register for an interactive seminar or class such as a cooking class, wine tasting, golf lessons, etc. Go alone. Start chatting to the person next to you. Ask questions about them, and listen. Once again, these seminars are about getting you comfortable with striking up conversations.
  • Have an official role. I like being on a committee or board. I also volunteer at many events. It gives me a role at business and social networking events, and provides “cover” for why I am extending my hand. If you don’t have an official role, assign yourself one, such as “host.”
  • Play the host at the next reception. At any social event you will find the loners and wall flowers if you look for them. Make it your mission to introduce yourself to those individuals. Wave them over and include them in your conversations. Try and make them feel at ease and comfortable, and you will find yourself at ease and comfortable.
  • Have something to say. In addition to your elevator speech, have something to say of value or of interest. If you are attending an industry conference, what recent legal issues or pending legislation might affect the attendees? What recent press stories are dominating the industry? If you are attending the conference out of town, read the local paper so that you are well informed on current, and LOCAL, events.

When it comes to networking and business development, I think it is the rare person to whom the skills come naturally. However, these are skills that we can all learn over time. It takes working against our instincts to run back to our hotel room and check our email, rather than attend the reception. It takes overcoming our fears and walking up to a small group and introducing ourselves. It takes confidence to stick out our hand and make someone else feel comfortable in an awkward situation.

Why am I writing in the first-person, plural? Because my natural instinct is to avoid social interactions. My natural instinct is to head back to my room, rather than the cocktail reception. My natural instinct is to observe, rather than engage. Over the years, I have had to overcome my “natural” instincts and become a mingler, to become socially comfortable, to be at ease when I am networking.

Enjoy. I’ll be traveling all day, making my way from hot and sunny California to hot and muggy Virginia for the Virginia Bar Association’s Summer Meeting (pdf) where I will be speaking on … wait for it … social networking for lawyers!!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Z1aZ7Gs46A&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&feature=player_embedded&fs=1]

One thing I have noticed with most law firms is that they suffer from a case of “WW____D” (“What Would “fill in the blank with your favorite AmLaw 50 firm” Do).

When Gunderson increased associate salaries to $145,000 in 2000, I remember my boutique law firm waiting around to see what “so-and-so” decided to do (we ended up matching the $145,000).

The same thing happened when Simpson Thacher raised first year salaries to $160,000 in 2007. It was all over for the California firms when Quinn Emmanuel opened up their wallets to match.

When White & Case openly laid off attorneys in November 2008, it quickly provided cover for other firms to follow suit. And, boy, did they ever. So much so that Law Shucks was set up to just track law firm layoffs.

And there have been so many deferrals of first year associates of late; it’s just old news when the latest firm joins the fray.

But now we’re starting to see a new law firm “wave:” cancellations of summer programs and on-campus interviews (OCI).

Morgan Lewis, which announced its decision last week, was quickly joined by other firms over the past few days, including Ballard Spahr, Thompson Hine and Squire Sanders, “Above the Law” reported. Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe has said that it would delay its on-campus interviewing until early next year in order to first see how many offers it gives to the 2009 summer class. Orrick said it would make some of those offers good for 2012. And now Weil Gotshal & Manges has followed suit, offering incentives for current summers to take a 2012 start date, according to reports from The Legal Intelligencer’s sister publication, the “Am Law Daily” blog.

Changing or canceling summer programs is a growing trend law school leaders have said they hoped wouldn’t catch on.

So riddle me this, if this wave continues, and we get to the point where there are few, if any, summer programs, how will the future’s “youngest and brightest” new lawyers find a job at a top-notch law firm? Let alone pick up the “on the job” skills that they don’t teach you in law school?

I will go back to law firm internship programs being a well-rounded solution. Okay, a young associate will ONLY make $100,000 per year upon graduation, but even here in Los Angeles that’s enough for a really nice apartment in Marina del Rey, student loan payments, and the monthly lease on a BMW 3-series.

In return, the young associate will gain on-the-job training, partner mentorship, client face-time, the ability to “sit in” on depositions and trials, heightened job satisfaction and much, much more.

I am no PR expert, but I’ve been known to play one next to the water cooler.

In today’s age of viral social media, and our very own legal version of TMZ, can a law firm keep the lid on bad news? Have e-mail leaks about layoffs prompted law firms to set a new PR course?
At a prior firm, it became apparent, after a couple leaks, that any and all memos to the board, memos to staff, etc. had to be written with full awareness that they could, and most likely would, be leaked. Traps were set, and people got caught, but the news always got out.
And while a firm can lock down Internet access from the office desktop, the ability to check personal e-mail accounts and the means to fire-up your personal laptop using the firm’s Wi-Fi, those steps will not stop the leaking of documents, and might encourage more of it.
Speaking only from personal experience, I have found that the leakers of internal information are usually disgruntled employees who feel that the firm has wronged them, or their friends, in some personal way. Leaking sensitive information is their way of exacting control and revenge, all at the same time.
So, is transparency between the firm’s leadership and the staff the answer? Transparency between the firm and the media? According to the Levick Strategic Communications, the answer is yes:

Realistically, employers can’t expect to release information internally and keep it out of the news, says Dallas Lawrence of Levick Strategic Communications. He recommends that employers plan to release the same message to employees and the media simultaneously.

While transparency will never be a panacea, I have seen it quickly put out the gossip fires in the hallways. When employees are personally informed, by management, about changes to the firm’s dynamic — whether it is as drastic as firm wide layoffs, or as seemingly benign as changes to the firm’s holiday schedule — they are brought into the firm’s inner circle, and not on the outside looking in … wondering.

In this circumstance, I agree with Levick: law firms need to take control over their public image, their reputations and their news. A firm cannot sit back and allow Above the Law, Law Shucks or any other site to dictate their message. Some might call it “spin,” but I call it good PR. Get in front of the story and lead it.

I really enjoyed 50 Web Resources for the Suddenly Solo Lawyer by Jim Calloway and Allison C. Shields. But one thing lacking in the article were marketing, business development and sales resources for the legal professional.

I’ve asked some of my esteemed readers (Jayne Navarre, Nancy Myrland and Greg Lambert) for their must have blogs, resources and Websites. If we’ve missed your favorites, please share in the comments section.

BOOKMARKS WE CANT LIVE WITHOUT

SOCIAL NETWORKING
You should know by now how to find Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook, but here are some third party applications and other social networking applications that we can’t live without.

  • FriendFeed – share online content with your network
  • Legal OnRamp – a collaboration system for in-house counsel and invited outside lawyers and third party service providers.
  • LexTweet – lawyers and legal professionals who Tweet
  • Martindale Connected – a professional networking and online community for lawyers and legal professionals.
  • Ning – create your own social network
  • Seesmic – manage both Twitter and Facebook
  • Tweetdeck – manage your Twitter streams on your desktop, iPhone
  • YouTube – create and upload your own videos and stream onto your website

BLOGGING PLATFORMS

  • Blogger – free blogging software
  • LexBlog – legal blog developers and consultants
  • Typepad – free blogging software
  • WordPress – free blogging software

LEGAL MARKETING BLOGS (Twitter follow)

LEGAL NEWS BLOGS/WEBSITES

GENERAL MARKETING, PR, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, SOCIAL NETWORTING

PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS

BLOG/CONTENT SYNDICATORS

RANKINGS
Love them or hate them, here’s how to find them

I read with interest the WSJBlog’s take on the Morgan Lewis Bockius announcement, BigLaw Gloom, In Hopes of Avoiding Doom: Morgan Cuts 2010 Program.

On the surface, and intellectually, I understand why firms are cutting their summer programs. They have a glut of associates currently on staff, and by pushing back their start dates for the 2009 class, there are no job openings.

But, Morgan Lewis is “among the biggest revenue-earners in the nation” and continues to rank 12th amongst the AmLaw 100. While their revenue per lawyer was down slightly in the latest charts, their profits per equity partner went up slightly to $1.45 million with total compensation per partner at over $1 million.

Are these cost saving measures necessary to the survival of the firm as a whole, or to the pocketbooks of a few? Will the profits per equity partner go down at these firms in 2009? Or are the changes being made to the business model to ensure that current partner compensation will not be impacted by the recession.

So, here’s my question: “What responsibility do we (currently employed at any level, in any firm) have to those who are not employed?”

I am a true capitalist, and I have no qualms about making more money than the guy down the street. However, I am also a moral person and I do wonder what my role is during these down times. What am I expected to contribute or sacrifice?

As an employer, I am making sacrifices to keep my personal employee’s job secure. I find myself working hard to lend a hand to my friends who are currently unemployed, whether in my industry or not. I pass along any and all job leads, I review resumes, I recommend my trusted friends for consulting positions.

The same questions can and should be asked of the legal industry as a whole.

What are the moral responsibilities of the legal vendors, law firms, law schools, legal placement agencies, bar associations and the like to those who have been displaced, laid-off, or, in the case of the Class of 2010, have few, if any, job opportunities?

What about the Legal Marketing Association, Association of Legal Administrators, The Association for Legal Career Professionals (NALP) and the other professional associations dedicated to the legal industry?

I know that LexisNexis and Thomson Reuters (parent company to Westlaw) have stepped up and are offering programs of assistance to displaced attorneys via Lend-a-Hand and Between Cases.

But what about everyone else?? What about you??

The current economic conditions have been extremely detrimental to millions of people, and have lead to the shuttering of hundreds of businesses across the country. The legal industry has not been spared.

Yet, for those who are risk-takers, or perhaps, to paraphrase the Outliers, in the right place at the right time with the right skills, the current economic conditions are about opportunities.

In his column today, Jeffrey Gitomer opines that now is NOT the time to ask “Is my job safe.” It is, however, the time to change our perspective and to take control of our careers and our paths:

The word is not recession – the word is opportunity. You and I are at the crossroads of that opportunity. The only question is who will take advantage of it?

Now is not the time to worry, or wait. Now is the time to self-evaluate. Take stock. Do an inventory. Total your assets. And come to grips with who you are, and who you want to be. Then take action.

His post includes questions to help you take inventory of your career. By answering the questions you can see where you are at, where you are going, and where you really want to be.

These questions transcend, “Is my job safe?” And let me give you a clue Sparky, nothing is safe.

People who took a job at a bank to be “safe” are now on the street. One hundred thousand of them. All rules of the game are off. It’s like Manhattan in a snowstorm; anything goes, and every man is for himself.

The answers to the “take inventory” questions will give you the most realistic picture of yourself you have ever had. They will also clarify where you have the potential to go. Or should I say grow.

Now that your assets are defined and you present situation is clear, write down what you (really) want to do or become – and assess the path you’re on now. Are the paths aligned? Are you on the right road?

Taking inventory of your career aligns perfectly with my take on “Marketing Me.”

As I have written about extensively, the importance of “Marketing Me” on a daily basis is not about feeding our egos, but a means to enhance our personal brands, to provide us with control over our careers, and to lead us towards a more fulfilling path.