This series of blawgs on business development for lawyers originally appeared in the California Minority Counsel Program newsletters, and is also archived on their site (www.cmcp.org).
by Martha Sullivan | Aug 15, 2017
I could blame the hot weather for making me cranky, but I think it’s something else. I’ve had too many conversations with lawyers this year about the difficulties of being heard, being acknowledged, and being fairly compensated. Even for my coaching clients who are... read more
by Martha Sullivan | Apr 12, 2017
Every year, I have the opportunity to meet new associates, either at networking events or when I present workshops at law firms or bar associations. Not surprisingly, each new class of associates has similar questions about business development. Even though many law... read more
by Martha Sullivan | Dec 20, 2016
In my previous blawg, I wrote about the financial rewards of having a diverse workforce. There are many sources that connect diversity with increases in revenue, profitability, workforce retention and access to clients. Those all seem like decent carrots, or... read more
by Martha Sullivan | Jul 28, 2016
In case you’ve ever been worried about being different from everyone else in your law firm or company, I’ll encourage you to follow Oscar Wilde’s advice. You really can’t be anyone but yourself, and isn’t this the point of having diversity and inclusion initiatives? ... read more
by Martha Sullivan | Apr 14, 2016
I have a rule for some of my high-achieving coaching clients. They are not allowed to say “yes” to any new project or task until they have thought about it for 24 hours. In the context of business development, you might think this is a strange rule. Normally, I... read more
by Martha Sullivan | Dec 1, 2015
My coaching clients often ask if there is a difference between marketing plans for solo practitioners and those created by lawyers who work in large firms. Ultimately, your marketing plan is based on your individual goals. Your plan may include tasks related to your... read more
by Martha Sullivan | Sep 1, 2015
A recent New Yorker article referred to a short story called “The Machine Stops.” It was written by E. M. Forster more than one hundred years ago, about people who lived underground and were entirely dependent on technology. Somehow, Forster imagined a world that... read more
by Martha Sullivan | Jun 1, 2015
Somehow, the year is half over. Have you completed 50% of the business development tasks you planned on for 2015? Or have you been focused only on billable hours? If you are like most of my coaching clients, you probably have a long list of calls you meant to make,... read more
by Martha Sullivan | Mar 12, 2015
An attorney I’ve known for many years asked me to create a workshop on confidence. She recommended that I read “The Confidence Code” by Katty Kay and Claire Shipman. Although the book was written specifically for women, I found that much of the information and advice... read more
by Martha Sullivan | Nov 1, 2014
At the CMCP 25th Anniversary Business Conference in October, speaker Marissa Dennis from Allen Matkins made a wonderful statement about her business development efforts. She said, “I don’t have a book of business. I have pages.” Having met Marissa, I suspect that... read more
