20 Essential Client Development Skills Every Associate Should Be Learning

Developing the Next Generation of Rainmakers 20 Essential Client Development Skills Every Associate Should Be Learning I contend that rainmakers are not born that way. I certainly wasn’t. I loved trying to development my skills. I thought of that effort yesterday when I saw a blog:  No-one Was Born Great. I recommend reading it and seeing how it applies to your client development efforts. Are you and the other young lawyers in your firm developing your client development skills? If not I want to to help you. I wish you could come to Dallas and have a coaching session with me, or I could spend a day with you and your law firm. But, if that isn’t going to happen, I will do my best to help you here. One of my primary tasks if I was coaching you, would be to help you figure out what will work best for you. That includes figuring out what you enjoy, what you are good at doing and what will give you the greatest return on your time investment. If you do not enjoy client development, you will likely not stick with it. I would also urge you  to get comfortable outside your comfort zone. Many lawyers I coach have said: I have learned that client development is something I can enjoy doing and do well. Recently, I was asked by the Texas Young Lawyers Association (TYLA)  to write an article that might help young lawyers get started. I wrote  Practical Tips on Client Development for Young Lawyers. Since the article was published, I have been asked by three bar associations to speak on the topics in the article. Take a look and share it with young lawyers in your firm or community. In addition to the TYLA article,  I have written several client development posts aimed at associates. Here is a sample: Are You Teaching Your Young Associates to Think Like a Client You are Never Too Young to Become a “Go To” Lawyer 5 simple ways young, energetic lawyers can compete for business with more experienced lawyers At the risk of repeating some of what I have already said, here is a list of 20 skills I believe every associate should be learning. If you are not an associate, please share this with associates in your firm. You (or they) should learn how to: Suppose your law firm, or your local bar association asked me to come speak to your young lawyers. What would you choose for the topic?  What are three questions you would want to make sure I answer? Suppose you had a coaching session with me. What would you put on your agenda for us to cover in an hour?   I practiced law for 37 years developing a national construction law practice representing some of the top highway and transportation construction contractors in the US.