We devised a marketing plan for a Chicago law firm. The firm approved the plan and we trained 20 partners -- who were not originating new work -- in business development and helped them draft their individual plans. Within nine months the trained partners had brought in $1,000,000 in new files. One partner doubled his revenue to the firm; another partner quadrupled his revenues. 

Once we have an overall strategy, we will work with you and your partners to develop individual marketing plans that support it. Each lawyer will carry out their plan during the next six months. Before each coaching session, we will review your list of current clients and identify new target clients. We will also ask you to fill out a marketing plan form. It will list associations and organizations in which you should become active, speeches and presentations you can make, and articles you can write. It will also list referral sources with whom you will stay in personal contact.

We'll meet with you one-on-one to identify your natural marketing skills and personal strengths. Our approach is to inquire into your marketing activities, how business currently comes to you, and your list of top clients and referral sources. Working together, we'll articulate what makes clients hire you, what makes you different different from your competitors and how clients find out about you.

In our experience, the most effective marketing gets the attorneys out of their offices, visiting clients, becoming active in trade associations, and speaking and writing for publications read by clients. New business comes in person, and it is crucial to have the attorneys individually active. Each lawyer would devise a plan that draws on his/her strengths, avoids cold-calling and uncomfortable salutations, and is fun to carry out.

You'll always get a private appointment with us to develop specific steps that are suited to you.  We will guide you to the best sources of new business, recommend visits to the key individuals who can retain you, and develop activities that will build your reputation and credentials. This may include writing, speaking, networking, cross-selling, calling on business sources or using the Web -- depending on what what works best for you.

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Business Development Strategy Many firms simply "dress up their lawyers like hunters," send them into the woods and tell them to shoot at anything that moves. Obvious this works poorly. Our approach is to outfit the firm a hunting organization, give it a plan to follow, identify targets, and provide the lawyers the tools they need to acquire the target as a client.

Among many others, this approach has been highly successful for:

Testimonials:

"On behalf of the Arizona State Bar, I thank you for your important and generous presentation at this year's Minority Bar Convention.  Your session was timely and beneficial for the attendees, and it was our honor to have a national speaker.  I wish you continued success with your very critical work." -- Wendy Kim, 2009 Co-chair, State Bar of Arizona Minority Bar Convention, United States Attorney, Phoenix, AZ, wendy.kim@azbar.org

"Your presentations have been excellent and we hope to work with you for some more successful presentations this year. Through TAG Academy, we've presented approximately 50 web seminars since last September 5 (your courses have been among our most popular)." -- Cameron Fuller, Director of Member Services, TAGLaw law firm network.

"Your session really seemed to go down well – as I’m sure you’re aware. We all really appreciate the time, effort and participation you put forth in helping us to make our event all it could be. The feedback I’ve seen thus far suggests that many of the delegates enjoyed the program and found the content engaging." -- Kevin Klein, Program Director, Ark-Group conference company.

"The members of the audience that were lucky enough to get a seat were impressed with your presentation. Your well thought-out subject matter spoke to the time and effort you put into your session. I personally received many nice compliments and feel we were very lucky that you were able to participate in the form." -- From the AICPA Accounting Firm Marketing Forum, from Walter Timoshenko, CMO, Weiser CPAs, conference chairman.

"Your keynote speech received the highest rating of any presentation. Congratulations! More than one attendee noted their favorite session was your presentation. Indeed, one attendee noted on an evaluation form, "Bodine was great!" -- M.J. Haught, Marketing Director, Cal Law Business: Increasing Productivity.

"Larry Bodine -- Wow!" -- evaluation from North Carolina Bar Association, Law Practice Management annual meeting.

"Thanks so much for presenting to our group. I had many positive comments from our customers about your presentation." -- Sandra Locke, Director of Marketing Communications, Pitney Bowes Management Service.

"Judging by our program evaluation forms, you presentation was very useful--we received high marks in the speaker and content categories." -- Gabriel L. Tevrizian, Seattle Legal Marketing Association.

"Your session on technology was informative and interesting to our attendees. Thank you for helping make CAI's Law Seminar a success." -- Richard S. Ekimoto, Trustee, Community Associations Institute.

"I would like to thank you for presenting at our meeting. Your presentation, "How Law Firms Can Drive Business With Cutting Edge Technology" was very well received by both Legal Marketing Association members and members of the Association of Legal Administrators." -- Donna V. Rodgers, President, Southwest Chapter, LMA.

Strategy and Training

• Chuhak & Tecson, one of the 50 largest law firms in Illinois, based in Chicago. We conducted a business development training session and trained 20 partners on their personal business development plans.
• David Maister, Boston, MA, management consultant, author and  internationally renown speaker and author of the David Maister blog. We provided strategic advice and assisted in carrying it out.
• Pitney Bowes, a company with 35,000 employees and $5.5 billion in annual sales. We presented a session at its Client Advisory Meeting in Williamsburg, VA.
• Merchant & Gould PC, a 160-attorney intellectual property firm headquartered in Minneapolis with additional offices located in Atlanta, Chicago, Denver, Seattle and Washington, DC. Building on earlier work with the firm we helped develop numerous client teams.
• National Network Reporting Company, (NNRC), the most prestigious independent court reporting firm network in the nation with 50+ member firms.
• Hodges Loizzi, the pre-eminent education and school board firm in Illinois. We reviewed the firm's financials, clientèle and marketing efforts, interviewed all the partners and created a business development strategy.
• Gilbert Heintz & Randolph, a 38-lawyer litigation firm based in Washington, D.C. We conducted a weekend business development training session.
• Califf & Harper, a 130-year old full-service firm in the Quad Cities of Illinois and Iowa. We developed a firmwide business development strategy, and then trained all the firm's lawyers on their personal business development plans.
• Baird Holm, a 65-lawyer full-service firm in Omaha, NE. We presented an all-lawyer program on business development.
• Granoff Ethics Consulting, an ethics consulting firm for lawyers based in Chicago. We developed a firm strategy, created the firm's Web site, and trained key personnel on business development.
• Huck, Bouma, Martin, Jones & Bradshaw, the largest law firm in the Western suburbs of Chicago. After reviewing the firm's financials, marketing activities, reports from previous consultants, and interviewing key partners, we developed a business development strategy.
• Kenney Shelton Liptak Nowak, an insurance litigation boutique in Buffalo, NY.  We studied the firm's marketing activities, interviewed key partners and presented a business development plan to the entire firm.  We wrote a 16-page business development plan and a 22-page detailed supplement for the firm owners.
• LawBiz Management Company, Venice, CA. We advised the owner on marketing tactics, redesigned and rewrote the text of the firm Web site, and advised on new-business development.
• Shipman & Goodwin, a full-service law firm of 150 attorneys, one of the largest law firms in Connecticut. We reviewed firm financials and marketing information, interviewed key rainmakers and developed a business development strategy.  We presented the plan at an all-partner meeting, where it was approved.
• Millen, White, Zelano & Branigan, PC, an intellectual property boutique in Washington, D.C.  We wrote a business development strategy, presented it to all the lawyers at a kickoff meeting, and coached each lawyer on their personal business development plans.
• DurretteBradshaw, a litigation boutique based in Richmond, VA. Over a one-year period we reviewed the firms financials and marketing activities, interviewed key partners and wrote a business development strategy. We presented it at a half-day meeting with firm owners, and advised on personnel, practice groups, financial policy and business development.  We also helped the firm find a marketing director.
• Beovich Walter & Friend, Portland, OR, court reporters serving the Northwest with certified shorthand reporting and video conferencing services. By scheduling conference calls at regular intervals, we advised the owners on business development tactics.
• Cady Reporting Services, Inc., providing a full range of court reporting services in Cleveland and Northeast Ohio since 1979. We conducted a day-long business development planning session at the firm.