Law.com Subscribers SAVE 30%

Call 855-808-4530 or email [email protected] to receive your discount on a new subscription.

Marketing the Law FirmKickerFeaturesTopicsLaw Firm ManagementSectionsNewsLJN Newsletters

Professional Development: An Effective, Individualized Approach to Business Development Training

By James R. Lovelace
March 30, 2009

In his book “True Professionalism” (Touchstone, 1997), David Maister addresses why many professionals, attorneys included, have a negative attitude toward the topic of business development. He feels it partly comes from “a profound misunderstanding of what business development is truly about.” He says that many attorneys have the mistaken impression that business development is similar to “encyclopedia selling.” For those of us tasked with training attorneys, this “misunderstanding” explains why many attorneys are reluctant to commit to business development training. They see the exercise as pointless because they do not possess the innate acumen or drive for “sales.”

Maister correctly calls this view “nonsense” and goes on to say: “Being good at business development involves nothing more than a sincere interest in clients and their problems, and a willingness to go out and spend time being helpful to them.” (p. 28) At Pillsbury, we recently teamed with Akina Corp. to roll out a training program that builds on this broader view of business development. To date, over 100 attorneys ' partners, counsel, and senior associates ' have taken or are taking this training. This article briefly describes our program and highlights feedback we have received.

This premium content is locked for Entertainment Law & Finance subscribers only

  • Stay current on the latest information, rulings, regulations, and trends
  • Includes practical, must-have information on copyrights, royalties, AI, and more
  • Tap into expert guidance from top entertainment lawyers and experts

For enterprise-wide or corporate acess, please contact Customer Service at [email protected] or 877-256-2473

Read These Next
New York's Latest Cybersecurity Commitment Image

On Aug. 9, 2023, Gov. Kathy Hochul introduced New York's inaugural comprehensive cybersecurity strategy. In sum, the plan aims to update government networks, bolster county-level digital defenses, and regulate critical infrastructure.

Law Firms are Reducing Redundant Real Estate by Bringing Support Services Back to the Office Image

A trend analysis of the benefits and challenges of bringing back administrative, word processing and billing services to law offices.

Bit Parts Image

Summary Judgment Denied Defendant in Declaratory Action by Producer of To Kill a Mockingbird Broadway Play Seeking Amateur Theatrical Rights

Risks of “Baseball Arbitration” in Resolving Real Estate Disputes Image

“Baseball arbitration” refers to the process used in Major League Baseball in which if an eligible player's representative and the club ownership cannot reach a compensation agreement through negotiation, each party enters a final submission and during a formal hearing each side — player and management — presents its case and then the designated panel of arbitrators chooses one of the salary bids with no other result being allowed. This method has become increasingly popular even beyond the sport of baseball.

Bankruptcy Sales: Finding a Diamond In the Rough Image

There is no efficient market for the sale of bankruptcy assets. Inefficient markets yield a transactional drag, potentially dampening the ability of debtors and trustees to maximize value for creditors. This article identifies ways in which investors may more easily discover bankruptcy asset sales.