How Can Lawyers Get Client Referrals?

Professionals don't need to look for clients because clients seek them out. Years ago, that seemed to be one of the traits determining if a career qualified as a profession. Readers who watched the PBS series Rumpole of the Bailey, based on the books by John Mortimer, saw that cases came to barristers, often through their clerk. Today, it is expected that lawyers in private practice need to be bringing in business. Perhaps we can blame another TV series, Boston Legal, for bringing that into the open. How can lawyers find new clients? How can they get client referrals?

1. Look to Asia. In cultures with Chinese traditions, people often assemble a network of experts around them. This is called your Guanxi. It might include professors from your college days. It should include other professionals in fields like the law. When a person has a problem within the expertise of someone in their Guanxi network, it is considered disrespectful not to approach them, seeking a solution. Do you have Asian friends? Do they have a Guanxi? Are you included as an expert in the law?
2. Where do your friends get legal advice? Do you friends fully understand what you do for a living? There are many branches of the legal profession. The lawyer who assists in real estate transactions might not be the ideal choice to represent you in a criminal case. Ask your friends if they have a lawyer. Regardless of the answer, establish yourself as the alternative. You are a resource.
3. Whose lawyer is retiring? No one lives forever. This includes clients and lawyers. Generally speaking, clients like stability. They dislike change. Your friend might already have a lawyer. They are fiercely loyal. They should be congratulated on having found a good relationship. What happens when their lawyer retires? They will need a new lawyer. You want to get into the position as their first choice.
4. Do your business-owning friends have a personal relationship with their lawyer? It is easy to think of accountants as tax preparers. They perform a service. Some think of family physicians the same way. They run blood tests, give advice and are ready to see their next patient. Your friend might have a lawyer when circumstances dictate their business needs one. Do they know their lawyer on a personal basis? Does their lawyer have firsthand knowledge of why they are a good person and have the passion to argue their case?
5. Are any law firms merging or closing their doors? Certain professions have a "stickiness factor." People stick with their accountant. Relationships with financial advisors are often stickier when the client owns several different products instead of simply stocks. Clients might stick with their lawyer because they are afraid of the unknown. If a firm merges and their current lawyer brought into the new operation, they can expect their relationship to be reassigned. If they will be getting a new person they don't know, moving their business to your firm isn't such a big stop. You are a known quantity.
6. Who has relocated to the area? The local business journal has a "people on the move" section, but you have an inside track. If you live in an upscale neighborhood or belong to that exclusive country club, you hear talk about the relocated senior executives new to the area. Certain professions require registration for individual states. A face to face relationship is preferred, especially those involving liability or money.

Getting new business doesn't always involve knocking on doors. It can often be gained by whispering in the right ears.