{"id":355,"date":"2019-06-11T10:34:35","date_gmt":"2019-06-11T10:34:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hub.findingsimple.com\/nz\/posts\/how-law-firm-sales-teams-can-be-the-new-rainmakers-legal-insight"},"modified":"2023-03-13T02:41:05","modified_gmt":"2023-03-13T02:41:05","slug":"how-law-firm-sales-teams-can-be-the-new-rainmakers-legal-insight","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/insight.thomsonreuters.co.nz\/legal\/posts\/how-law-firm-sales-teams-can-be-the-new-rainmakers-legal-insight","title":{"rendered":"How Law Firm Sales Teams Can Be the New Rainmakers"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Law firms can be stressful places to work. Firm billing pressures, client deadline demands, management and leadership committee participation commitments, and business development responsibilities all lead to what many lawyers believe is an unhappy and unhealthy way to live each day.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

However, what if one of those big demands \u2014 business development \u2014 was less of a burden? Suddenly a new world opens up where a lawyer\u2019s value could be based on his or her legal contributions and brilliance, rather than on landing a hefty book of new business each year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The “non lawyer” selling legal services<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Professional salespeople could make that new world a reality for many law firms<\/a>. While many lawyers may shudder at the mere thought of a \u201cnon lawyer\u201d selling legal services, the practice has already begun and is having great success in firms so far.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How can sales professionals within law firms possibly work? There are several key components that need to be addressed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

First, building support within the firm for the sales role is a critical task for firm leaders. Melinda Davis Lux, a partner at Womble Bond Dickinson, calls this \u201cprobably the most challenging\u201d part of the process. While sales professionals are often very excited about what they do, the firm\u2019s key stakeholders must champion this new role, she says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFirm leaders must be very vocal and spread the word about successes.\u201d <\/p> – Melinda Davis Lux, Partner at Womble Bond Dickinson <\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Jennifer Keller, president and COO of Baker Donelson, agrees, adding that her firm has worked diligently to build support for the sales role. \u201cLawyers can be skeptical so wins and successes build support.\u201d Keller notes that creating a role for a sales and business development professional has been extremely valuable for the firm in at least two ways: First, the sales leader has fostered relationships by promoting the firm\u2019s breadth of resources; and second, the sales leader has been an integral part of the teams pitching business \u2014 leading those teams, preparing attorneys for client meetings, challenging the involved attorneys on issues that are common to clients and helping to actually drive deals to closure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In fact, the daily work of these sales professionals is pretty similar, it turns out, to the work done by the firm\u2019s rainmaking lawyers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mike Duffy, director of Growth & Client Services at King & Spalding, says that like a lawyer, being hands-on in the sales role is important. \u201cIf we are in the middle of a big pitch, I run those strategy sessions,\u201d Duffy explains. \u201cI also work with the clients to help our partners understand how to win the business. Most of the partners value someone taking the bull by the horns and helping them to look good and feel better prepared.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stephanie Hinrichs, director of Client Service from Womble Bond, says she believes \u201ccontinuing to develop a relationship with clients and then introducing those people to our lawyers\u201d is a key part of what her sales team does. It\u2019s also critical for a sales professional to be able to identify which lawyers and partners will be a \u201cgood teammate\u201d to help secure new work from clients, Hinrichs explains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A firm\u2019s sales professional certainly can play a valuable intermediary role between the firm and the client. <\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Indeed, law firms\u2019 clients are in favor of this role as well. Chris Javillonar, general counsel at Permobil, says that from a client\u2019s perspective it\u2019s definitely helpful to have a sales professional interacting with his legal department. \u201cIt does not necessarily translate that a skilled lawyer would also be a skilled business generator,\u201d Javillonar says. \u201cWith the constant cost pressure, we face as an organisation, it is sometimes helpful to talk to a businessperson who might think of more creative solutions to price the services we need in a competitive way.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

RELATED<\/strong>: Business Model Innovation and the Future of Law Firm Culture<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vanja Lane, an in-house counsel for a global manufacturing company, also sees the role of a law firm\u2019s sales professional as a benefit to her company. \u201cI can focus on issues \u2013 for example, we had a billing issue and I was able to contact the salesperson and get feedback from the firm, and it did not negatively affect my relationship with our lawyer,\u201d Lane says, adding that it\u2019s important to be able to talk with someone about certain issues who is not the same lawyer doing the work. \u201cFrom the in-house side, it\u2019s nice to have a salesperson to bounce things off of.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A firm\u2019s sales professional certainly can play a valuable intermediary role between the firm and the client, agrees Catherine Zinn, Chief Client Development Officer at Orrick. \u201cI sometimes troubleshoot if a client has a problem,\u201d she says. \u201cI believe they feel more comfortable discussing issues with us rather than with the partner who does their work.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Peter Barr, general counsel of Rack Room Shoes, likens a law firm\u2019s sales professional to the person at a party making the introductions. The sales pro can often make the necessary contacts with in-house lawyers that lead to additional business, rather than just discussing the current matter. \u201cIt is an art at which many lawyers are not proficient or lack the time to concentrate on,\u201d says Barr. \u201cThe salespeople know how to reach these in-house contacts, and that is critical to the long-term economic success of the firm.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Features to look for in a law firm sales professional<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

What should law firms look for in creating a business development role for a sales professional? We spoke to several sales professionals within law firms, and their suggestions include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n