Law Firm Business Development from the General Counsel’s Perspective

Table of Contents

Topic Page Number

Introductions........................................................................................................................................................... 3

Priorities and Challenges..................................................................................................................................... 5

Number of law firms used..................................................................................................................................... 7

Process for hiring outside counsel..................................................................................................................... 7

How GCs learn about law firms.......................................................................................................................... 9

Requests for proposals........................................................................................................................................ 10

Objective criteria used to select outside counsel.......................................................................................... 13

How a small firm can get corporate business................................................................................................ 14

Law firm marketing materials.......................................................................................................................... 16

Objective criteria use to select outside counsel............................................................................................ 17

Diversity in law firms......................................................................................................................................... 18

Moving up the tiers.............................................................................................................................................. 19

Legal directories.................................................................................................................................................. 20

Law firm advertising........................................................................................................................................... 21

Key differentiators............................................................................................................................................... 22

Understanding the company's business........................................................................................................... 23

Law firm web sites............................................................................................................................................... 23

Three kinds of lawyers........................................................................................................................................ 24

Joining trade associations.................................................................................................................................. 26

How to move up the ladder................................................................................................................................. 29

What gets law firms fired................................................................................................................................... 30

Fire the firm. Don't tell them............................................................................................................................ 32

Selling strategies.................................................................................................................................................. 34

Client satisfaction surveys................................................................................................................................. 35