We talk about how she has built what she calls a concierge practice.  We also discuss what it has been like to serve on the executive committee of her firm, and how she has modified her own marketing and business development in a time of social distancing.

Visit the Counsel to Counsel podcast homepage or find it wherever you get your podcasts.

I’ve also realized that the coronavirus has something to teach us about business development and the importance of building a network.  In the case of the coronavirus, building that network is clearly a bad thing.  In the case of business development, building a network is essential for success.

While COVID-19 spreads from individual to individual, we know that it can spread more quickly when groups of people come together; and it can spread exponentially faster when large groups of people are congregated indoors and near each other.

So how is this relevant to business development and business relationship building? The short answer is that it is better to know more people than fewer people.  Your referrals will grow more quickly if you know more people and if you deepen your relationship with those people.  Referrals will grow even faster if you spend more time with “super spreaders”, the people in your network who like to connect people and who will be ambassadors for your marketing message.

There is some nuance to this.  Your contact with any one individual needs to be meaningful.  While  you may be able to contract the virus if you are in a packed arena and merely coming in contact with one or two infected individuals, spending time at large networking events alone won’t necessarily build your network. Follow up is critical.  Getting to know a lot of people very superficially won’t necessarily help “spread” your marketing message.  Going deeper is important.  And since we really can’t attend large networking events right now, this is a good time to get to know people better.

That is another one of silver linings that I have found during this time.  People are looking for ways to connect and are more open.  I’m finding that I’m getting to know people on a more personal level (Jim plays guitar; Molly is a grandmother; Dan has a mother-in-law who just died of COVID-19 in an assisted living facility.)  Zoom can give us a window into the lives of our colleagues, clients and professional contacts.

So look for the people who are ready willing and able to take your message and spread it “virally.  Your reputation will grow more quickly. While networking is a volume business, it is only a volume business up to a point). There is no way to develop deep relationships with thousands of people.

The mantra of my business networking group ProVisors is Know, Like, Trust, Refer.  If you want your business to grow, get to know a reasonable number of professionals who may be in the position to refer matters your way. Spend additional time cultivating relationships with the super spreaders (the people who will carry your message to others); and be careful about spending too much time at very large events where your interactions will at best be fleeting.  Most importantly, be healthy and practice safe social distancing!

In the latest episode of the Counsel to Counsel Podcast, I speak with Professor Jessica Silbey of Northeastern University School of Law.  Professor Silbey discusses how digital media have given rise to changes in IP regulation and data privacy.  She provides great insight into how technological innovation has created a significant increase in demand for lawyers who understand these issues.

Professor Silbey is Director of the Center for Law, Innovation and Creativity at Northeastern University School of Law (also known as CLIC).  She is a leading scholar and nationally recognized expert on intellectual property and the use of film to communicate about law.  Professor Silbey is the author of several books on intellectual property, creativity and invention. She studies the role that intellectual property plays to sustain and frustrate creative and innovative communities. She is a frequent presenter at national and international conferences, and a Guggenheim fellow.

CLIC combines the study of innovation and creativity with Northeastern University School of Law’s social justice mission.  Available at the C2C homepage or wherever you get your podcasts.

With the coming recession and millions of families in this country facing food and housing insecurity, this gap will surely widen. Pro bono lawyering will be needed to meet the great demand and fill the gap.

In the latest episode of the Counsel to Counsel Podcast, I spoke with Sue Finegan, a Member of Mintz Levin.  Sue is a nationally recognized leader in pro bono representation. When I first spoke to Sue a year ago about being on the show, I thought it would be a good opportunity to talk about how pro bono can help build your legal skills and increase your career satisfaction. Today I feel it is a moral imperative to encourage practicing lawyers to do their part in proving pro bono legal services.

Sue talks about how the current crises are impacting the need for pro bono representation and ways to get involved.  She also talks about her own unique career as a lawyer who created an alternative career path after starting in a more traditional role at a large firm.  You can listen to C2C wherever you get your podcasts or click here.

As the pandemic has caused many law firms and partners to rethink their priorities, the issue of what to do with senior partners has become more timely. Firms are already under a lot of under a lot of financial stress. A lack of succession planning only adds to this.

In the latest episode of the Counsel to Counsel Podcast, I  welcome back Larry Stybel of Stybel Peabody. At the beginning of the year, before the pandemic became a reality for most of us, Larry and I spoke about finding happiness in the practice of law. This time, Larry and I discuss the challenges that seniority presents to both law firms and to aging partners.  Wherever you get your podcasts or click here.

, I welcome Mark Levine who has won the brass ring several times in his career. Mark is General Counsel and Secretary at Flexion Therapeutics, a commercial stage biotech company.

Mark and I speak about his path in-house, how his role has changed as he has moved into a GC position and how in-house practice differs from private practice. We also talk about the challenges he faces in running a law department during the pandemic and what advice he has for lawyers seeking similar roles.

Mark has expertise in corporate, commercial, and securities law and transactions. He has experience in corporate governance and public disclosure, mergers and acquisitions and operating in highly regulated environments. He has built several law departments and worked in a number of industries.

Listen on the C2C homepage or wherever you get your podcasts.

Please join me for a webinar on building business relationships on Tuesday, May 12, 2020 from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM.  Free for members of the Boston Bar Association.  We will be discussing the importance of building your network and how networks are crucial for career advancement and business generation.  I will be offering some tips on how to do this effectively at a time when getting together in person is not possible.

This interview was conducted in early March.  At the time, Lauren and her firm had already developed a practice group to address the legal issues that are raised by the pandemic, a testament to her ability to think in a highly strategic manner.

Zoom works well when you are trying to connect with just a few contacts. We may be physically distant, but we don’t need to be socially distant. If you are going to use it for larger gatherings, make sure your meeting is structured and moderated.

I am using Zoom a lot to check in with clients and other people I know and see how they are doing. But I’m presenting a webinar to the New Associates Forum of the Boston Bar Association webinar in a couple of weeks on Building Business Relationships in a Time of Social Distancing. I’m hoping to do at least one “breakout session” so attendees can actually speak with each other.

I also used Zoom very successfully recently to organize a memorial. But all of the friends and family who spoke knew in advance when they would be speaking and there was a moderator.

It’s a great medium. Be careful how you use it and make sure to pay attention to the “optics” of your presence (see Forbes magazine for some tips ).  Carolyn Elefant shares some great advice in her blog myshingle.com.     #lawfirmmarketing #lawyers #zoommeetings