For our third installment of our General Counsel Corner, we’ve brought in an In-house Counsel at a leading independent fiduciary services business. 

Our question to him was: 

What is your preference for how a lawyer tries to learn more about you and your business?"

He told us, "Good question. I’d say it’s like any client relationship – get to know me, ask the right questions without being obtrusive or cross-examining me, and certainly without presuming to know my needs.

"In trust, I’m not sure lawyers I come across spend enough time on this – they tend to focus on the transaction or the problem in hand – they get to know that really well, but do they get to know me and my business – not so much!

"There was one firm (actually 2 lawyers in that firm acting on their own initiative) that really did work on building that relationship with me and my colleagues last year. And there is no doubt that they grew the financial value of their relationship with us more or less directly as a result. This personal touch, combined with the more traditional seminar/newsletter approach that you get with other firms made the difference.

"I’m like anyone else in business – I tend to instruct firms – and individuals within firms – that I like. If there isn’t much to choose from in terms of service/competence – and in my line of business, that is often the case – then the ones who I’ve got to know, and who I feel understand me and relate to me and my colleagues are always going to have an edge."

Wow, is there ever some great information for outside counsel in this answer: 

  • Most firms are focused on the issue at hand, and not getting to know their client & their client’s business – so there’s a real opportunity to differentiate yourself here. 
  • Focusing on building the relationship can lead directly to growing the financial return of the relationship for the outside lawyers. 
  • Don’t assume that you know what their needs are already – ask. 
  • Inside counsel do business with those they know, like and trust. 

Take a look at your client relationships today – are you doing as much as you can to get to know them and their business? 

A huge thanks to this month’s GC! 

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Photo of Lindsay Griffiths Lindsay Griffiths

Lindsay Griffiths is the International Lawyers Network’s Executive Director. She is a dynamic, influential international executive and marketing thought leader with a passion for relationship development and authoring impactful content. Griffiths is a driven, strategic leader who implements creative initiatives to achieve the…

Lindsay Griffiths is the International Lawyers Network’s Executive Director. She is a dynamic, influential international executive and marketing thought leader with a passion for relationship development and authoring impactful content. Griffiths is a driven, strategic leader who implements creative initiatives to achieve the goals of a global professional services network. She manages all major aspects of the Network, including recruitment, member retention, and providing exceptional client service to an international membership base.

In her role as Executive Director, Griffiths manages a mix of international programs, engages a diverse global community, and develops an international membership base. She leads the development and successful implementation of major organizational initiatives, manages interpersonal relationships, and possesses executive presence with audiences of internal and external stakeholders. Griffiths excels at project management, organization, and planning, writes and speaks with influence and authority, and works independently while demonstrating flexibility in thinking, especially in challenging situations. She also adapts to diverse and dynamic environments with constant assessment and recalibration.

JD Supra Readers Choice Top Author 2019

In 2021, the ILN was honored as Global Law Firm Network of the Year by The Lawyer European Awards, and in 2016, 2017, and 2022, they were shortlisted as Global Law Firm Network of the Year. Since 2011, the Network has been listed as a Chambers & Partners Leading Law Firm Network, recently increasing this ranking to be included in the top two percent of law firm networks globally, as well as adding two regional rankings. She was awarded “Thought Leader of the Year” by the Legal Marketing Association’s New York chapter in 2014 for her substantive contributions to the industry and was included in Clio’s list of “34 People in Legal You Should Follow on Twitter.” She was also chosen for the American Bar Association Journal’s inaugural Web 100‘s Best Law Blogs, where judge Ivy Grey said “This blog is outstanding, thoughtful, and useful.” Ms. Griffiths was chosen as a Top Author by JD Supra in their 2019 Readers’ Choice Awards, for the level of engagement and visibility she attained with readers on the topic of marketing & business development. She has been the author of Zen & the Art of Legal Networking since February 2009.