LeftFoot - Fresh Conversations on the Business of Law

Nicole chats with Jeff Berardi, the Chief Marketing Officer of K&L Gates

Strengths/habits that have led to success: Looking outside of the legal industry for ideas and information.

Growth strategy: K&L Gates is communicating to specific industry groups. Clients don’t care how the law firm is structured they are focused on whether the firm understands their business, their industry.

Tactical best practices: Not solely focused on the largest accounts - they look for opportunities and potential across all their clients.

Success story: Their strategy includes being helpful and providing resources to clients and potential clients without being on the clock. Created a digital destination K&L Gates HUB, which is organized by industry to be more intuitive for clients. They also created a CLE center where anyone can register and take courses. Next up is a HUB resource that is more bespoke – showing content the client needs and wants to receive.

Millennial, Mobile, Global: Be patient with the development of your career and the speed at which law firms change. The ability of the firm to execute on a really good idea may be challenging due to the culture of the firm and the firms readiness to change.

Enjoy about work: Works with an incredible group of professionals. Enjoys watching team members grow, step up into new roles and take on new responsibilities.

Nicole chats with Nick Araco Sr. Director of Growth Strategies and Business Development at Drinker Biddle, and CEO of the CFO Alliance.

Strengths/habits that have led to success: In this ever-changing noisy environment where time is the asset everyone is managing - be a qualified connector and break through the noise the C suite operates in.

Growth strategy: Position yourself as a trusted connector and your clients and prospective clients will come to you for advice and counsel – even outside your area of expertise and technical background.

Tactical best practices: Create meaningful dialogue – spend time learning what the firm does, how it’s delivered, and what it means to the clients you serve.

Success story: To assist a highly respected lawyer in the corporate and securities world, Nick identified a dedicated business development director to go deep from a focus perspective. After meeting a firm client, a PE firm. After evaluating the firm’s investment criteria, he used his Rolodex to bring potential origination opportunities to this client. He also put a process in place to meet regularly to review the PE firm’s origination objectives. The client recognized this effort beyond the billable project - and subsequently exposed this individual to additional opportunities within their portfolio companies.

Millennial, Mobile, Global: Talk to clients about their business - not to get work but to learn what’s happening today and into the future.

Enjoy about work: Nick believes in the power of people. Building confidence in people’s decisions through connector relationships.

Last word: Be authentic; use the information at your disposal to be more effective; and recognize that marketing and business development is not static. Stay connected with peers, seek training and use the information available to you.

Strengths/habits that lead to success: Not giving up after 2 or 3 connection attempts. It takes 9 on average to establish a connection.

What have you seen that’s innovative: What’s happening in digital marketing. We have the ability to watch how someone is consuming information and give them more information using those same preferences.

Tactical best practices: It’s important to ensure the voice of the client is heard. Avoid jumping to solve the first pain presented. There are pains clients are unwilling to solve.

Growth strategy: With tools like LinkedIn you’re able to build a network and communicate messages to that network building credibility in a way we’ve never had access to before.

Millennial, Mobile, and Global: Learn to be comfortable in conversations. Listen to what is said - and tailor your response to conversation content. Be polite and courteous. If you’re a jerk, no matter how smart you are, they won’t want to do business with you. Continuously reinforce your message within your network – stay in front of people – be intentional, be in contact.

Enjoy about work: Jeff is passionate about the changing frontier within digital and content marketing, producing the right amount of the right content at the right level.

Last word: Trust and follow your gut.

Nicole chats with Brian Miske the CMO of KPMG MSLP.

Strengths/habits that have led to success: Creativity, curiosity and strategy, drive what Brian does on a daily basis.

Creativity: is the capability he’s used in professional services on a consistent basis. Use creativity to accelerate something fantastic. Connect disparate pieces of information that break through convention.

Predictive analytics: Get creative in trying to understand the story behind the data. Confirm what you expected to see and note the interesting things that deserve another look. 3 to 4 different generations in the workforce and all process information and learn differently. Data is the one fact base for all.

Owning the conversation: marry statistics and marketing with creativity. Having synchronization between the value proposition and the differentiators make it relevant for those buying the services. Truly address the perceived value of what will be delivered.

A true renaissance in learning is occurring: People think they’re learning through search but there’s no context, no synthesis of information. We have a tsunami of content and a fragmented approach to problem solving. Get out of your comfort zone. Take a course. Newer concepts need focus. Invest in your education.

Last word: Get out there – get creative – get out of your own head create a break through solution that addresses the legacy perceptions in your industry and meet the future expectations of the customers.

Nicole chats with Michael Schwamm a Partner at Duane Morris in NYC.

Brief Into: Get to know your clients, spend time with them. Make sure your billing practices aren’t pushing them away.

Strengths/habits that have led to success: Responsiveness, preparedness, persistent consistent follow-up that provides value.

Growth strategy: Become a trusted advisor and they’ll come to you and want your opinion beyond legal matters.

Tactical best practices: Before the first meeting gain an understanding of their needs, ask and do research - bring the right team.

Success story: “I’m the poster child for networking” – hints on how to be a better networker.

Millennial, Mobile, Global: The people you know today may be your strongest connections in the future.

Enjoy about work: You can be a decent person while representing your client well.

Last word: Develop a wide and diverse network – try all the mediums and settle on the one that you enjoy and that pays the highest dividends.

Nicole chats with Rania Sedhom, Managing Partner, Sedhom Law Group, PLLC. Rania and her team take pride providing practical and efficient solutions to complex problems.

Strengths/habits that have led to success: Perseverance and being friendly.

Growth strategy: Provide value, be cost effective, show your client you’re economizing. Demonstrate your strong business sense and knowledge of their industry, their business.

Tactical best practices: Have a plan, calendar business development activities.

Success story: 90% of our clients are on retainer. We act as General Counsel, our client’s partner with us - and are engaged fully.

Millennial, Mobile, Global: Your best differentiator is you. Let people get to know you - through events, speaking etc.

Last word: “We’re kicking it old school” – similar to when the legal profession started. “We met our clients regularly; there is trust; we provide proactive counsel to solve business problems.”

Nicole chats with Terri Combs, a Partner at Faegre Baker Daniels.

Strengths/habits that have led to success: Having success helps grow your business. Deliver expertise and value. Align the business you go after with what you’re good at.

Growth strategy: Show both credibility and professionalism by being 100% clear. You’re contacting them because you’re looking for clients.

Tactical best practices: Market flexibility – adapt to changes, show you’re willing to adapt.

Success story: Called out the client on what was turning into an adversarial relationship – it turned around.

Millennial, Mobile, Global: Don’t sit around waiting for someone to tell you what you should do. Look for open space. Where there’s opportunity and go towards it.

What she enjoys about work: You’ll be dealing with people in extremely stressful situations that are highly personal and you may be involved with them for many years. Helping them can be wonderful and rewarding.

Last word: I went to law school to have a nice comfortable living. I never thought about being a sales person. I thought selling was abhorrent, that I would never stoop to that. Selling is about connecting with someone who wants what you offer.

Nicole chats with Sigalle Barness - Lawyer, Faculty Member, and VP of Programming at Lawline

Whole new areas of law: have developed in response to changes in technology; innovation; and the law itself

Share your knowledge and expertise: in a helpful way that will resonate

Business education: where practitioners talk specifically about their practice area as it applies to an industry, i.e. drones and the legal issues surrounding drones

Shared services economy: clients are buying time and lawyers are looking to efficiently and effectively use that time to support their client

Expand globally: using a shared services partnership to go local for knowledge and advice

Stop networking with other attorneys: network within a community you enjoy, you’ll connect with them better because you’re there for a reason - and it will be more interesting and effective

Get out there and share your expertise: within ethical marketing rules - add value to others and they will remember you and the services you can provide

Nicole chats with Jennifer Kennedy Park, a partner and leading securities litigation lawyer at Cleary Gottlieb

Strengths and habits that have led to your success: No fear; not being afraid to take risks - ask questions; ask for work opportunities

Growth strategy: Focus on 10 or less clients from a wide spectrum of industries; get to know the businessperson and specific issues they are trying to solve

Tactical best practices: Look for areas where you can make suggestions on how to do something better, more effectively, with reduced risk

Jennifer sees alternative fee arrangements as innovative. For a certain amount each year this is what you’ll pay. It’s how most companies deal with litigation - they budget for it.

Success story: Think long term versus short term and over time less than profitable short-term decisions will likely result in long-term profitable client loyalty

Millennial, Mobile, Global: Develop relationships early in your career and keep them. You’ll progress in business together. Be vocal about what makes you uneasy and others will help you overcome challenges

Enjoy about work: Addressing tough, hard, complicated problems and making the situation better; doing something of value, with people you respect

Last word: Mentors and sponsors provide support and guidance; seek them out – little risk and a lot of reward

You can’t practice in a bubble:   Nicole chats with Jennifer Newman Sharpe, an Entertainment, IP and Media Lawyer. Take a genuine interest: clients want their attorney to know who they are, what their interests are so you represent those interests when you represent them. Be a connector: connect people with each other, with opportunities,…