Business Development Pointers for Junior-Level Associates

As a junior-level associate, business development is at once an alluring and daunting topic, shrouded in mystery. As a bright-eyed associate, it seems as though the firm rainmakers are always making rain and it is hard to imagine that their entire book was once comprised of representing Uncle Stu in his loan modification to keep the hardware store afloat. Sadly, my own relatives have not required workout or restructuring assistance in the three years I have been practicing, but I remain morbidly hopeful.

This article provides pointers for junior-level associates struggling to navigate the muddy waters of business development. It is often said that money begets money, and it makes sense that clients generate other clients, but how do you go about getting that first client and earning that first dollar that will be attributable to your book of business? The answer is simple: A three-pronged approach that any associate, no matter how junior, can employ to develop business for the future. [1]

Networking with Junior Associates
The most common piece of advice given by partners must be to network with fellow associates of similar class year in other firms. I thought this sounded really dumb the first several times I heard it. Basic arithmetic tells us that zero plus zero still equals zero. If I do not have a book of business and my friend at another firm doesn’t have a book of business, putting us together does not magically generate a client base, but thinking about it this way is missing the big picture. Your junior-associate colleagues at other firms may not have clients now, but the situation may be quite different five years down the road. Just think about it: Five years ago, the most impressive bullet point on your resume under “work experience” may have been your position as a counselor at Camp Shady Pines. Look how far you’ve come! The point is that five years from now, the junior associates you know may be senior associates or junior partners. What’s more, many of them may not be at the firm at which they are currently working. They may be at another firm or working in-house and may be in a position to refer work to you. The key is to stay in touch and update your address book over time to track their progression.

Networking with your fellow similarly-situated associates is an easy first step toward business development because these folks are your contemporaries. You may have gone to law school with them, taken the bar review class with them or seen them at a hearing. You have plenty in common with them, and unlike partners, you do not need to worry about trying to impress them or how what you say may be reflected in your annual review. Fostering friendships with fellow associates at other firms is the low-hanging fruit of the business development tree. There’s no shame in going for the easy pickings.
Step 1 Action Plan: Make plans to have lunch with an associate at another firm at least once every two weeks.

Helping Others to Help Yourself
Your kindergarten teacher may revile the above mutation of the Golden Rule, but there is no denying that if you help someone else, he or she will remember it. Nowhere is this more true than helping someone find a job. As bankruptcy attorneys, we are keenly aware of the economic climate, and it is no secret that recent law school graduates face a bleak job market. Earlier this year, the dean of my law school sent an email beseeching alums to help law students with their job search to obtain paid—or even unpaid—summer work opportunities. I recall my own job search in 2008 while clerking. The legal market had drastically changed from 2007, and multiple highly-qualified, talented candidates competed for a scant few available positions. I have not forgotten, nor will I ever forget, the kindness and generosity of spirit of those bankruptcy attorneys who assisted me with my job search. [2]

It amazes and humbles me to think that I could serve that role in someone else’s career. Now, you may be thinking, “What can I do? I’m a lowly junior associate. I’m not on the hiring committee. How could I help someone get a job?” That all may be true, but as compared to a law student you have loads of experience in resume drafting and interviewing skills. Moreover, even if your firm is not looking to hire a first-year associate, you may know of another firm that is, through networking with other junior associates. (See how it all comes together?) Reach out to your law school career center or to the editorial board of your law journal and offer to field questions from a couple of students who are interested in bankruptcy law or want career advice. You may not be able to help them get jobs, but you can explain the lay of the land. As attorneys, we receive a number of publications, some of which advertise job listings. Many law students either do not know about these publications or have access to them; you can pass along this information, as well as other nuggets of wisdom from your first years of practice.

Another way to help yourself by helping others flows from your interactions with opposing counsel. As bankruptcy attorneys, we find ourselves representing debtors, creditors, banks, committees, trustees and others on a daily basis. Unlike other practice areas where attorneys are often pigeonholed as “plaintiffs attorneys” or “defense attorneys,” bankruptcy attorneys routinely represent a number of different players. Consequently, opposing counsel today could be a similarly situated creditor you want to align with next month or co-counsel next year. Thus, treating your adversaries with civility will not only make your present interactions more pleasant, but could lead to potential referrals in the future. Contrary to popular belief, being a good advocate for your client does not require one to participate in personal attacks or over-the-top tactics. At the end of the day, people want to refer work to attorneys who they like and respect.

Finally, a tried-and-true technique for generating business is to do great work for your client, no matter how small the matter. As a junior-level associate, you may be asked to take the lead on smaller matters that have less razzle dazzle than some of the big-ticket cases. Nonetheless, these smaller matters provide an invaluable opportunity to work directly with a client. An impressed and satisfied client is more likely to use your firm again (and hopefully contact you directly) and refer friends and contacts to you.

Step 2 Action Plan: Contact your law school and offer to be added to the alumni referral list. Tone down the nastygram you plan to send to opposing counsel later this week. Unearth the preference matter on your to-do list and give the client a call to discuss defenses.

Publication and Speaking Opportunities
As a junior-level associate, the prospect of committing to writing an article for publication can seem like a tall order, particularly when doing so is often in addition to your regular billable assignments. You may have flashbacks to your 1L summer journal writing competition, spending hours trying to figure out how to properly BlueBook a session record from the 112th Congress. Nonetheless, publishing an article should be part of every junior associate’s business-development plan. Think about it this way: It involves research—something at which you already excel—and it provides you an opportunity to sidle up to that rainmaking partner in your firm who does not have time to write articles but would be more than happy to co-author a piece. By working with this attorney on an article, you may even pick up some pearls of wisdom. There are a wide variety of opportunities to publish in firm publications as well as state and national journals.

Finding a speaking opportunity as a junior-level associate is an entirely different proposition. Whereas opportunities to publish abound, you rarely hear of a junior associate sitting on a panel. As we all know, there is a big difference between attending a conference and sitting in the audience, and presenting at a conference and sitting on the dais. Unless you are active in your local community theater, as a junior associate you probably do not spend much time on stage. However, there are speaking opportunities for junior-level associates if you are resourceful. One possibility is through pro bono activities. You can also reach out to the bankruptcy or secured transactions professor at your alma mater or a nearby law school and offer to speak at a class or lunch session to provide insight into the first few years of practice as a bankruptcy attorney.

Step 3 Action Plan: Find a journal you like and commit to writing one article in the next two months. Get involved with a pro bono activity or reach out to a professor to find an opportunity to speak in the next four months.

Conclusion
You are never too junior to start thinking about business development, and there are small but meaningful steps you can take now to position yourself to have a sizeable book of business down the road. As junior-level associates, our most important job is to learn the law and become excellent attorneys. However, be sure to take advantage of networking opportunities and make time to invest in business development opportunities. You will thank yourself one day.