Never Give Up! Three Solid Reasons Lawyers Should Refute this Old Adage
Growing up in the ’70s my father instilled something in me that I’ve carried my entire life–the adage of never giving up. He may have even thrown in a “never…
Read More 
Legal Business Development and Legal Marketing Aren’t Synonymous, But They Do Fit Together
In the old days, say as recently as the 1980s and ‘90s, words were used to quickly and easily describe something or someone. For example, a janitor wasn’t known as…
Read More 
What the New HBO Show “The Rehearsal” Can Teach Lawyers About Business Development
As I was stream-surfing this weekend, the way we all do, I bumped into something thoroughly intriguing and decided to watch the opening episode. The new HBO show entitled “The…
Read More 
Lawyers Facing a Mountain May Want Help from a Sherpa
Here’s a simple query for you lawyers out there. Is it smart to climb a mountain, knowing that it will be difficult but worthwhile, or smarter and easier to just avoid…
Read More 
Winning in Legal Business Development: Lessons from the Paddle Court
Did Charlie Sheen ruin the word “winning” for us all? I hope not, because I love to win. I can’t help it, that’s just how I’m built. I can even…
Read More 
Are Lawyers Really Like Difficult Teenagers? You Decide…
One of the most wonderful experiences in life is raising children. They’re curious, interested and excited about the day ahead. Watching a child learn and apply what was learned is…
Read More 
How the Legal Industry can Adapt to the Four-Day Week
Contributed by Bernadette Bennett, Head of Sector for Moneypenny The legal industry is not immune to the phenomenon of the four day working week, which is currently growing in popularity…
Read More 
Stop Doing Business Development, Until You Can Emerge From Weeds
You probably read the title of this article twice because you know I’m all about the legal biz-dev game. Many of my articles are written around experiences I have in…
Read More 
Five Easy Steps To More Effectively Handle The Overwork And Stress Of A Lawyer’s Life
Lawyering is like swimming laps in a cauldron. You’ll never go the distance unless you treat it like an endurance sport. With the right strategies, though, you’ll not only have…
Read More 
Rainmaking Women in Law: Envisioning the Future of the Legal Industry with Powerful Women Leading the Way
While there are many reasons the legal industry is changing, including the recent diversity effort, new work from home policies and the Great Resignation, the playing field is rapidly being…
Read More 
What is a Long-term Nurture Email Campaign?
Contributed by Jordan Ostroff, Esq., President of LegalEase Marketing Have you ever signed up for an email list thinking you’ll be bombarded with content only to realize weeks later they…
Read More 
Developing a Strategic Partner Development and Loyalty Plan May be the Key to Long Term Success in your Law Practice.
One of the greatest challenges lawyers face in growing and sustaining a successful law practice is staying in touch with referral sources. It’s amazing how life gets in the way…
Read More 
Building Positive Habits to Drive Business Success as a Lawyer
One of the best quotes I’ve read in years is by former football player Emmanuel Acho. He said, “The reason people fail is because they give up what they want…
Read More 
What does the Beatles Documentary “Get Back” Teach Lawyers about Building Relationships?
Have you ever had a friend show you a picture or video from your past that brings back vivid reminiscences that you’ve simply forgotten? Maybe it showed some forgotten insights…
Read More 
The Latest Epidemic in Legal: Losing Your Talented Attorneys
It’s like nothing the legal industry has ever seen before. Lawyers are being poached at record levels while others are leaving willingly to find a new, different or better firm…
Read More 
When it Comes to Marketing, Let’s Make 2022 the Year of ONE THING
If you are looking for a fun, engaging and educational way to consume content on legal business development and marketing growth, check out my podcast BE THAT LAWYER. While this…
Read More 
The DEI and BD Connection: Leveraging Business Development for Career Advancement
Let’s start this article with the obvious. I’m a white guy. Does it mean that this conversation shouldn’t happen or be initiated by me? In a recent podcast interview with…
Read More 
Don’t do what you love, do what you love to do for others
There’s a saying you may have heard before, “Do what you love and you’ll never work a day in your life.” –or something to that effect. I’ve bought into this…
Read More 
Is Peer-To-Peer Advisory for Lawyers the New “It” Factor?
At some point over your legal career, you probably found a mentor, coach or advisor to help you navigate the legal landscape and to maneuver through rough waters. Everyone knows…
Read More 
Hunter or, Farmer? Grow your Law Practice into which is best for you.
Years ago, when I was coming up the ranks as a sales professional, there were two factions that you fell into. One was as a hunter, hard charging after new…
Read More 
Finding Gold as a Lawyer Takes a Miner’s Mentality
Let’s be honest, we all have our guilty pleasures on TV. For me, it’s a reality show called Gold Rush. You might find this a little sad or you may…
Read More 
Podcasting for Lawyers: For a Select Few, It May Be The Promised Land
Have you ever watched a late-night talk show and wondered, could I do that? I have. That being said, it was never something I took seriously or pursued beyond my…
Read More 
Five Personalities That Should NOT Hire a Coach
If you’ve been reading my “stuff” over the past five years, you know that I always try to provide valuable takeaways and tips to improve your business development. This article…
Read More 
Top Issues Attorneys are Having with Business Development
In working with thousands of attorneys over the past 15-plus years, I always ask the same question, “With regards to business development, what are your primary challenges, frustrations and concerns?”…
Read More 
Walt Hampton Podcast Highlights
Enjoy the highlights from my interview on BE THAT LAWYER with Walt Hampton! This edited transcript addresses time mastery, how full reactivity mode can set you back, and how freedom…
Read More 
Dan Gershenson Podcast Highlights
Explore the highlights of my interview on BE THAT LAWYER with Dan Gershenson! This edited transcript addresses lessons learned from developing a small business, the biggest mistakes made in social…
Read More 
Social Media for Lawyers: Developing Your Personal Brand to Drive New Business
One of the most common questions I’m asked as a business development coach for attorneys is, “Should I be posting on social media and is this a good use of…
Read More 
Geo Bellas Podcast Highlights
Here are some great highlights of my interview on BE THAT LAWYER with legal superstar and tech master Geo Bellas! This edited transcript addresses technology advancements in the legal field…
Read More 
Roy Sexton Podcast Highlights
This is an edited transcript of the interview I conducted back on October 5, 2020. If you haven’t heard of Roy Sexton, he’s a truly unique, one-of-a-kind personality in the…
Read More 
Walker Lawrence Podcast Highlights
This is an edited transcript of the interview I conducted back on June 1st 2020. If you haven’t heard of Walker Lawrence, you’re going to love this interview. In addition…
Read More 
Legal Business Development lessons from…Seinfeld??
I don’t know about you, but I’m a huge Seinfeld fan. I’ve probably seen each hilarious episode four or five times. Even with the massive amount of shows being pumped…
Read More 
10 Tips to Improve Your Zoom Meetings and Drive New Business During a Pandemic
As your friendly neighborhood lawyer coach, I get the privilege of hearing excuses from attorneys on why business development growth is down right now. While no one can deny that…
Read More 
Two Growing Trends in America: Platform Tennis and Legal Business Development
Part of being an effective marketer these days is authenticity. I’m trying to practice what I preach by sharing more about my personal life and the interests that occupy my…
Read More 
Business Development for the Lawyers Who Hate It
I’m sitting here this morning at a Discount Tire in Mount Prospect waiting for my car to receive four shiny new tires. The problem? My lease is up in two…
Read More 
Fishing for New Business for Your Law Practice
Steve Fretzin, his father-in-law, and his son enjoy a fishing expedition. Recently I enjoyed the most wonderful fish fry dinner with my family. We have this special treat each summer…
Read More 
Coronavirus-Proofing Your Law Practice
Well, if you’re not totally sick of people advising you on things to do during the pandemic, I hope I can help you out today. Since we are both experts,…
Read More 
Going Solo: Five Important Steps to Ensure Success
Whether you’re dealing with slashed hours, compensation reduction or general reduction in legal staff, it’s never a bad idea to get prepared for going solo. The unfortunate truth is that…
Read More 
FRETZIN’S Five Email Tips that Get Results for Lawyers
One of the biggest time wasters in legal business development is emailing. You might have asked yourself one of the following questions: Is my email too short or too long?…
Read More 
Revisiting LinkedIn as a Power Tool for Legal Networking
It’s hard to believe that I started teaching LinkedIn over 12 years ago. Back then, in a room full of 50 people, I would ask, “How many of you are…
Read More 
Law Firm Culture: Three Areas to Evaluate
Originally published in Chicago Lawyer Magazine in Dec. 2019. By Steve Fretzin Culture has been defined as “A way of life of a group of people–the behaviors, beliefs and values…
Read More 
Top 10 Business Development Snafus to Avoid When Building Your Law Practice – Part 2
Last month I provided five of the harshest business building snafus that lawyers experience in trying to build a successful law practice. In case you missed it, this included: 1.…
Read More 
Top 5 Business Development Snafus to Avoid When Building Your Law Practice
By Steve Fretzin With 2020 knocking on our front door, it might be time to take stock and look to make changes in the new year. If you’ve read my…
Read More 
Five Time-Saving Networking Tips for Lawyers
As you’re scrambling to find new originations as the year ends, it might make sense to look at where mistakes were made and inefficiencies held you back. One critical area…
Read More 
Strategies That Can Help Female Attorneys Succeed
The legal landscape is always evolving. In the not too distant past, the idea that a woman could or should make it rain or run her own firm was considered…
Read More 
Tips for Lawyers to Improve Their Public Speaking
Many of the attorneys who hire me to help them with legal business development efforts are struggling with how to get better results with their public speaking. I hear things…
Read More Is Your Law Firm Overlooking These 5 Marketing Keys to Growth?
While there are many different things you should be doing to market your law firm this year, there are a few “must dos” that can mean the difference between simply…
Read More Harrowing Life, Death Experience Not Needed to Set Your Goals
I’m sure you have read about people who were given a second chance at life? Well, I’m one of those people. In 1996 I was a passenger on a privately…
Read More 
Attorneys Need Forward Progress When Building a Book of Business
Imagine that you’ve just had a productive call with a new prospective client and she says, “Terrific, let me think about this and I’ll reach back to you in a…
Read More 
How Can I Get More Legal Clients?
In some form or another, virtually every lawyer will at some point ask themselves, “How can I get more legal clients?” We attend networking events because we believe that we’ll…
Read More 
Crazy Times. Is it Time to Recession-Proof Your Law Practice?
Originally Posted on the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin In 2008 my phone started ringing off the hook. Attorneys from all over Chicagoland were panicking due to reduced billable hours, lost…
Read More 
Repost: Staying ahead of the game, growing a legal practice efficiently and ethically in 2019
Written By: Brad Rosen, J.D. Originally Posted Here: https://jimhamiltonblog.blogspot.com/2019/01/staying-ahead-of-game-growing-legal.html Chicago-based attorney marketing coach, Steve Fretzin, recently presented a workshop focusing on key business development principles, networking skills, and social media trends for…
Read More Be the Best Type of Legal Networker
In order to be the best type of legal networker, you need to first learn to recognize the different types there are. This is an acquired skill developed with time…
Read More 
The Business of Law: Why Lawyers Must Develop their Own Books of Business
It’s happening every day. Change. Just read the Daily Law Bulletin or National Law Review. New law firm mergers and buyouts are becoming commonplace. Law firms are looking more like…
Read More 5 Steps to a Productive Follow-up Meeting: Networking to Build Your Law Firm
Once you’ve determined that a new contact is a potential business partner, it makes sense to set up a follow-up one-on-one meeting as the next step in networking to build…
Read More 
Making Valuable Legal Networking Contacts: Start with the B.I.L.L.
When you attend events with the mission of making valuable legal networking contacts, remember that asking people questions about themselves is absolutely essential. Keep in mind the “80/20 Rule” for…
Read More 
Email Marketing: Lawyers need to weigh the benefits as a marketing tool
Click here to read this article on the Chicago Law Bulletin. I am asked almost daily about the benefits of email marketing and newsletters. While I’m a huge advocate for…
Read More 
Learn the Three Types of Networkers at Legal Networking Events
When I say “there are three types of networkers at legal networking events,” this isn’t about me defining individuals for you ahead of time. Rather, this blog is about helping…
Read More 
Four Tips for Writing Your Best Attorney Elevator Pitch
Before heading out to conquer the networking world, it’s important to have an effective infomercial, otherwise known as your attorney elevator pitch. An infomercial is your 30 – 60 second…
Read More 
Five Quick and Easy Ways to Build Your Brand Equity as a Lawyer
One of the areas attorneys struggle with is building their “Personal Brand Equity” within the marketplace. I define Personal Brand Equity (PBE) as “The value premium that an attorney generates…
Read More 
Set Concrete Legal Networking Goals: Productive Legal Networking Part 2
In my last blog, I talked about the importance of having a plan before you attend networking events: and in today’s blog, we’ll go over the next step which is…
Read More 
FRETZIN Saves You Time: Here’s a List of Networking Groups in Chicago
Many of my clients have been asking for a “cheat sheet” to events local to the Chicagoland area. While I can’t say they are all created equal, it’s up to…
Read More 
Productive Legal Networking Part 1: What’s Your Plan?
Of the hundreds of attorneys I’ve worked with over the past 11 years, I’ve found that 95 percent don’t have an effective, written plan for productive legal networking. Before you…
Read More 
In Business Development for Attorneys, Setting Strong Agendas is Key
Imagine it’s Thanksgiving dinner and the whole family is sitting around the table waiting for the feast to begin. Unfortunately, something is different this year. The table isn’t set. It’s…
Read More 
Make a Plan to Maximize Legal Networking
Before launching into the tactics of networking, it’s important to have a good understanding of your ultimate goal so you can be sure to maximize legal networking opportunities. Call legal…
Read More 
The Lateral Attorney Transition: Two Tips to Make Your Next Hire a Good One
Before you start the lateral attorney transition process, call legal business development expert Steve Fretzin at (847) 602-6911 for help with your strategy. Anyone in the legal community knows that…
Read More 
Effective Networking for Attorneys Begins with Good Habits
In the last blog, we talked about why it is important to devote time to networking. Today we’ll delve a little deeper into that idea and talk about how effective…
Read More 
Legal Networking – Set Yourself up for Success
Is legal networking worth your valuable time, or is it a waste? Call legal business development expert Steve Fretzin at (847) 602-6911 to learn more about building your law firm’s book…
Read More 
Social Media Marketing in Law | Is it really for you?
No Comments
As a marketing and business development coach, one of the most common questions I get from attorneys is regarding the value of posting on social media. Opinions vary on this…
Read More 
How to Prime the Business Pump: Teaming with Partners Good for All
Back in early 2016 I published an article entitled, “Cross-marketing Your Legal Practice” to explain the importance of cross-marketing legal services as a value-add for your existing clients. In reviewing…
Read More 
Law Firm Websites: Basic Brochure or Branding Tool for Success?
Recently, I was reviewing a law firms website with the managing partner to discuss his thoughts on the existing platform. He looked at his website and without hesitation said, “I…
Read More 
Perfecting Your Sales Pitch
Is Your Elevator Pitch Letting You Down? “Hi there, what do you do?” Ever been to a networking event and been stumped by the most simple question? The truth is…
Read More Fretzin’s Top Five Networking Tips for Attorneys to Increase Originations
As you’re building or rewriting your business development plan for 2018, it might make sense to look at where improvements and efficiencies can be made. One critical area that’s typically…
Read More 
Get the New Year off to a Successful Start with 10 Tips
With 2017 fading in our rearview mirror, you may be asking yourself what needs to change to improve your marketing efforts in 2018. In my experience, the key to success…
Read More 
Are You an Effective Legal Networker?
I am a big fan of effective networking. If you’ve read my book, The Attorney’s Networking Handbook, you will understand the emphasis and importance I give on this matter. I use…
Read More Being a “True Giver” When Networking
Over the past 10 – 15 years there has been a dramatic increase in the number of people actively focusing on networking. Increasing competition, along with more widespread attention on…
Read More 
Business Development can be Murder to Attorneys
Success in business development can easily be explained through the analogy of a lawyer conducting a murder trial. While this might be a strange way to illustrate my philosophy on business…
Read More 
The Legal Language of Business Development
Understanding and using the legal language of business development may mean utilizing existing relationships to grow a book of business. One of the greatest challenges for any attorney is the…
Read More 
3 Tips for Lawyers to Effectively Use Their Time
Lack of time seems to be the proverbial excuse of lawyers from engaging in business development and marketing activities. As a coach working exclusively with attorneys, no one understands the…
Read More 
Challenging Times or a Good Time for Lawyers to Find New Business Opportunities?
Uncertain times call for the need to instill stability and confidence with your client. Take time to set a meeting and explore opportunities for the client and yourself. Your ability to…
Read More 
The Future of Law: Business Development Training for Law Students
Recently, I had the great pleasure of speaking at a Chicago Bar Association event for young attorneys on the topic of networking. After about 20 minutes I observed how ravenously…
Read More 
Investing in Business Development… A Law Firm’s Conundrum
When it comes to internal attorney growth, many law firms struggle to move the needle and help their senior associates and partners effectively grow their books of business. Many firms…
Read More 
3 Tips To Improve Your Public Speaking & Actually Get More Business From It
Effective public speaking is key to capturing your audience’s attention to understand your message, and ultimately get more business from it. Over the past 15 years, I have spoken about…
Read More 
How to Bring in More Business — And Avoid Being That Flashy Salesman
When it comes to selling legal services and book building, attorneys have a unique set of problems. Unlike traditional salespeople, most attorneys never wanted anything to do with sales. You…
Read More 
Three Tips For Young Lawyers On How to Bring in the Business
As a young lawyer, there are a number of confusing and conflicting theories about book building and what role it should play in your life. You may hear things from your…
Read More “Most Attorneys Are Not Really Built for Sales”
Written By: Claire Bushey Steve Fretzin coaches lawyers on how to improve at an exercise that many detest: selling their services to prospective clients. A former salesman himself for advertising and…
Read More 5 Ways Law Firms Waste Money on Biz Development
Law firms facing a competitive market have been upping their business development game in recent years, but in a tradition-bound profession not known for its sales prowess, it can be…
Read More 
Retaining Clients Doesn’t Just Happen. Come Up With A Plan & Follow It!
In the Declaration of Independence it states that “all men are created equal.” While this may apply to how we treat others with respect and dignity, we can choose to…
Read More 
For Lawyers Today, “What’s the Difference Between Sales and Business Development?”
Most people hate the word, “sales.” This word has justly taken its share of lumps over the past hundred years as soapbox salesmen and carpetbaggers made profits off of uneducated…
Read More 
Comparing Legal Business Development to Murder Trial
One of the easiest ways to explain how to be a successful business developer is by using the analogy of a lawyer conducting a murder trial. While this might be…
Read More 
Cross-Marketing Your Legal Practice
One of the smartest moves you can make as an attorney is to cross-market. While the concept may seem easy to digest, many attorneys struggle with implementation when meeting with…
Read More 
What Can a Lawyer Learn About Business Development From a Golf Pro?
Over the past 30 years I have played hundreds of rounds of golf, never thinking much about how it related to my business development plan. I was too busy swinging…
Read More 
How to give yourself a gift during the holidays: What about a few clients?
It’s Holiday time! Do you have the Santa Claus Blues? When you think about the holidays, what runs through your head? Is it the department store music? Is it the…
Read More 
The 5 Worst Business Development Moves For Law Firms (Excerpt from Law360 article)
Worst Business Development Moves By Y. Peter Kang Law 360, Los Angeles (October 26, 2015, [5:42] PM ET) Click here to be able to view the whole article, or for…
Read More 
3 Reasons Why Lawyers Struggle With Legal Marketing
There are literally dozens of reasons why lawyers struggle with legal marketing. Fear of rejection, slaving away at the billable hour or just plain hating “sales” may top the list.…
Read More The Power of Specializing
I was a mile wide and an inch deep. This is how I’ve felt over the last number of years when thinking about my sales coaching practice. Over the past…
Read More Necessity vs Curiosity: How to really connect with the elusive prospect
The difference between a curiosity appointment and a needs based appointment should be totally clear to you. In today’s challenging and competitive marketplace it has never been tougher to find…
Read More