Building strong relationships with clients is a dance in which you should always take the lead.  Let this area languish and it will be to your firm’s peril in the long run.

Have Turnover Covered

The importance of cultivating, nurturing, and maintaining a strong bond with in-house general counsel and other corporate higher-ups can not be understated in the business of client retention.  The financial success of your firm depends upon it.  With an annual 20 percent turnover in senior in-house counsel, attorneys must build strong relationships with their in-house counterparts and supporting staff.  Doing so provides a dual benefit.  If in-house counsel goes to another company, your firm may be in the running to join them to do work in the future.  Second, if promotion of the new general counsel occurs in-house, the more likely it will be that your firm will continue on after the new appointment.

Create a True Partnership

Once a solid relationship is in place, ask your client to introduce you to colleagues at other, non-competing companies.  Opportunities for this scenario most often occur at trade shows and industry seminars.  Use the occasion as a business development opportunity, while at the same time allowing your client to brag a little about how great a job you’re doing.  Return that favor and ask your client to participate in co-presentations or co-author articles related to their industry, which opens the possibility to expand publication beyond legal trade into industry-specific media.

Arrange a Visit

While the schedule of a managing partner is somewhat compressed, they should budget some time for an informal visit to your best clients. Alternatively, have the head of the practice area come in to gauge your client’s satisfaction and head off any potential concerns.

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