The Mad Clientist Archives - The BTI Consulting Group

The Lateral Partner Arms Race Just Went Nuclear – Thank Sullivan & Cromwell

Almost no one understands why firms keep hiring lateral partners – except the people running them. On paper, it looks like a bad bet. Laterals have, at best, a 50% success rate. They can dilute morale, alienate "homegrown" talent, and cost a fortune in guarantees. But behind closed doors, the…

BTIConsultingFebruary 11, 2026

The Mad Clientist

Clients All But Abandon RFPs: Here’s What’s Next

It’s a scramble for clients. Clients are cutting way back on issuing RFPs. As one corporate counsel put it: “It’s about as efficient as a dating app – maybe less so.” Clients aren’t swiping right on RFPs because: Clients have more new and novel matters than anyone can remember Fresh…

BTIConsultingFebruary 4, 2026

The Mad Clientist

The 11 Behaviors and Habits to Drive Business Development in 2026

Clients flipped the BD script on law firms. They’re living in a new world – and most BD pitches are still rooted in the old one. The data is clear: 89% are advising their CEOs on business decisions 39% are now growth enablers 84% of clients are going through a…

BTIConsultingJanuary 28, 2026

The Mad Clientist

Corporate Counsel Quietly Changed Jobs – Did Your Law Firm Miss It?

Without announcements. Without memos. Without fanfare. And it only took 2 years. After surveying corporate counsel for more than 30 years – we uncovered 3 big undisclosed flips in corporate counsel roles. They are living in a different world than just 2 years ago. Tapping into these undisclosed changes is…

BTIConsultingJanuary 21, 2026

The Mad Clientist

2026: The Year of the Business Development Reset

Business development isn’t evolving in 2026. It’s resetting. We asked more than 1,000 attorneys and legal marketers if business development would become substantially harder in 2026 than in 2025 – the same question we’ve asked for the past three years. Business development rarely gets easier. Clients always treat today’s greatness…

BTIConsultingJanuary 14, 2026

The Mad Clientist

The 22 Most Searched-for Law Firms of 2025

2025 rewarded a small group of law firms with disproportionate visibility – while the rest fought harder than ever just to be noticed. The combination of Presidential Executive Orders, political volatility, law firm merger announcements and high-profile celebrity trials contributed to the trend. Google Trends reveals immediate spikes in searches…

BTIConsultingJanuary 7, 2026

The Mad Clientist

Meet the Winner of the Holiday Card Contest

As is The Mad Clientist’s annual tradition, I asked local students to create drawings for our holiday card contest. All the entries were outstanding — but this one won top honors. ∗ ∗ ∗ Wishing you a wonderful holiday season and a happy, healthy, and prosperous new year. From everyone…

BTIConsultingDecember 17, 2025

The Mad Clientist

Moving the Spotlight: BD Budgets Take Center Stage

Is BD’s time finally here? A lot of the right people think so. We’re talking budgets and strategic intent. Internationally recognized consultant Patrick McKenna and I joined forces to ask 200 top law firm leaders about Business Development. The results mark a clear shift on the BD front, as we…

BTIConsultingDecember 10, 2025

The Mad Clientist

Law Firm Leaders Expect a Killer 2026

Ambition and Anxiety. Law firm leaders collectively reflect both. This is precisely why internationally recognized consultant Patrick McKenna and I teamed up for our 6th survey of law firm leaders. We asked a broad spectrum of questions, including what will happen in 2026. Use these insights to help learn: What…

BTIConsultingDecember 3, 2025

The Mad Clientist

Why Associates Just Fell in Love with Ropes & Gray

Ropes & Gray has more than its share of early-mover firsts under its belt. They were among the first to build out a private equity practice. They helped enable specialized ETFs. Ropes is one of the first to build a team of high-performing client development executives – marketing pros who…

BTIConsultingNovember 19, 2025