You want to make an imprint. A positive imprint. You want to be remembered. Being remembered means getting hired.

Corporate counsel hear a lot of pitches and talk to a lot of attorneys — an average of 22 a month at last count. They report hearing a lot of noise and routine data about current matters — or in a pitch, they hear about endless numbers of matters and statistics.

Of these conversations and meetings — top corporate counsel define 9 circumstances triggering a coveted place in corporate counsel memory banks. We discuss each below:

A new and good idea

New ideas bring better outcomes — or at least the potential for better outcomes. Corporate counsel say the only reason they sit through endless pitches is to get new and good ideas.

You can get detailed recommendations on how to develop new ideas with and for clients — and the firms who do it best — in our new report BTI Leading Edge Law Firms 2024: Law Firms Creating the Future with and for Clients.

An industry insight

Learning what others are doing helps clients learn to be better. It may open new doors. Or it may confirm current strategies. Both bring equal value. Almost every CEO asks their top legal officers if their problem is typical of the industry — and what they are doing about it. Outside counsel sharing this knowledge makes a lasting imprint.

Learning something new

Corporate counsel enjoy intellectual growth — and how to improve what they do. Outside counsel double their chances of being remembered by teaching clients something new and helpful.

Unexpected engagement

The good news for law firms — most clients have low expectations for pitches and meetings to discuss new business. Engagement is low and few attorneys go off script. But — engage more — and you are among the remembered few. Start with a meaningful question or observation — ask for an opinion — start a dialogue — and you successfully convert your discussion to engagement.

Opinions about approach

Clients want to know what they are getting into with outside counsel. This means understanding how far they will go with early assessments. The more you assess — the better the chances you will be remembered. Clients know you don’t have all the facts — but they believe the outside counsel who draws on the limited facts and combines them with their experience will work harder for them and bring a better result.

Sharing a unique fact about the company

Every company has an idiosyncratic fact or piece of history. Few professionals are aware of these facts — and the ones who do get remembered. Dig into history, news, and brands and you will find something. This is a great use of the AI Chatbots – at least to start. Some prompts to begin with: Tell me something unique about (i.e., Microsoft) that no one is likely to know (their original name was Micro-Soft).

And the following will get you remembered for the wrong reasons:

Backtracking

Apparently, some law firms claim credit for an experience where they are adjacent — as in didn’t play a main role. When called on it the law firms will back down — but will also be remembered for the wrong reasons.

BS — not Bachelor of Science

Easily spotted — trying to talk your way through a problem with little knowledge of the issue or solution. Better to ask questions — clients are happy to teach you — and know they might learn something just by explaining it.

Oculocardiac reflex

Rub your eyes and cradle your face after a meeting? This is a reflex — the oculocardiac reflex. It is calming to you — but insulting to people who were in the meeting with you.