BTI research revealed the law firms best at client service — as ranked by clients — started with the focus on serving their clients’ needs. We followed later with recognizing the 293 attorneys clients single out for delivering the absolute best client service — and 5 reasons why they stand above the rest.

We also found clients are embracing cross-selling after years of resistance. Law firm leaders show little concern for a recession — the same with associates. And finally, we shared the top strategies loved by rainmakers, which will become more important as clients are set to job-hop like never before.

So many attorneys see the deluge of changing regulations and new client needs as a head wind — slowing them down — the BTI Client Service All-Stars see these events as a tail wind. Another chance to move out in front.

Top legal decision makers point to these 5 traits driving the BTI Client Service All-Star performance:

The 2023 BTI Client Service All-Stars make their clients better at what they do — and answer questions before they ask. Their secret:

• • Always be in dialogue
  • Listen for issues and needs
  • Reframe client issues to come up with new ideas
  • Focus on today and the long term
  • Act

Powerful and valuable, all can learn these behaviors if they haven’t already. It’s worth its weight in client relationships and new business in gold.

Please join me in congratulating each of the 293 BTI Client Service All-Stars 2023.

Scan the names of these client service standouts or search for your favorite All-Star here.

Creating recurring inbound leads is a skill. Master this skill and you will control your career and opportunities — and make rain.

Rainmakers all have their favorite strategies and tactics. I want to focus on three you can learn and adopt now. These are:

You can adopt these tactics tomorrow. Select one client. Uncover the clients with more ongoing needs than others through client feedback, disclosures buried in the selected proxy statement, using 3rd party research services to measure client litigation caseloads, and searches of legal and trade publications.

Practice deep conversation skills with peers or a coach. You can also read about the art of the phone conversation here.

Firms can apply these strategies, especially targeting clients with ongoing needs — by practice and office — to help the firm drive growth and help create more rainmakers.

Last week we discussed how the recession is only the 3^rd top concern of law firm leaders. The recession is getting low billing as the associates’ biggest source of insomnia as well.

In a combined telephone/online survey — we analyzed more than 1,000 responses from associates. The question we posed: “What keeps you up at night?” The recession ranks a distant 6^th — limited mostly to associates working in corporate. With few concerns about the recession — the top causes of associate insomnia are:

While a concern — virtually no associates are losing sleep over remote work or return-to-office initiatives. They feel like they can manage this issue and find a solution suiting their preferences. It may or may not be at their current firm.

Sound sleep is a key ingredient to wellness. Law firms can improve wellbeing, retention, and productivity by sharing more about deadlines and expectations as matters unfold. Laying out a career path also helps associates sleep better at night.

Conducting a formal firmwide associate survey also helps insomnia by offering associates a clear voice — and will deliver insights you won’t get anywhere else. Please reach out to me if you want to discuss.

Recession almost pales as law firm leaders’ top concern.

Our brand-new survey of more than 250 law firm leaders reveals their top concerns and a host of other leadership insights and issues. Conducted with my longtime friend and collaborator, internationally recognized law firm consultant Patrick McKenna, we dissect how these law firm leaders are approaching the long- and near-term future.

We asked law firm leaders what keeps them up at night. 6 concerns emerged, but 2 jump out as the most dominant sources causing sleepless nights:

More than ½ of corporate counsel are poised to jump ship.

While about 37% of corporate counsel are thrilled with their jobs — almost 2/3 are not. These less-than-thrilled in-house attorneys are either passively or actively looking. They sense more opportunity — and a bump up in pay.

And even those thrilled can be tempted to make a move as more companies change their legal strategy and approach.

Credit 5 primary reasons for the new-found interest in changing jobs:

Limited Opportunity

78.6% percent of corporate counsel report they are optimistic about their careers — but only about ½ say they are optimistic about careers at their current company — they need to move out to move ahead.

You can talk about career strategy and provide perspective on how you have seen corporate counsel grow.

Low Pay with More Responsibility

Not a winning formula. 16.5% of corporate counsel rate their pay as excellent — 40% report good comp but not great. 43.5% report marginal pay or less.

Help triage problems and decisions. Be a good listener, and offer guidance on asking for a raise.

Stress

21% report outright stress. They point to an endless work stream and no sign of relief, a lack of respect, and a world filled with last-minute legal needs.

Your listening skills and sharing resources to help manage stress can be helpful.

Corporate Counsel Job Satisfaction is at a 13-Year Low

Only 32% of corporate counsel report high job satisfaction — compared to 54.5% in 2020. They talk about relentless demands where the intellectual rewards are outweighed by the everyday pressures of the job.

Less Need to Stay

Corporate counsel now stay in their role for 5.4 years — down from 6.1. They are job hopping 16% faster — the law firms who can get wind of these changes can both keep their current client and follow their client to a new home.

Client job hopping can lead to immediate opportunities for law firms. Law firms face either an opportunity or threat when clients change jobs. In addition to the strategies above, we recommend the following to make it work for you:

• Onboarding any new corporate counsel landing at an existing client
• Craft questions to help you learn what your client is thinking and what they want in their career
• Talk with clients to create a sharing atmosphere
• Share new job opportunities with clients where the relationship is strong enough
• Offer clients help to alleviate the load — think secondments, legal project management, and strategy planning
• Develop a 100-day plan to work with your client to help them layout and implement their agenda
• Use your network to help clients get where they want to go
• Listening as a sympathetic ear

Helping clients land a new and better gig is a long-lasting gift. The bond created by your confidence, empathy, and investment in the relationship is hard to break. Listening and helping clients relieve stress earns the same high marks.

You have the rare opportunity to make a lasting impact. Carpe Diem.

Winston Churchill would be shaking his head in disappointment.

Widely quoted as saying; “Never let a good crisis go to waste” — he would be watching law firms let the record-setting client service in 2021 slip through their collective hands. Actually, it’s more of a thud. Client service skyrocketed during the pandemic, peaking with 69.9% of clients recommending their top law firms from 40% the previous year.

Every new bit of uncertainty creates a large need for better client service to match. The firms investing in client service protocols and infrastructure are jumping out in front of this equation — which serves in times of uncertainty and steadiness.

Superior client service continues to emerge as the tool to help guide clients through these dynamic and uncertain times. It is here to stay.

Learn where your firm is strong, where you improved, and areas in need of improvement — along with the 17 activities clients use to evaluate law firms — in the just-released BTI Client Service A-Team 2023: The Survey of Client Service Performance for Law Firms.

This is the most authoritative and only ranking of client service law firms use to guide their client-facing strategy and direction — with precision — to gain better performance faster. Learn more here.

Words have power. Groups of words bring even more power.

The words speak volumes about your actions, commitment, client service, and the relationship you want to have with your clients. Here are the 6 phrases ranking among the most impactful and powerful — and stand above anything else you have to say:

I think

Clients want to know what you’re thinking before you get started and after you start. What is your approach? How do you view the problem? It is bigger than a bread box? Clients want to understand what they are getting into and what you think they are getting into — and close any gaps.

They want your opinion — good, bad, or indifferent. Especially when the key facts remain unknown.

My recommendation is

Think unequivocal recommendation. Clients want you to draw on your experience and knowledge and stick your neck out. Your recommendation becomes a client’s baseline. They may or may not agree but as one top legal decision maker noted; “even when I don’t agree I end up with a better decision because we worked it through”.

The options are

Clients want to know their options — and rely on you to provide them. They want to know they have considered all the choices and made informed decisions. Sharing options also illustrates you have confidence and command of the situation.

I’m sorry

Things go wrong. It happens in the best of relationships.

Taking accountability is paramount. Clients understand things can go wrong. Own it and move on. An apology rivals a magical power making problems disappear.

Even if you are not at fault — apologize for the situation or the extra hassle your client incurred. You can’t show too much empathy for a client’s situation.

Here’s another way to look at it

Some partners are quick to point out they don’t practice law — they make law. Clients want you to challenge assumptions, precedents, and decisions. They want someone who can reinterpret the rules and make new arguments to change things — especially on the big issues.

Thank you — accept the compliment

Few professionals ever accept a compliment. Most will immediately explain their work process, what they did, how long it took, or otherwise start talking. Clients tell us this response tends to dilute the compliment and confidence — as if their performance has to be explained away.

We recommend saying a simple thank you. Maybe add “glad you liked it.” Then stop and smile. This exudes confidence with no hint of arrogance and tells clients you appreciate the fact you exceeded their expectations.

Accept every compliment. And — it never hurts to say thank you when you get a new assignment.

The phrases are not used lightly but at the right moment they can forge new strength in client relationships and convince clients you are the go-to source for their needs.