49: Help Clients Make Decisions with Gene Pinover of DLA Piper
Think Outside the Box
Eugene Pinover joined DLA Piper as a Partner and Chair of the New York Real Estate Practice in April of 2016; after a 20-year career at Willkie.
It’s important to understand the ‘give and take’ and appreciate that the other slides point of view is critical to getting a deal done.
Every client you’ve ever had you will lose for some reason you have nothing to do with. You always have to be to be thinking about the ‘next client’, where the business will come from and where you can make a difference
Lawyers are in the business of taking business from other very good lawyers. Clients can’t tell the difference between tactically super performance and very good performance. You need to sell yourself and your firm in a different way.
Most non-US and non-British lawyers are reticent to give business advice. They answer yes and no. American and British lawyers are treasured because they think outside the box and are willing to come forward with proactive business ideas
Get to know your clients, go to their offices. You’ll end up with a matter you didn’t know was going on. You’ll simply get into a conversation, talk about a situation, and suddenly you’re involved.
For business development success participate with your clients in the decision making vs. solely implementing their decisions. This will get you a seat at the client’s table and will open and lead to additional business development.
Be honest with your clients and tell them what you think. You may lose clients if what you think and share doesn’t match what they’re looking for. Every client ends up with the lawyer they deserve.
If you hold yourself in high esteem you’ll attract clients that do the same.
To address changing market conditions, manage towards efficiency. Organize your teams and execute projects being considerate of the clients focus on efficiency specific to getting things done.
Working hard alone does not breed success. Know where your going, have a plan, understand your strengths and weaknesses and follow a course that will get you where you want to go. Having a plan will save wasted effort and time.
Get into the whole business, not just your specialty.
Gene hosted a dinner for his partners with the restaurateur, Danny Meyer, of the Union Square Hospitality Group. Danny talked about his book ‘Setting The Table’.
The bottom line: To get, keep and grow your clients – go the extra mile, get the client what they need and care about them.
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