Many lawyers experience a real fear of business development. As a business development coach for lawyers, I help clients overcome this fear and anxiety so they can grow their practices and generate new revenue.
While lawyers may not have gone to law school to study business development, growing a practice is essential to a successful legal career. BD may not be the primary focus of a lawyer’s daily work — but it is a critical part of running a thriving firm.
Why Lawyers Fear Business Development
Lawyers are trained to be risk-averse. This can make business development feel uncomfortable — even anxiety-inducing. The fear of being seen as pushy is one of the most common concerns I encounter.
Another key reason is a lack of formal training. Many lawyers have never received instruction on how to market themselves or their firms. Without mentors, colleagues, or external coaches to guide them, it’s easy to feel uncertain about where to begin.
For lawyers aiming to advance their careers, business development is an essential step. Originating new work and building a strong client base demonstrates value to the firm and increases the likelihood of promotion or partnership. At the partner level, many firms allocate points based on revenue contributions — both from maintaining existing client relationships and from securing new ones.
How to Overcome the Fear: Start Small
The best way to overcome lawyers’ fear of business development is to take baby steps. Start with a simple, manageable task: review your existing contacts and rank them by their potential as prospects. This focused approach makes BD feel less overwhelming and more strategic.
Time is a lawyer’s most valuable resource. Every hour spent on BD must count. That means being intentional — not haphazard — about who you reach out to and when.
The Follow-Up Problem
One of the most common pitfalls I see is the failure to follow up after initial contact or meetings. Many lawyers simply forget — or never record — their next action steps. This leads to missed opportunities and stalled momentum.
The fix is simple: after every BD outreach or meeting, write down your next action step. This keeps you organized, ensures timely follow-up, and helps you avoid the costly mistake of letting a warm lead go cold.
By taking small, consistent steps and seeking support where needed, lawyers can overcome their fear of business development and build a stronger, more successful practice.
If you are a lawyer aiming to strategically enhance your business development, I’m available to help. Let’s arrange a complimentary discussion to explore how coaching might aid your progress and address any queries you might have. Please reach out to me at larry.stroud@korverge.com to schedule a time.
I do ‘Business Development’ coaching. Not life coaching. Not career coaching. The coaching is specifically tailored to business development in the legal profession. My focus is on helping lawyers build and retain client relationships, as well as winning new clients.
I have been a partner at two international firms and have dedicated the past 20 years to coaching individual lawyers in business development.
My clients range from lawyers in national and international law firms to those in regional, small office, and specialized boutique firms, as well as solo practitioners. Based in Toronto, I work with clients throughout Canada, having also worked in several other countries. I’m typically engaged either by individual lawyers or firms on a retainer basis to provide ongoing coaching for their lawyers at various stages of their careers, and in certain cases, to lead targeted workshops.