\n
var googletag = googletag || {}; googletag.cmd = googletag.cmd || []; googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.pubads().disableInitialLoad(); });
device = device.default;
//this function refreshes [adhesion] ad slot every 60 second and makes prebid bid on it every 60 seconds // Set timer to refresh slot every 60 seconds function setIntervalMobile() { if (!device.mobile()) return if (adhesion) setInterval(function(){ googletag.pubads().refresh([adhesion]); }, 60000); } if(device.desktop()) { googletag.cmd.push(function() { leaderboard_top = googletag.defineSlot('/22018898626/LC_Article_detail_page', [728, 90], 'div-gpt-ad-1591620860846-0').setTargeting('pos', ['1']).setTargeting('div_id', ['leaderboard_top']).addService(googletag.pubads()); googletag.pubads().collapseEmptyDivs(); googletag.enableServices(); }); } else if(device.tablet()) { googletag.cmd.push(function() { leaderboard_top = googletag.defineSlot('/22018898626/LC_Article_detail_page', [320, 50], 'div-gpt-ad-1591620860846-0').setTargeting('pos', ['1']).setTargeting('div_id', ['leaderboard_top']).addService(googletag.pubads()); googletag.pubads().collapseEmptyDivs(); googletag.enableServices(); }); } else if(device.mobile()) { googletag.cmd.push(function() { leaderboard_top = googletag.defineSlot('/22018898626/LC_Article_detail_page', [320, 50], 'div-gpt-ad-1591620860846-0').setTargeting('pos', ['1']).setTargeting('div_id', ['leaderboard_top']).addService(googletag.pubads()); googletag.pubads().collapseEmptyDivs(); googletag.enableServices(); }); } googletag.cmd.push(function() { // Enable lazy loading with... googletag.pubads().enableLazyLoad({ // Fetch slots within 5 viewports. // fetchMarginPercent: 500, fetchMarginPercent: 100, // Render slots within 2 viewports. // renderMarginPercent: 200, renderMarginPercent: 100, // Double the above values on mobile, where viewports are smaller // and users tend to scroll faster. mobileScaling: 2.0 }); });

How Attorneys Can Enhance the Role of Their Staff in External Marketing

Most law firms avoid posting jobs on Indeed or LinkedIn due to high costs. Instead, they publish them on their own websites, bar association pages, and niche legal boards. LawCrossing finds these hidden jobs, giving you access to exclusive opportunities. Sign up now!

published January 28, 2013

By CEO and Founder - BCG Attorney Search left

TRAINING PROGRAMS

Training for business development involves workshops, seminars, and courses aimed at sharpening client/service skills. It involves programs for attorneys, professional staff, and support employees. In larger firms, training can be provided using in-house resources. Examples are:
 
  • Communication from successful rainmakers to other partners who have the personal interest and style necessary for rainmaking. Information shared is specific techniques that the rainmaker has found to work within the firm's client groups and geographical market.
  • An in-house marketing coordinator meeting with attorneys to report on a marketing analysis of new files. Important in this kind of meeting is information on type of work, type of client, and reasons each new file was opened (sometimes analysis of why a file was opened reveals a successful marketing process!).
  • The office manager meeting with secretaries and receptionists to review office procedures, standard correspondence formatting, computer technologies, and so on.

Far more common for attorneys is the hiring of outside consultants for in-house training or sending attorneys, staff and others to outside seminars. Consultants can be found to instruct in every topic from sales management to desktop publishing. Outside courses are taught through educational institutions, law-related organizations that offer CLEs, and private companies whose sole purpose is personnel training and development.

TRAINING PROGRAM GUIDELINES

Because training for client service and marketing involves attorney and staff time as well as out-of-pocket costs, there can be considerable expense involved. Therefore, training is legitimately an element in the marketing budget. Its cost should be realized and addressed.

Marketing training and improvement of client/service skills should be part of the job for every attorney, staff, and other firm employee. Over the course of a year, the degree of training and involvement will vary greatly among individuals, depending on their seniority, interests, and job responsibilities. Persons with jobs of marketing or administration may spend 15 percent of their time either attending or giving marketing-oriented training sessions. Clerical staff may spend less than 5 percent. Some partners may spend none.

By identifying training in the marketing budget, employees realize its importance to the firm. Some employees will eagerly seek out training opportunities, while others will not. Attorneys need to respond to both situations.

United States
For employees who seek out classes, their enthusiasm needs to be encouraged but addressed by limiting the time and out-of-pocket commitment that the firm can make to the individual. Some firms have allocated a fixed out-of-pocket amount to the employee for training, depending on the individual and position. Additional training is at the employee's expense. For instance, a clerical employee may be allocated $300 per year for training in computers, office procedures, time management, and so on or whatever he or she wishes to study.

For the reticent types who do not show their own initiative for outside training, the firm should tell the employee that, during the next 12 months, the firm wants the employee to attend at least one one-day training session on a topic of the employee's choosing that, in the opinion of the employee, would be helpful to his or her job. Attorneys are frequently and pleasantly surprised to see what the employees come up with!

EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE

Training can take place during the individual's personal time, so there is no "loss-of-revenue" cost to the attorney or firm. This applies particularly to administrative and clerical employees who enroll in educational programs through local community colleges or universities and obtain credit for their study. Courses taken are usually technical in nature, such as computer lessons or bookkeeping, although they can be oriented toward advanced degrees. Generally, this kind of training by employees should be encouraged. One method to do this is through educational assistance programs (EAPs), programs where the employer pays the employee for costs related to their study, typically around 80 percent (although they can range from 20 percent to 100 percent). They are common in corporations and can work well within law firms, no matter how small. EAPs specify what type of course work is eligible for reimbursement and the rate at which costs will be paid.

Effective EAPs stipulate that the coursework must be related to the employee's current job responsibilities. Attorneys usually stipulate in the EAP a reimbursement rate to the employee. This usually depends on several factors, such as total costs, grade received, and value to the firm. For instance, one law firm has an EAP that says employees taking an approved college-level course will be reimbursed at 50 percent of the employee's cost of both books and tuition if they receive a "C" in the course, 75 percent if they receive a "B," and 100 percent if they receive an "A."

From graduate programs in economics to half-day sessions on good telephone techniques, training is important to the ultimate success of individuals and firms. Because marketing for the client-focused attorney is not "selling" but rather "service," training to improve employee job and service skills plays a critical role in attorney success.

About Harrison Barnes

No legal recruiter in the United States has placed more attorneys at top law firms across every practice area than Harrison Barnes. His unmatched expertise, industry connections, and proven placement strategies have made him the most influential legal career advisor for attorneys seeking success in Big Law, elite boutiques, mid-sized firms, small firms, firms in the largest and smallest markets, and in over 350 separate practice areas.

A Reach Unlike Any Other Legal Recruiter

Most legal recruiters focus only on placing attorneys in large markets or specific practice areas, but Harrison places attorneys at all levels, in all practice areas, and in all locations—from the most prestigious firms in New York, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C., to small and mid-sized firms in rural markets. Every week, he successfully places attorneys not only in high-demand practice areas like corporate and litigation but also in niche and less commonly recruited areas such as:

  • Immigration law
  • Workers’ compensation
  • Insurance defense
  • Family law
  • Trusts & estates
  • Municipal law
  • And many more...

This breadth of placements is unheard of in the legal recruiting industry and is a testament to his extraordinary ability to connect attorneys with the right firms, regardless of market size or practice area.

Proven Success at All Levels

With over 25 years of experience, Harrison has successfully placed attorneys at over 1,000 law firms, including:

  • Top Am Law 100 firms such including Sullivan and Cromwell, and almost every AmLaw 100 and AmLaw 200 law firm.
  • Elite boutique firms with specialized practices
  • Mid-sized firms looking to expand their practice areas
  • Growing firms in small and rural markets

He has also placed hundreds of law firm partners and has worked on firm and practice area mergers, helping law firms strategically grow their teams.

Unmatched Commitment to Attorney Success – The Story of BCG Attorney Search

Harrison Barnes is not just the most effective legal recruiter in the country, he is also the founder of BCG Attorney Search, a recruiting powerhouse that has helped thousands of attorneys transform their careers. His vision for BCG goes beyond just job placement; it is built on a mission to provide attorneys with opportunities they would never have access to otherwise. Unlike traditional recruiting firms, BCG Attorney Search operates as a career partner, not just a placement service. The firm’s unparalleled resources, including a team of over 150 employees, enable it to offer customized job searches, direct outreach to firms, and market intelligence that no other legal recruiting service provides. Attorneys working with Harrison and BCG gain access to hidden opportunities, real-time insights on firm hiring trends, and guidance from a team that truly understands the legal market. You can read more about how BCG Attorney Search revolutionizes legal recruiting here: The Story of BCG Attorney Search and What We Do for You.

The Most Trusted Career Advisor for Attorneys

Harrison’s legal career insights are the most widely followed in the profession.

Submit Your Resume to Work with Harrison Barnes

If you are serious about advancing your legal career and want access to the most sought-after law firm opportunities, Harrison Barnes is the most powerful recruiter to have on your side.

Submit your resume today to start working with him: Submit Resume Here.

With an unmatched track record of success, a vast team of over 150 dedicated employees, and a reach into every market and practice area, Harrison Barnes is the recruiter who makes career transformations happen and has the talent and resources behind him to make this happen.

A Relentless Commitment to Attorney Success

Unlike most recruiters who work with only a narrow subset of attorneys, Harrison Barnes works with lawyers at all stages of their careers, from junior associates to senior partners, in every practice area imaginable. His placements are not limited to only those with "elite" credentials—he has helped thousands of attorneys, including those who thought it was impossible to move firms, find their next great opportunity.

Harrison’s work is backed by a team of over 150 professionals who work around the clock to uncover hidden job opportunities at law firms across the country. His team:

  • Finds and creates job openings that aren’t publicly listed, giving attorneys access to exclusive opportunities.
  • Works closely with candidates to ensure their resumes and applications stand out.
  • Provides ongoing guidance and career coaching to help attorneys navigate interviews, negotiations, and transitions successfully.

This level of dedicated support is unmatched in the legal recruiting industry.

A Legal Recruiter Who Changes Lives

Harrison believes that every attorney—no matter their background, law school, or previous experience—has the potential to find success in the right law firm environment. Many attorneys come to him feeling stuck in their careers, underpaid, or unsure of their next steps. Through his unique ability to identify the right opportunities, he helps attorneys transform their careers in ways they never thought possible.

He has worked with:

  • Attorneys making below-market salaries who went on to double or triple their earnings at new firms.
  • Senior attorneys who believed they were “too experienced” to make a move and found better roles with firms eager for their expertise.
  • Attorneys in small or remote markets who assumed they had no options—only to be placed at strong firms they never knew existed.
  • Partners looking for a better platform or more autonomy who successfully transitioned to firms where they could grow their practice.

For attorneys who think their options are limited, Harrison Barnes has proven time and time again that opportunities exist—often in places they never expected.

Submit Your Resume Today – Start Your Career Transformation

If you want to explore new career opportunities, Harrison Barnes and BCG Attorney Search are your best resources. Whether you are looking for a BigLaw position, a boutique firm, or a move to a better work environment, Harrison’s expertise will help you take control of your future.

? Submit Your Resume Here to get started with Harrison Barnes today.

Alternative Summary

Harrison is the founder of BCG Attorney Search and several companies in the legal employment space that collectively gets thousands of attorneys jobs each year. Harrison’s writings about attorney careers and placement attract millions of reads each year. Harrison is widely considered the most successful recruiter in the United States and personally places multiple attorneys most weeks. His articles on legal search and placement are read by attorneys, law students and others millions of times per year.

More about Harrison

About LawCrossing

LawCrossing has received tens of thousands of attorneys jobs and has been the leading legal job board in the United States for almost two decades. LawCrossing helps attorneys dramatically improve their careers by locating every legal job opening in the market. Unlike other job sites, LawCrossing consolidates every job in the legal market and posts jobs regardless of whether or not an employer is paying. LawCrossing takes your legal career seriously and understands the legal profession. For more information, please visit www.LawCrossing.com.
Gain an advantage in your legal job search. LawCrossing uncovers hidden positions that firms post on their own websites and industry-specific job boards—jobs that never appear on Indeed or LinkedIn. Don't miss out. Sign up now!

( 3 votes, average: 3.8 out of 5)

What do you think about this article? Rate it using the stars above and let us know what you think in the comments below.