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94 Women Law. J. 13 (2009)
Becoming a Trusted Business Advisor: Developing Client Relationships That Last

handle is hein.journals/wolj94 and id is 53 raw text is: Becoming a Trusted Business Advisor: Developing Client Relationships That Last By Lorraine Koc and Edward Schechter Lorraine Koc, a Past President of the National Association of Women Lawyers (NAWL) and a Director of theAssociation of Corporate Counsel (Delaware Valley Chapter) is Vice President and General Counsel for a national retail chain, Deb Shops, Inc., which has more than 3,000 employees in 43 states. Ms. Koc has a broad range of corporate legal responsibilities with an emphasis on employment matters. A trusted The economy is in the tank. Companies are dosing branches and eliminating lines of business. Pressure is increasing at every level. But smart companies still find ay not only and choose outside legal counsel based on value. In this ise a client economy, outside counsel who get it stand to benefit breadth of as keenly as ever. The pressure is on law firms to offer competitive pricing. Winning or settling the trial, closing siness and the deal and providing responsive and effective counsel ssues; she are paramount. But to be successful and profitable in )n develop the long term, lawyers have to offer much more. They must become a client's trusted business advisor. nurture a Manywomen lawyers, as we will demonstrate, already p personal have the skills to succeed in this new era. The issue for n n '-inn-- these lawyers is their ability to communicate this type of value to clients. What Is a Trusted Advisor? In their seminal book, The Trusted Advisor, David H. Maister, Charles H. Green and Robert M. Galford (Free Press, 2000. ISBN-13 978-0-7432-1234-2) offer professional services providers a guide to earning the trust and confidence of their clients. A trusted advisor is valued beyond her core area of expertise. For example, a copyright lawyer acting within the scope of her expertise is likely to perform a certain task or service for a client. However, a copyright lawyer who understands whether that means knowing the names of her clients' children or how the client enjoys spending free time. Edward Schechter is the former Chief Marketing Officer for Duane Morris LLP Under Mr. Schechter's leadership, Duane Morris has been named the best marketed law firm in the United States by American Lawyer Media. Additionally, he was recognized as Marketing Director of the Year in the 2007 Hubbard One Excellence in Legal Marketing Awards. He can be reached at emschecter@gmail.com. the industries in which her clients work, comprehends what keeps her clients up at night and can proactively put issues into context and provide a holistic perspective -she is a trusted advisor. A trusted business advisor may not only advise a client on a breadth of business and legal issues; she also can develop and nurture a deep personal connection- whether that means knowing the names of her clients' children or how the client enjoys spending free time. Clients turn to these advisors for legal advice and industry perspective. Some clients may want to co- present or author a paper with their trusted advisors, have dinner while in the same city or get recommendations on everything from the economy to other business professionals and personal advice. Women lawyers are arguably better positioned than men to leverage this concept. Historically, women have been raised to value and cultivate relationships. It is a generalization to say that all women lawyers are more skilled at doing this than their male counterparts, but the women partners that we know tend to place more emphasis on connecting, listening and communicating effectively with others. Women are widely seen as better than men at appreciating and working within the emotional and relationship realm. Now is the time to use these skills in client relationships. National Association of Women Lawyers • the voice of women in the law busine m adv on a bu. legal i also ca and dee rcn

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