Find Your Splendid Splinter - S8 EP 01

01/15/24 • 32 min

Lawyer's Coach - what makes lawyers tick?

In this episode Oliver Hansard speaks to Lee Curtis of LINAR consulting. He describes what lawyers need to think about if they want to differentiate and win new work. He explores why it's time to find your splendid splinter!
Key Points in this episode:
Understanding Lawyers and BD (Business Development)
Lee classifies lawyers into three categories: 20% who inherently understand BD, 60% who need guidance, and 20% who struggle with BD.
He highlights the challenge of convincing the bottom 20% but aims to move the middle 60% to the top bracket.
Tips for Aspiring Partners
Lee emphasises the importance of networking both internally and externally.
Encourages becoming an expert in a niche area, creating a unique selling point (splendid splinter).
Challenges for Senior Partners and Firms
Acknowledges the changing legal landscape and the need for senior partners to adapt.
Recommends seeking input from the team to understand what's working and what needs improvement.
The Role of Soft Skills in Differentiating Lawyers
Soft skills are crucial for standing out in a competitive legal landscape.
Lee suggests that AI will enhance, not replace, soft skills in the next 2-5 years.
Defining Success in Legal BD
Lee defines success as making clients look good, supporting them to be admired for their work.
Personal success is measured through positive feedback and continuous improvement.
Finding Your Splendid Splinter
Encourages individuals to identify their unique strengths and become experts in those areas.
Emphasizes the need to differentiate oneself in a crowded legal market.
Conclusion
Lee Curtis stresses the importance of adapting to changes in the legal industry and leveraging AI as a tool rather than a replacement.
Success is tied to making clients and teams look good, and continuous improvement is key.

The Lawyer's Coach is brought to you by Client Talk and Hansard Coaching.

The Lawyer's Coach is brought to you by Client Talk and Hansard Coaching.

Previous Episode

The Lawyer's Coach is Back

The Lawyer's Coach returns next week with valuable conversations you won't want to miss. In this 'teaser' episode, hosts Claire Rason and Oliver Hansard hint at this season’s themes.

The Lawyer's Coach is brought to you by Client Talk and Hansard Coaching.

Next Episode

Partnering Authentically: Insights from a Tax Expert S8 EP 02

In this episode, Claire Rason sits down with Nicky Owen, Head of Professional Practices at Crowe, to explore her unique career journey from working with underwater explosives to becoming a senior equity partner in the field of tax. They delve into the importance of authentic leadership, the challenges of developing people in the evolving workplace, and insights from Crowe's benchmarking survey on topics such as cybercrime, ESG, and ED&I. Join the conversation as Nicky shares her stories and valuable perspectives on career progression and the power of storytelling in professional growth.

The Lawyer's Coach is brought to you by Client Talk and Hansard Coaching.

Lawyer's Coach - what makes lawyers tick? - Find Your Splendid Splinter - S8 EP 01

Transcript

[00:00:00] Claire Rason: Welcome to Series 8 of the Lawyers Coach Podcast. I'm Claire Rason and I am here with co-host Oli Hansard. Hi Oli.

Oliver Hansard: Hi Claire. How are you?

Claire Rason: I'm good, thank you. And it's been a little while since we finished up Series 7. So what have you been doing in the intervening period?

[00:00:20] Oliver Hansard: All sorts of great coaching particularly doing a who