No doubt you know what it means to build a legal practice. Do you have as clear an idea of what it means to build a “profile”?
Consider the following. Peter, a barrister, specialises in certain types of litigation. He is bright, capable, hard-working and has practised for 15 years. Early on, Peter
identified his speciality areas and articulated those for himself and others. He did high quality work and, in a quiet but consistent way, made sure the word got out.
He wrote articles, sought out opportunities to speak at conferences, met with prospective clients and referrers etc. Being now known throughout New Zealand for his excellent work, he is always on the “short list” for his areas of expertise. Peter has a national profile. Even when the market for legal services is “slow”, Peter always gets more than his fair share of the work.
Mary is a solicitor who, like Peter, is bright, capable and hard-working. Mary specialises in particular types of corporate law and also has been in practice for 15 years. Although she thinks about how to differentiate her practice from those of other lawyers, she does not focus on the issue.