How to Build a Book of Business: Business Development Tips for Lawyers and Other Professionals

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What are the best practices for business development? How do you build a book of business? Are there any especially great business development tips for women? We've gotten a few reader questions about this over the years, and readers recently had a threadjack, so we're going to take a look at it again today.

Here was one reader question from new partner “Reader S”:

I am starting at a new firm as a partner where there is a great deal of emphasis on client development. Its a long story but I do not have much experience developing a book of business. I know you have done posts on networking but I don't recall seeing anything related specifically to client development. Any tips on what to do differently in terms of networking when you are specifically seeking business and not just changing jobs? How do you “pitch” to a potential client? How do you even get your foot in the door to deliver a “pitch”? Thanks!

Another question from a more recent threadjack:

I'm a newish big-law non-equity partner in a practice where you need to build your own book…any tips on what has worked best for you? I am going to endless mixers and dinners and I’m tired.

Huge congratulations to both of you, that's such an achievement! You've both found something tricky about advancement — what got you to a certain level won't always be helpful once you've passed that level. We've talked about this with regards to superstar employees, as well as some of the habits women need to change as they rise through the ranks. (We've also talked about how it's ok to decide you don't actually like this new job, but that's a different post.) Readers have had some great advice on how to bring in clients and revenue through the years, so let's dive in…

First off, unfortunately, the “endless mixers and dinners” is not the way to do it — there is a difference between networking and business development.

N.B. This post was originally written in 2014, but was updated in August 2026 by Kat Griffin with additional advice from readers.

Before You Start: Understand How The Game is Played

How Does Your Firm Give Origination Credit?

One of the smartest things the readers have pointed out: every firm may differ slightly in terms of what “counts” as business development. What counts as origination at your firm? Do you get credit for bringing new work from an existing client? How does cross-selling work? Can origination credit be shared? What happens to your credit if you change firms?

After all, you don't want to spin your wheels optimizing for the wrong game.

Get Your Name on the List

Readers have mentioned two aspects that are also worth understanding for your field and potential clients. As one reader said, “this is an obvious one, but get your name on lawyer referral lists with as many bar orgs as you can.”

Another reader also suggested that corporations might have interior lists: “Is there an Outside Counsel list limiting who they can use that you might not be on? Do they have strict preferences/policies as to who you use?”

How to Build a Book of Business: Advice for Women Lawyers

Stop Networking and Start Thinking About Business Development

As both readers have discovered, networking is not the same thing as business development — all of those endless dinners and mixers won't necessarily pay off. One big thing to keep in mind is to go where the clients are, which is not necessarily at lawyer events.

As one commenter noted,

Mixers are (IMO) a lot of lawyers. Figuring out how to do an accredited CLE (if for your area + ethics, that usually gets attention). Package up something and start meeting actual clients. Clients often don’t have a budget, so offer to present to them. But think about your metrics and where clients actually are for the work you can pitch to them (and the best is bringing in work that someone else does, so think about your friends; possibly learn to hunt in packs).

Think about who can hire you — but also about who can introduce you to someone who can.

(Psst: we've also talked about where to meet prospective clients when you want somewhere neutral that isn't your office or theirs… as well as different CRMs and business development trackers.)

But… Start With the Network You Already Have

Readers have suggested networking within the firm and doing work for existing clients — one in-house counsel noted that when the partner who represents her company was too busy to directly handle the work, she'll loop in other associates and partners, “and then I'll start going to that person directly if they're good.”

Another reader suggested knowing where your former associate friends have gone — if they're in house, she said, “they will grow into decisionmakers, or at least major influencers, faster than you might think.”

Outside of the legal world, readers have suggested to make use of your existing assets. “For example, I know one very successful attorney whose family was Swiss and French and she networked with a lot of cultural institutions from those countries, which in turn resulted in her getting tons of referrals from those nationals.” Another suggestion: join your coop or condo board.

Give Some to Get Some

A number of readers noted that you should never turn down a case without referring them to someone else… the beneficiary of that referral will remember.

A very good rule I’ve heard is never ever turn down a case; if you can’t take it because it’s not what you do or the client can’t pay what you charge, don’t say no; say you will get back to them with someone and refer it out. People will then refer cases back to you – it’s a small world and it’s a great way to build your network.

Become an Expert

One commenter who is an in-house counsel suggested that if she needed an expert in something “new” to her company's concerns, she would be reviewing whitepapers or looking for CLEs on point.

Another commenter agreed: “Build a subject matter expertise and publish on it. As an in house counsel, if I Google some issue and some BigLaw partner wrote a helpful resource on it, I’d be likely to reach out to them.”

Readers have found success in particular by speaking at conferences —

In my practice area (employer-side employment law, but I focus on smaller businesses and government entities), the thing I do with the biggest return is speak at conferences. Legal updates for tiny local chapters of larger groups, state wide conferences, whatever, I am up for it. And I stay at the conference before and after, and hang out, and put myself out there and make friends with people. For me, I focus on (1) creating a large network of folks who know me and know my name; and (2) being known as an expert in an area so when they need help, whether it’s next week or two years from now, they think of me. I’m have a ton of connections (who I actually know, I connect with basically everyone I meet) and am active on LinkedIn even though I otherwise hate SM because it is basically free advertising. I share basically every speech I give and otherwise share thoughts and blog articles, whatever, to show I am in the know.

Another reader agreed:

Give CLEs and presentations to clients and potential clients. Speak on panels at conferences to be known as an expert in X. I’m way more likely to reach out to someone who I saw speak on X issue that I later see come up in my work than I am to remember what someone I talked to at a mixer actually does in their practice when really what we talked about was vacations and our kids – fun, but ultimately not helpful for their BDV.

Of course, this doesn't always mean paydirt. In fact, when ATL's in-house columnist, Mark Hermann, reflected on how much business he's gotten from various published articles over the years, his guess was… zilch.

Add Value to your Clients and Potential Clients

One reader suggested to “find ways to add value to your clients’ and potential clients’ business and make their lives easier.” She went on to suggest:

Can you do training seminars, forms creation, internal guideline/policy review and drafting that help them manage risk internally? Are there risk points where you could provide value on a fixed fee basis to become embedded in their workflow (think smaller, less desirable tasks they may be handling in house that could benefit from OC assistance, possibly things that can be automated)? Do you see articles/news developments relevant to topics you talked about that might be interesting to them that you can pass along? . . . Understanding and adding to their business goals and being part of that “team” will help volumes. Just asking these types of questions shows you are invested and want to be value accretive to their operations.

Further Reading:

Above the Law‘s Anonymous Partner had a three-part series on building a BigLaw book of business; s/he noted that in order to get other lawyers to refer you on matters — even within your own firm — you have to be likeable.

This may or may not be helpful to Reader S, but this older post from Hiring Partner's Advice advised BigLaw associates to work with a partner who has a bigger book of business (specifically, a client with a lot of litigation on the horizon) and make your name and quality work known to that client.

Readers, what are your best tips for building a book of business? Any great “gets” that you'd care to share (anonymously, of course!)?

(Pictured: Shutterstock/jannoon028.)