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  • September 01, 2004

    Inside the Bar September 2004: Career Development Conference - networking and educational event - draws crowd

    More than 250 members of the legal community attended the State Bar- sponsored free Career Development Conference on Aug. 17 in Milwaukee.

    Inside the   BarInside the Bar
    September 2004

    Career Development Conference - networking and educational event - draws crowd

    More than 250 members of the legal community attended the State Bar- sponsored free Career Development Conference on Aug. 17 in Milwaukee.

    Fairley's five keys to becoming a successful rainmaker

    1) Don't sell legal services - People hire lawyers to solve problems and provide solid solutions, not because of specific services.

    2) Identify your ideal target market - Seek out the person or company who is most likely to hire you.

    3) Emphasize your unique competitive advantage - Answer the question: "Why should I hire from your firm versus another firm?"

    4) Use education-based marketing to set yourself apart, generate more leads, and build a bigger client base - Educate your prospects about potential solutions to their situation through: workshops and seminars; free special reports, handouts, and checklists; and free or low-cost audio CDs, booklets, articles, and books.

    5) Use active marketing strategies - Go out and actively look for new business.

    "Ongoing career development is the cornerstone of personal and professional satisfaction for recent graduates and seasoned professionals," says State Bar President Michelle Behnke. "With that in mind, the goal of the Career Development Conference was to connect members of the legal community with people and resources they need to get ahead. I think we did that. More than 500 individuals helped us to sculpt the topics by providing feedback during the pre-registration process. This was a powerful networking and educational event."

    Presentation topics included: making a successful lateral move; career and practice coaching services; benefiting from contract/project legal work; and effective use of placement agencies.

    A highlight of the evening was a presentation by Stephen Fairley, best-selling author and president of Today's Leadership Coaching Inc. in Chicago, a business coaching and leadership development practices organization that helps legal professionals grow their practice and advance their careers.

    "Look behind every successful law firm and you will find a rainmaker," said Fairley. "A rainmaker lands new accounts; brings in money; and is constantly on the lookout for new clients and opportunities. Hiring a lawyer is easy, but finding a rainmaker - now that's the challenge of every firm."

    "The key to unlocking the door to success is found in discovering how to make rain. If you want to land offers from top firms, if you want to start your own firm, or grow your current one, you must develop your rainmaking skills."

    The State Bar would like to acknowledge the Dane County and Milwaukee Bar associations and the State Bar Young Lawyers Division for their support of this event. The State Bar also thanks the panelists and speakers who helped to make this conference a success.


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