Translation of an interview in the German language in the 14 May 2024 issue of the LTO/ Legal Tribune Online.
There are minor deviations from the original to better reflect the English language; some clarifications or amendments are noted by square brackets.
Interview by Dr Franziska Kring with Anna von Troschke and Dr. Christian Kessel
Reading time: 7 minute
Associates also have to make a name for themselves in the industry. The two coaches and former lawyers Christian Kessel and Anna von Troschke give tips on how to achieve this – and emphasise how important it is to be proactive.
LTO: Dr Kessel, Ms von Troschke, to become a successful lawyer, you have to have excellent legal skills. But that alone is not enough. What else do I need to bring to the table – especially as regards soft skills?
Anna von Troschke:
Professional expertise is the basis, but there are many other factors, such as teamwork and communication skills. And you have to be willing to develop yourself further. It’s important to see critical feedback from your partner as support and an opportunity and not as criticism of yourself. In my view, personal initiative is also very important.
Dr Christian Kessel:
I am always amazed that associates are not more self-reliant. Anyone who has passed [in Germany] two state exams in law has achieved something. You also had to prepare for the exams on your own. That’s why I don’t always understand why many people don’t show more initiative at the beginning of their careers. And, of course, it is also important to be willing to be entrepreneurial and to develop an entrepreneurial mindset. The legal profession is about finding the best economic solution for clients – and also about building up your own business.
How do I start building up my own client base?
Kessel:
As a young professional in a large law firm, you first get clients from the partners, gain experience and hopefully also receive training.
In the first year, you first have to familiarise yourself with the profession and find out exactly which matters the partner you are assigned to and work with actually handles. I have mainly represented automotive suppliers and also gave a lot of presentations in this area. Associates who had worked on similar cases three or four times were then allowed to talk about them for 30 or 45 minutes at the next event. That’s how I got my team into business development at an early stage.
‘Business development is not the sole responsibility of the partners’ but not everyone is so lucky…
Kessel:
It’s not often that young colleagues are led into business development from the outset. Many partners I have met believe that client acquisition is their job alone. Anyone who thinks this is completely wrong and these are precisely the partners whose team often does not grow, whose turnover rarely grows, who do good work over decades, but always at the same level. I wouldn’t have been able to build up my [large/successful] business if I hadn’t involved my team early on. In my opinion, there is far too little that law firms do. Law firms organise a lot of things with great names like University or Academy, but for reasons I don’t understand there is always very little business development involved. But of course, as a partner – and I was no different – you often simply don’t have the time for it.
And it’s not just the partners’ job.
Von Troschke:
Exactly. I have to see for myself how I can become visible – both inside and outside the firm. How can I make a name for myself in the industry? It is very important that I don’t wait for the partner to see me and promote me. I am responsible for becoming visible myself, nobody will do that for me.
What do you mean by ‘visibility’?
Kessel:
Visibility always sounds a bit too passive for me, I would rather call it ‘making yourself visible’. Being active, drawing attention to yourself through your own initiative. Within the law firm, you should become known to those who decide on the next salary increase or promotion – the partners. You should get involved, show interest and make suggestions, but also let them know if you are missing something. As you gain experience, you should also ask to take part in client meetings and send out emails in your own name – of course after the partner has approved them and probably revised or rewritten them extensively when you were a junior lawyer.
‘Shy people should also give presentations’
Presentations are a good way to become visible to the outside world. How do I start, especially if I’m rather reserved and shy?
Von Troschke:
It’s so important to have the confidence. It’s completely normal to be scared and nervous at the beginning. But you shouldn’t make excuses along the lines of ‘I’m shy, I can’t give presentations’. Of course, it is more stressful for shy or introverted people to give a presentation, but they shouldn’t give up. For example, you can record and practise your presentations beforehand or get external support.
Kessel:
And not every presentation has to be a highly dogmatic and super intellectual affair. On the contrary, most listeners simply want to get an impression of exciting developments in the relevant area of law. They are interested in the legal risks and how they can deal with them.
In my view, anyone can be a good business developer, regardless of whether they are a reserved person or a ‘stage hog’ [i.e someone who enjoys and flourishes when on a stage and speaking in front of many people]. The decisive factor for me is whether I am prepared to go to the market and sell myself, my expertise and my experience. There are also people [however] who simply don’t want to do that. I once had a young lawyer in my team, a great lawyer, not shy either. But he simply realised that this self-marketing wasn’t his thing. He then resigned and became a judge. I have a lot of respect for that, you don’t have to torment yourself unnecessarily.
How often do you find, especially now as a coach, that career starters realise after a short time that they have taken the wrong path for them? What advice do you give: stick it out or reorientate immediately?
Von Troschke:
Many people who come to my coaching sessions are dissatisfied with their job. I think it’s important neither to throw in the towel straight away nor to persevere at all costs. In my view, the first step should be to analyse your own strengths, values and motives so that you can then make an informed decision.
When should I start giving lectures? Many people simply have doubts that they can’t do it all yet because they’ve only just started.
Kessel:
As early as possible. You need to gain experience . If I do my first training in the form of a lecture a year before I become a partner, I’m at least five years too late. The earlier I do it, the better. And it’s also good for business to make contacts early on. When you give a lecture, you get a lot of business cards, people ask questions and may even want some free legal advice on the side. But that’s how you build a network. And as far as expertise is concerned, you shouldn’t be shy. If I’ve managed three or four recalls in the automotive industry, for example, I know how to do it by and large.
‘Nobody expects you to know everything’
What do I do if a question comes up in the subsequent discussion that I can’t answer?
Von Troschke:
That’s usually the reason why people don’t give presentations in the first place. I think that’s such a shame. Of course, it can happen that a question comes up, no matter how experienced you are. And many people are blocked by this fear. In my view, it helps to think of an answer in advance, such as ‘That’s a really good question, let’s think together about how we could approach it’. And it’s also perfectly legitimate to admit when you don’t know something instead of just blurting it out. It also helps if you listen to other presentations and observe how the speaker reacts.
Kessel:
And you can also say that the question is ‘completely outside my area of specialisation’. For example, when I’ve been asked about data protection during my presentations on autonomous driving, I’ve said that I’m happy to take the question on board, ask my colleagues in the field and get back to them by email.
Von Troschke:
And finally, you should also bear in mind that nobody – neither clients nor other people – expect you to really know everything. And then it’s better to give qualified feedback afterwards than unqualified feedback immediately.
Away from lectures: How can I still make myself visible as a lawyer, especially outside my own law firm?
Von Troschke:
LinkedIn is a good option and is also suitable for introverted or shy people. Networking events are also highly recommended.
What other tips do you have on the subject of business development?
Kessel:
You have to do business development on an ongoing basis. If you think you can only dedicate yourself to the topic in less busy times, you’re making a mistake. Ideally, it’s never quiet, and when it is quiet, it’s too late. It takes time to see success. Of course, sometimes I call someone today and they instruct me tomorrow, but that’s very rare
And business development is costly [on various levels, not just money-wise]. Even if you have a full desk, you still have to do it. But the rewards are huge and part of what can become a great career.
Thank you very much for the interview!
Dr Christian Kessel was a lawyer and partner in two large law firms for over 30 years. Since his retirement about two years ago, he has been working as a trainer and coach for business development.
Anna von Troschke is a lawyer, certified business coach for lawyers and Rethinking Impostor Syndrome Coach.
In their talks and workshops, they share practical strategies for confident and successful business development.
