At a recent law firm retreat, I led a session with practice group leaders on what drives client loyalty and what role those factors can play in times of uncertainty (and in times of prosperity). The themes and ideas we explored are applicable to any lawyer leading teams, whether the team is centered around a […]
In recent interviews, clients have expressed great concern about the state of the associate ranks in their trusted outside firms. Concerns range from efficient and consistent staffing models to retention and succession planning. “I need exposure to their associates they are bringing up. They probably have them, and I just don’t know them. Getting comfortable […]
There is an old saying: “You catch more flies with honey than you do with vinegar.” While raising three teens, I use this phrase often to highlight to my children they are likely to get what they want using sweetness (kindness) rather than acidity (rudeness/inappropriate tones). In a world of strong opinions, a rush to […]
Events and conferences are increasingly shifting back to in-person gatherings, ideally an opportunity to expand professional networks and build new relationships. If you’re excited to network but feel a bit rusty, below are a few tips to make the most of these events. Have a purpose: Determine your goals for attending the event, such as […]
Wicker Park Group periodically revisits some of its most popular blog posts. This post was first published a year ago. In honor of Women’s History month, I wanted to write a blog post about business development for women. While many of the business development actions, approaches and challenges are universal to all lawyers, there are […]
Superbowl Sunday was just a few weeks ago. An estimated 113 million people tuned in to watch the two teams compete. Most of us know the game well, but I believe we can learn something from the practices, habits and behaviors of the best teams. While both teams spent hours preparing and practicing on the […]
The new year is in full swing, and now is the time to check in with your clients about their priorities for 2023: goals, challenges, budgets, areas of growth, metrics for success, etc. Ideally, you’re communicating with your clients regularly, but calendaring time (off the clock) to focus on the bigger strategic picture puts you […]
I hope this message finds you all healthy and enjoying the holidays with those you cherish. I am not much of a New Year’s resolution person, but I like the idea of quiet reflection and goals for a fresh start. Instead of cutting out something or drastically changing my day-to-day life, I tend to focus […]
Earlier this month, I had the opportunity to attend an inspiring conference focused on innovation in the law profession hosted by the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School. Many sessions focused on the concept of human-centric design: a design framework based on empathy—really understanding the customer—through observation, testing, failing, getting feedback, and iterating to deliver […]
Clients will always tell their outside counsel what they want. All you have to do is ask. That’s the thesis we have been operating under at Wicker Park Group for the last 15 years. So, as we approach the end of the year, and in the spirit of this giving season, here are six tips […]
We had a busy weekend full of fall traditions. I met up with a group of girlfriends for an annual getaway, and we hosted our 7th annual Walk to Bust (Breast) Cancer, raising over $150,000 for families who are unable to afford care and screening. Lastly, my family made time to carve pumpkins with friends […]
I haven’t traveled abroad in a very long time and took a long-planned, twice-postponed trip to attend a yoga retreat in Morocco last month. It was an amazing experience to explore such a dramatically different culture and an excellent reminder of the many benefits of travel. So many of the lessons I was reminded of […]
I read (or, admittedly, scanned) the book Atomic Habits by James Clear two years ago. I enjoyed it, incorporating some of the concepts into my daily habits and recommending many of them to lawyers I was coaching. I loved some of the quotes, found the framework and suggestions to be attainable and generally thought almost […]
In recent interviews, clients have been raving about the return to in-person meetings and are encouraging their outside advisors to be more visible. One client told me they just met their outside legal and financial advisors in person for the first time after working together for more than two years on an IPO. The pitch, […]
Wicker Park Group periodically revisits some of its most popular blog posts. This post was first published in August 2021. There is never a bad time to talk about rates, but early Fall is the best time to discuss it with clients. In recent weeks, we have had many conversations with general counsel about their perspective on […]
We have been conducting client interviews on behalf of law firms for more than 20 years now, and many things have changed significantly in that time. But when asked what matters most and what defines excellent outside counsel relationships, one theme remains consistent: communication. While every client has personal preferences and unique dynamics, all clients […]
Effective communication is the essential ingredient for successful relationships, and we are excited to have Jeff Deery, a partner at Winderweedle, Haines, Ward & Woodman, share some tips for providing clarity, assurance, and understanding when communicating with clients. In his classic rock masterpiece, Space Oddity, singer David Bowie tells the story of astronaut Major Tom. As […]
A recent WSJ article lamented customer service is getting worse. While the article cited Forrester Research Inc.’s latest study noting a slight decrease in consumer customer experience scores, it is easy to see the same declining trend in positive sentiment towards customer experience in the client/law firm world as well. In our research we shared […]
In recent interviews, I have noticed a common thread around the value of practical advice. While excellent legal counsel and niche expertise are important (and expected), clients often highlight when outside counsel deliver practical advice. Clients rave and value lawyers who can take complex legal issues and offer succinct, practical business advice. A recent client […]
Wicker Park Group periodically revisits some of its most popular blog posts. This post, first published a year ago, still offers worthwhile reminders for pitching clients in today’s environment. We have worked closely with some of our law firm clients on how to pitch for new business in a video conference and remote environment, but firms […]
In recent months, we at Wicker Park Group have heard from some firms about the challenges posed by the significant number of RFPs being sent out from current and potential clients. While that can be a good problem to have, it can also be overwhelming. Follow these six tips before your respond, as you put […]
Spring is here, and while you take care of household chores, don’t forget to “spring clean” your client relationships. In the spirit of taking a step back and setting yourself up for a successful year, here are a few recommendations: Revisit your yearend plans. Every year in Q4, law firms develop their strategy plans, both […]
At the upcoming CXps (Client Experience in Professional Services) Conference in Durham, North Carolina, on May 10-12, I’ll be facilitating a panel discussion with three very impressive CX (client experience) leaders in the accounting and consulting realm. The focus of our conversation will be to explore how three very different professional services firms approach the […]
In honor of Women’s History month, I wanted to write a blog post about business development for women. While many of the business development actions, approaches and challenges are universal to all lawyers, there are some differences and insights worth pointing out. I see far too many women needing both information and inspiration—questioning whether they […]
In 2020, Wicker Park Group launched ClienTELL. Law firms on the platform are creating robust customization to analyze their own client feedback and using sentiment analysis to identify what drives firm, industry and practice loyalty. They are also tracking key components of client service from their own client perspective. As we look at the broader […]
Wicker Park Group periodically revisits some of its most popular blog posts. This post, first published a year ago, still offers worthwhile reminders for reaching out to your clients in the first quarter of the year. Every now and then we conduct an interview that leaves us talking about it for days, even weeks. These instances […]
We’ve been reviewing our client feedback research from 2021, and I was struck by a big shift in client sentiment and perceptions about how well outside counsel understand their businesses and industries. In 2019, 51% of the clients WPG interviewed felt their outside counsel exceeded expectations in demonstrating an understanding of their businesses or industries […]
2021 was a banner year for most law firms. Billable hours were at an all-time high, lawyers did not lose time traveling or commuting, and client demand was off the charts for most practice groups. Lawyers worked intense, long hours, and many were heavily rewarded because of it. But the practice of law today is […]
We have often written in this space strategies and best practices for launching a client feedback program, including how to select clients, when to interview your clients, how to follow up and act on feedback, how to start a client feedback program and why clients value these interactions. And whenever we work with lawyers and […]
We have previously published this blog, but the tips are still relevant and valuable as we enter into the final weeks of the year. Happy Thanksgiving from Wicker Park Group! Here at WPG, Thanksgiving is one of our favorite holidays. It allows for cherished time with friends and family, and we hope that even with COVID challenges […]
As we continue to map client feedback to strategic client teams on behalf of our law firm clients, we have increasingly zeroed in on the themes and characteristics that drive client loyalty and lead to client retention and growth. Whether through one-on-one client interviews, electronic surveys or supporting existing firm client teams, we hear four […]
The LMA 2021 Annual Conference happened! It was good to be with colleagues and friends face to face to learn and share our experiences. One benefit of lighter attendance was the opportunity for many discussion-oriented sessions. On Saturday morning I attended a great workshop, “No Longer Taboo: Helping Lawyers Embrace the Power of Selling to […]
Over the last two weeks, I attended my first in-person meetings at a law firm in 18 months. The groups were small, the rooms were large for extra distancing space and the attendees were diligent about wearing masks when not eating or drinking. It felt safe and it was really nice to be together. The […]
There is never a bad time to talk about rates, but early Fall is the best time to discuss it with clients. In recent weeks, we have had many conversations with general counsel about their perspective on the how, when and why law firms talk to them about rates. In our client feedback interviews, we […]
As Thames recently mentioned, we had a great discussion with James Kane this summer about getting “Unstuck.” In advance of the conversation, we all took this Stuck Quiz to find out how much we really know about getting “Unstuck.” Candidly we didn’t know much! So we learned a lot. One of my favorite takeaways from […]
As we start to resume our back-to-the-office, back-to-normal lives, we are presented with an opportunity. As we’ve mentioned in previous blog posts, the forced pause of the pandemic has given us a unique opportunity to assess what we want to change and how we can pivot our habits, our goals and our priorities. It’s a […]
In our last post, we discussed types of clients to consider when launching a client feedback program. One of those potential feedback sources, alumni, offer a valuable and often overlooked voice that can be critically important to a client feedback program. Over the last several years, there has been significant movement of talent within law […]
While we slowly emerge from the chrysalis of COVID quarantine, clients and law firms are both grappling with the challenges of return-to-work policies and how to stay engaged with colleagues and advisors. While the logistics are uncertain, we may never meet with colleagues, clients and our trusted advisors in person and on a regular basis […]
I have noticed an interesting divide in the sentiments around “returning to normal” as they relate to the business world. Whether the comments are about getting back into the office, traveling for business again or actively thinking about reengaging in business development, many of our coaching calls and client interviews begin with the individual’s thoughts […]
Tara recently shared some great questions to uncover client priorities. By understanding your clients’ businesses and what has their attention, you are in a much better position to offer helpful solutions to their most pressing problems, make their lives easier, add value and position them for success inside their organizations. In the past two weeks, […]
Every now and then we conduct an interview that leaves us talking about it for days, even weeks. These instances usually involve an interviewee perfectly capturing a thoughtful insight around client needs, highlighting a true marketplace differentiation or offering a priceless one-liner. A few weeks ago, I spoke to the GC of a large organization […]
Wicker Park Group periodically revisits some of its most popular blog posts. This post, first published at the start of the pandemic in March 2020, still offers worthwhile reminders for reaching out to your clients. “One size fits one” has been our mantra at Wicker Park Group since we formed our firm in 2007. And while […]
In the past few weeks, I’ve interviewed several clients disappointed in their law firms’ efforts (more likely lack thereof) regarding succession transitions. While it’s not a new issue, it’s becoming more pronounced with COVID-related transitions and challenges. One client said, “I’ve never seen a law firm execute a good transition on retirement. It’s how firms […]
Recent research from Harvard Business Review shows that our personal and professional networks have shrunk by almost 16% during the pandemic. For lawyers and firms, that presents not only a challenge to maintaining existing relationships but also a massive hurdle to developing business going forward. The good news? It’s not difficult to reverse these pandemic […]
While firms are still grappling with how to get keep teams of lawyers and professional staff engaged and connected in the ongoing virtual and remote working world, little has been written about how firms are adapting to help high-functioning client teams succeed in a virtual environment. These are some of the best practices we are […]
The start of 2021 hasn’t been the miraculous return to normal or dramatic improvement we’d all hoped for, but I’m still grateful for many things—including my oldest godchild delivering a healthy baby boy on January 1 and my team, the Crimson Tide, defeating Ohio State and setting a record for the most college football national […]
It is hard to imagine a more anticipated New Year in our lifetime than 2021. Maybe 2000 and the frenzy of Y2K, but I think it is safe to say few people are sad to leave 2020 behind. At WPG, we spend our days talking to smart, diverse, driven professionals and hear a sense of […]
In the past few weeks, many clients I’ve interviewed have named “ease of doing business” as a key differentiator of their favorite law firms. The clients represent a variety of industries including manufacturing, private equity, banking and healthcare. While we have heard clients praise the firms and attorneys who make their lives easier for years, […]
During a virtual conversation with firm leaders in marketing and business development last week, the discussion turned to diversity. The group agreed that everyone is hearing from clients about diversity—and the requests from clients are getting more specific and pointed. One CBDO noted that a very large client has now reserved the right to pull […]
We have been asking clients for feedback on behalf of law firms and professional service firms for almost 20 years now. It is some of the most valuable and rewarding work we do. Clients continuously praise firms for taking the time to learn what they value most, where they can improve and how they can […]
My mother has advanced heart failure and mild dementia. Her care needs have increased in the past few weeks, and I’ve been spending a lot of time with her. The other day, television news reports of Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s passing jolted my mother’s memories from the late ‘70s and early ‘80s. She may not have […]
As summer comes to a close, many of us are still navigating these uncertain times. Amid the difficulties, law firm clients need their outside counsel to continue adapting in how they deliver service, value, and the best possible client experience. What remains true is that engaging with clients in a meaningful way is as important—if […]
Wicker Park Group periodically revisits some of its most popular blog posts. This article was first posted in early 2020 and is one of our most read of the year. When interviewing law firm clients, one of the most frequent comments we hear centers around the imperative that firm lawyers share their knowledge of the […]
My yoga studio has been offering virtual classes these past few months, and I’ve enjoyed rolling my mat out on the porch. I’ve been practicing regularly for more than fifteen years now and benefit physically, emotionally, socially and spiritually. During a recent class, my favorite instructor directed us to be deliberate and intentional about connecting […]
We have been closely reviewing and analyzing the responses to the recent Impact of COVID-19 on Corporate Legal Departments survey we conducted in partnership with ALM Intelligence. More than 130 in-house counsel from a wide array of industries, departments and company sizes provided feedback on their law firm service experience during COVID-19. Most all agree […]
Most of us have been working from home in the midst of a pandemic for more than three months. Depending on your situation, that has meant juggling children without school or childcare, caring for aging parents, significantly blurred lines between home and office, remote learning, endless cooking, economic struggles and, for some, battling illness or […]
Over the past few months, we’ve been studying our 2019 client feedback research, conducting ongoing client feedback interviews via phone and Zoom for law firm clients and working with ALM on a survey to uncover how clients are being impacted by COVID-19. As we compared the views from last year to 2020, clients continue to […]
Last week we launched a survey in partnership with ALM Intelligence to uncover how U.S. legal departments and, more importantly, individual in-house lawyers are being impacted by COVID-19. For those of you who are reading this blog as it comes out and are in house, the survey is still open and can be taken by […]
“Can you give us another 90 days to pay that bill?” “What discounts can you give us?” “Our revenue is significantly down. How can you help us through this time?” These are the types of questions facing every outside counsel during this new COVID-19 reality. While the level of loss varies depending on the industry, […]
In January, I was talking to an always inspiring attorney about his 2019 business development success and his plans for 2020. When I asked him why he felt like 2019 had been so successful, he credited three things: being more intentional in his efforts, creating better habits and getting comfortable being uncomfortable. Since many attorneys […]
I love Maya Angelou. I know she has passed away, but the feeling doesn’t feel past tense to me. I love the sound of her voice, her ability to make the complex simple and her beautiful words. I often turn to her writing in times of stress, and a few days ago I listened to […]
“One size fits one” has been our mantra at Wicker Park Group since we formed our firm in 2007. And while we have never wavered in sharing that philosophy with our law firm clients, now it’s truer than ever. As we reach out to our clients, check in and offer to help in any small […]
Over the past few days, I’ve had many conversations with friends and colleagues about the coronavirus. Most of us are sharing information with one another and talking through how it might impact us in the coming weeks. Your clients are no different, and this is a good time to connect with them on a top-of-mind […]
Wicker Park Group periodically revisits some of its most popular blog posts. This article first appeared in 2018. Advanced technology was supposed to free us up to work less, spend time with our loved ones and pursue hobbies. Instead, these devices are just shackling us to work and creating blurred lines between our work and […]
When interviewing law firm clients, one of the most frequent comments we hear centers around the imperative that firm lawyers share their knowledge of the clients’ needs with others in the firm. It’s a simple concept but one that is often forgotten or not even considered. In a very recent interview, the executive said essentially: […]
Our copyeditor, Thames, recently sent me an article written by Jessi Hempel that talks about the annual Edelman Trust Barometer. If you are unfamiliar with the barometer, it incorporates interviews of 34,000 people across 28 countries on whether they trust institutions “to do the right thing.” The survey focuses on four industries—NGOs, businesses, governments and […]
Every organization has a unique culture—the personality, values, beliefs and guidelines that dictate behaviors and shape decision-making. The cultural “norms” of an organization may be clearly dictated or more subtle, spoken or unspoken. Regardless, outside counsel who seek to understand their clients’ unique cultures and adapt their services accordingly are often better equipped to be […]
Wicker Park Group periodically revisits some of our more popular blog posts. This one, from January 2019, was one of the most-read posts last year. This is not intended to be a post about traditional New Year’s resolutions but is a post on some things every lawyer interested in client service should think about and […]
As we enter the new decade, our society has incorporated feedback into almost every aspect of daily life from informal comments on social media to online reviews of products and services. And while Wicker Park Group now works with more law firms than ever on feedback programs, we still see resistance to the idea of […]
Happy New Year! Last week Nat challenged us to take action in 2020—to listen to clients in order to adapt servicing offerings and better understand their changing needs, preferences and pressures. As he points out, listening well requires skill, collaboration, an open mind, courage to ask the hard questions, a long-term view and time. That’s a […]
First and foremost, thank you. During the last dozen years, the partners of Wicker Park Group have had the great privilege of working with some of the finest, and kindest, people imaginable from law firm chairs to young professionals brand new to the industry. We have interviewed in person and by phone thousands of clients […]
Wicker Park Group periodically revisits some of our most popular blog posts. This article was originally posted in December 2018. While the holidays are filled with beautiful traditions and special moments, this time of year can feel dominated by the to-do lists, gifts and stress. Over the last several weeks, the topics of holiday stress, […]
We get to work with really smart and insightful attorneys, and while we are often hired to help teach them new skills and client insights, the reality is we learn a lot from them. I walk away with different perspectives and ideas from each interaction. One of my favorite attorneys is really trying to retool […]
Wicker Park Group periodically revisits some of our most popular blog posts. This article, originally posted in July, was one of the most read in 2019. There is a word that has been used in five of my last six client interviews, unsolicited, to describe what separates a lawyer or law firm from the others—intangibles. […]
This week I am being featured on a podcast called The Thought Leadership Project, hosted by Jay Harrington and Tom Nixon. As a point of reference, Harrington shared some interesting findings from a recent LinkedIn/Edelman study on thought leadership. The questions centered around what law firms must do to be thought leaders and how the […]
We recently received a very nice note from our youngest son’s baseball coach saying, “I’m bullish about his future, both on and off the field of baseball.” He talked about his potential, his attitude and maturity, his love for the sport and his willingness to work on his weaknesses and receive feedback. I don’t share […]
In the past few weeks, I have conducted a number of interviews with law firm clients who emphasized the importance of outside counsel working in collaboration with their own law firm service teams—the in-house legal department as well as other law firms, vendors and advisors. The organizations were very diverse, from large, sophisticated legal departments […]
It’s that time of year when firms finalize (or start) their holiday gift-giving plans. As a brief Public Service Announcement, we thought we should share some ideas and best practices for folks in the legal industry to consider when sending out holiday gifts. Know your client’s gift policies. Many companies have very specific gift policies […]
Last week, I shared five tips to come out of a recent client panel. As I said in the previous post, most client panels cover well-worn client service topics. But there’s a reason the same topics get discussed: In-house lawyers continue to seek outside counsel who don’t just provide the necessary work but who proactively […]
I suspect I have listened to and/or facilitated over 50 client panels in the last fifteen years. While some of the themes have evolved over the years, it always surprises me how consistent the messages are no matter the industry, age/background of the in-house counsel or size of the company. Given my extensive exposure to […]
Wicker Park Group periodically revisits some of our most popular blog posts. This article, one of our most read last year, was originally posted in February 2018. When I ask a group of lawyers why they get hired, I usually get one of these default answers: “We’ve worked with them before.” “They trust us.” “We […]
In last week’s blog post, Tara wrote about the outcomes of client feedback interviews and even shared recent recommendations we have made to our law firm clients after talking to their clients. We make those recommendations based on our experiences interviewing thousands of clients on behalf of firms. The themes in those actions map directly […]
Lawyers and firms considering a client feedback program typically want to hear about the type of feedback we solicit from clients. But they are often more interested in the activities or results that come directly from client interviews. We believe some of the best value we provide to our law firm clients is taking the […]
In a client feedback interview last week, I asked a senior in-house counsel what drives the most successful relationships with outside counsel. Without batting an eye, the counsel responded, “Understand what we are trying to accomplish as a business. Start there.” The conversation continued with similar comments: “It’s all there. It’s what we talk about […]
You’ve heard phrases like “It’s a relationship business” or “It’s all about who you know” or “He/she just knows the right people” many times. In the last several months, I can think of at least 10 situations where my husband or I have helped someone get in the door, move up the pile, make an […]
Wicker Park Group periodically revisits some of our most popular blog posts. This article, one of our most read in 2019 so far, was originally posted in May. Wicker Park Group has recently conducted interviews with a number of rainmakers from different firms, and one of the clear differentiators among this group is their ability […]
Many of you have probably attended a school orientation meeting recently. We moved our college sophomore into her dorm this weekend ahead of most students’ arrival because she will be part of the freshman orientation leadership team. This private liberal arts school does a really remarkable job of preparing hundreds of wide-eyed 18- and 19-year-olds […]
During the last 12 years, we have conducted thousands of client feedback interviews. In preparing for those interviews, we talk to the relationship attorneys about, well, the relationship with the client. We ask about goals, successes, the people they work with and the teams that supports them. Inevitably, the conversation shifts to how we can […]
We conducted a business development training workshop last week that included one-on-one coaching with each of the participants. The purpose of the coaching sessions is to take the training, advice and exercises from the sessions and make them personal and relevant to each participant’s practice, prospects and clients. As part of the pre-work, we ask […]
This is the third post in our 2019 Summer Reading Series. The first post, about driving client loyalty, can be found here. The second post, about improving meetings, can be found here. We’ve been talking a lot about the seven secrets to success and how to cultivate these skills in ourselves and in law firms. […]
As has become somewhat of a tradition here at Wicker Park Group, we use August as an opportunity to visit some essential themes in building client loyalty. So, it’s time to start planning for the end of summer and take stock of what law firms and more specifically individual lawyers can do to deliver extraordinary […]
There is a word that has been used in five of my last six client interviews, unsolicited, to describe what separates a lawyer or law firm from the others—intangibles. Sure, clients want smart lawyers who know their industry and business deeply and who have expertise, but in this market these qualities are expectations, not differentiators. […]
Wicker Park Group periodically revisits some of our most popular blog posts. This post, one of the most read last year, was originally posted in April 2018. There is a recurring theme among our client interviews and electronic feedback surveys these days, and acting on it is a win/win for clients and lawyers. Clients want their […]
This is the second post in our 2019 Summer Reading Series. The first post, about driving client loyalty, can be found here. Gatherings. It’s what we do. In the past three weeks, I have hosted seven sets of houseguests in our home. Most are friends and their families arriving in the mountains of Western North […]
Wicker Park Group periodically revisits some of our most popular blog posts. This post, one of the most read in the past year, was originally posted in September 2018. The fall back-to-school time has always been a better time for me to incorporate new habits or routines than January. But no matter your preferred time […]
We are almost halfway through the 2019 year! Many of us will be headed to the beach, the lake or a planned family vacation soon. School is out, and the routines become less demanding. The days are longer, but the office is often a bit quieter and slower. It can be the perfect time to […]
A few weeks ago at the CXps 2019 conference in Durham, North Carolina, James Kane (always a crowd pleaser) spoke about the secrets to building relationships that will last. In his program, he previewed a simple framework for understanding loyalty that combines the latest research in neurology, anthropology and behavioral psychology with 100,000 years of human […]
Wicker Park Group periodically revisits some of our most popular blog posts. This post, one of the most read in the first half of this year, was originally posted in February. In recent months, we have been asked more than ever to help law firms improve their client service standards and initiatives. In essence, what we are […]
Wicker Park Group has recently conducted interviews with a number of rainmakers from different firms, and one of the clear differentiators among this group is their ability to weave business development into day-to-day work. These are very busy lawyers, but they still manage to multitask and achieve the small client touchpoints that lead to new […]