For New Professionals

Many professionals treat career development and business development as separate tracks. They are not. The habits that build your reputation are the same habits that ultimately build your book of business.

Career development and business development are closely connected. Building a reputation as a leading professional in your field begins with consistent, intentional steps.

Start by:

1. Developing the technical skills required to be an outstanding lawyer or professional.
2. Taking on increasingly challenging and complex work.
3. Working with more than one partner to broaden your experience and exposure.
4. Contributing to client alerts and other firm publications.
5. Suggesting publication topics that reflect client needs and emerging issues.
6. Building relationships with clients.
7. Developing relationships with colleagues within your group and across the firm.
8. Maintaining connections with school alumni.

None of this is about rushing ahead. It is about laying a foundation that supports growth, visibility, and opportunity over the long term.
 

Becoming a “Go-To” Professional

As your career progresses, consistency becomes your differentiator.

Listen carefully. Respond thoughtfully. Do the research necessary to demonstrate that you are willing to go the extra mile and that your recommendations are supported by precedent and sound judgment.

Be timely in your responses to colleagues and, most importantly, to clients. It is a rare and highly valued quality to make people feel that they are the most important person in your day and that their issue is receiving your full attention.

Over time, you will distinguish yourself by contributing original and critical thinking to client matters, taking leadership roles within your firm or professional organizations, and developing strong relationships with clients and business contacts.

Once competence and credibility are established, visibility becomes essential. That is where your personal marketing plan begins.
 

The Personal Marketing Plan

This discussion is geared toward professionals who are well on their way to developing the technical and interpersonal skills required for success. It is difficult to market yourself based solely on education and personality, although it is never too early to build your network.
 

Setting Long-Term Goals

Begin by identifying your long-term objectives and then working backward to establish yearly goals. Your long-term timeline may reflect the point at which you feel you have “made it.” Goals will evolve over time, but structure supports direction.

Examples of long-term goals for a lawyer might include:

• Partner in the corporate department of a law firm
• Chief Legal Officer at a Fortune 500 company or private equity fund
• Managing partner of a boutique firm
• Serial entrepreneur

These aspirations differ significantly, yet they share common requirements:

• The experience, expertise, and personal characteristics needed to perform at a high level
• A reputation as an outstanding professional
• Visibility that keeps you top of mind when opportunities arise
• A network of clients, referral sources, and professional contacts who will refer work and advocate for you

This is where yearly objectives become critical.
 

Build Your Network

Your network is the backbone of your personal marketing efforts.

Some professionals believe that if they work at a firm with marquee clients and contribute to high-profile matters, the work will simply continue to flow. This is a fallacy. The market becomes more competitive every year.

Build your network intentionally and maintain it consistently. Your network is your ticket to ride. It can help you build a book of business, navigate a career pivot, identify experts, and create new opportunities.

Start by mapping your existing relationships. Then establish goals for expanding and deepening those connections. Future newsletters will explore this in greater detail.
 

Join Business and Professional Organizations

If you focus on a specific practice area such as private equity, construction, arbitration, intellectual property, or another niche, join the organizations where your clients and referral sources spend time.

Begin by attending meetings and building familiarity. Progress to committee involvement. Seek leadership roles. Position yourself as a resource.

Ask your firm to sponsor events or host meetings. Publish in organizational newsletters. Pursue speaking opportunities. Collaborate with your marketing and business development team to identify the most strategic affiliations.

Visibility within the right communities strengthens your brand. It is a form of a credential.
 

Engage with the Press

Work with your marketing department to pursue media opportunities, whether by being quoted or pitching story ideas.

Even in quieter practice areas, there are evergreen topics:

• Year-end summaries
• Regulatory outlooks
• Economic trends such as interest rates or tariffs
• Industry forecasts

Thoughtful commentary builds authority and broadens your reach.
 

Promote Yourself Strategically

Keep your firm biography and LinkedIn profile current. Highlight significant matters, publications, speaking engagements, and leadership roles.

Digital presence reinforces credibility. It ensures that when someone searches for expertise in your field, your name appears with substance behind it.

More on digital strategy will follow in future issues.
 

Bringing It Together

Start by setting measurable goals under each of these areas. Keep your long-term vision in mind as you define your yearly objectives.

Personal branding and marketing are not about self-promotion. They are about professional longevity, credibility, and opportunity.

The earlier you begin building intentionally, the stronger your foundation will be. Questions, reflections, and comments are always welcome.

© 2026 P2B FirmBuilders LLC. All rights reserved. FirmBuilders, a publication of P2B FirmBuilders LLC, is a guide to building a professional services practice. This newsletter and all content contained herein are copyrighted and may not be reproduced, distributed, or shared, in whole or in part, without the prior written consent of P2B FirmBuilders LLC. Please contact us at info@p2bfb.com if you have any questions.