Finder, Grinder, Minder, Binder and Miner
What makes business development work in law firms, and does the legal sector need a structured business development curriculum to fill the gap not met by universities?
Since the 1940’s the qualities of Finder, Minder, and Grinder have been used to describe the characteristics of fee earners in law firms. Over time lawyers have added additional qualities such as Minder, Binder and Minder. Whatever combination of qualities people subscribes to, the thinking is that a partner ought to possess all the qualities to succeed as a lawyer on a business development level.
Finder: brings the client
Grinder: gets the work done
Minder: looks after the client
Binder: holds the team together
Miner: presents the client with opportunities to deepen the relationship and undertake more work, in a way the client appreciates.
Law firms exist as a business these days and are fundamental to the functioning of the global economy. The entire consultancy sector worldwide generated in 2015 in excess of US1.6 Trillion and employs 16 million people (Empson 2017).
Yet, there is a systemic gap that exists between the commercial nature of the law versus the idealised version being taught in law schools. Law schools inculcate a culture of extreme compliance along a uniform axis among students that hinders curiosity and willingness to take risks.
This creates a mismatch between ‘think like a lawyer’ training and expectations of law firm leaders that lawyers will be able to develop business, which requires taking risks and being creative. This in turn creates feelings of loneliness among lawyers who do not feel able to take up the business development aspect of their role because it is unspoken and foreign to them, and they are left emotionally uncontained in the system.
From Sally’s presentation you will:
-
Understand how impossible business development is for those who feel emotionally uncontained in your law firm system – and how to stop the blame game.
-
See the benefits of a structured approach to business development for lawyers and take responsibility for implementing a new approach to helping lawyers feel confident about taking business development risks.
-
Check in with your own beliefs about business development complexity, and your leadership capability to lead a compassionate approach to business development in your firm.
