In today’s dynamic and competitive legal landscape, it is crucial for legal professionals to focus on developing and maintaining connections, both internally within their teams and externally with their clients, to attain success.

However, since the onset of COVID-19, nurturing relationships has been overlooked and not determined as a priority for many law firms across Australia.

George Haros, a partner at Gadens, emphasised the significance of “investing time” within one’s buddy schedule to cultivate internal and external relationships by highlighting the pivotal role these relationships play in sustaining “success in developing and maintaining a sizable practice”.

Haros shared the valuable advice he offers to the junior lawyers he trains: “When training juniors on relationship-based marketing techniques, I emphasise that finding a style that is personal to them is the key.

He disclosed that the most effective way for him to build relationships with individuals involves seeing and treating each person as a potential client.

“For me, I treat everyone I meet as a potential client, and once they become a client, I try to remain front of mind through regular communication, visiting their premises, mail-outs, LinkedIn posts and connecting in social settings – mainly over lunches and sporting activities,” he said.

“For a lot of my clients, I like to become almost an outsourced general counsel, where clients come to me to handle their issues and assist with opportunities – whatever that may be.”

However, Haros explained that although this method is highly effective and optimal for him, he emphasised that the “real challenge” for lawyers is to discover a style uniquely suited to them and truly reflects their individuality.

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Regarding relationships with members within the law firm he works for, he said: “I invest a lot of time into working closely with junior lawyers and my partners to form strong relationships and genuinely care about what is going on in their lives both personally and professionally.”

Paul O’Halloran, a partner and head of the Dentons Melbourne office, underscored the crucial role of individuals within the legal profession prioritising relationship building: “The inescapable reality is that with so much competition and so many competent lawyers in all practice areas, relationship management and client service skills are more important than ever in the legal profession.”

He noted how COVID-19 has inadvertently hindered lawyers’ mindset towards what effective communication looks like.

“In many ways, the pandemic did a disservice for lawyers because it allowed us to think that business development could be limited to Zoom or Teams calls,” he said.

O’Halloran stressed how this “could not be further from the truth” and that face-to-face interactions are vital in building an effective relationship with any individual.

“Genuine relationships with any human being, including clients, are difficult to form over a video call. Nothing beats meeting clients in person, discussing business opportunities over a lunch or seeing clients or prospective clients in their natural work habitat,” he said.

“I am a supporter of flexible and balanced work practices, but any lawyer who wants to build their professional network must pound the pavement and meet clients in person, in addition to having a consistent and informative presence on social media platforms, print media and at relevant industry conferences or speaking events.”

Karena Nicholls, a partner at Coutts Lawyers & Conveyancers, suggested strategies lawyers can employ to effectively cultivate strong relationships within their team and with their clients.

“Effective relationship building can be achieved through regular virtual meetings, transparent communication, and creating opportunities for social interaction beyond work-related tasks.

“Hosting events, leveraging social media platforms for engagement, and providing personalised client experiences are also effective strategies,” she said.

Nicholls emphasised that taking such measures to prioritise building connections improves a firm’s work culture but that this success hinges on the team’s investment in the firm’s core values.

“By prioritising these connections, firm partners not only strengthen their firm’s internal culture but also expand their influence and market reach, ensuring their firm’s resilience and growth in a rapidly evolving legal landscape. However, this only works if the team is invested in your firm core values,” she said.