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Every two weeks, the business development tactics top lawyers use are free at therainmakingmagazine.com ---------------------------------------- Nine out of ten lawyers score in the bottom half of resilience. That’s not an opinion — it’s 32 years of personality data from over 10,000 lawyers. Dr. Larry Richard is the researcher who found it, and he wrote the book on what to do about it. Dr. Larry Richard holds a J.D. from Penn Law and a Ph.D. in Psychology from Temple University. He’s spent three decades studying lawyer personality and is the author of the new book Thin-Skinned: Why Lawyers Are So Low in Resilience, and the New Science That Can Help. In this episode, he joins Scott Love to break down the seven atypical personality traits that define lawyers — and the evidence-based framework that can help them manage stress, raise resilience, and thrive in a profession that’s changing at unprecedented speed. What you’ll learn: The 7 atypical personality traits that make lawyers exceptional at their work — and vulnerable in their lives Why 90% of lawyers consistently score in the bottom half of resilience — and why that number hasn’t moved in 32 years Why empathy in lawyers (and people under 40 generally) is declining — and what it’s connected to What sociability really means — and why lawyers average at the 12.5th percentile The catastrophizing spiral: how one associate’s mistake became a tent in a park in her mind — and what that reveals about low resilience Why personality traits are more genetic than social — and the crucial exception: resilience, skepticism, and empathy can actually be changed The three-legged stool of the brain: how thoughts, feelings, and actions are chemically linked — and how changing one changes all three Why positive emotions aren’t soft — they chemically neutralize the damage from the negative hormones lawyers produce all day 50+ evidence-based resilience strategies organized into four practical buckets 3 action steps to start building your resilience practice today Visit: https://therainmakingpodcast.com/ YouTube: https://youtu.be/HKir95XRnFk ---------------------------------------- If you are a successful law firm partner or law firm founder and want to hear about other options, please book a time on Scott Love's calendar here: https://attorneysearchgroup.com/schedule Or email Scott to connect with him at: [email protected] 📅 Monthly webinars for transactional partners: RainmakingSeminars.com ---------------------------------------- This podcast is sponsored by SurePoint Legal Insights (formerly known as Leopard Solutions)–turning legal intelligence into opportunity. For a free demo, visit this link: https://surepoint.com/legal-insights/ ---------------------------------------- About Dr. Larry Richard: Larry Richard, J.D., Ph.D., is widely recognized as the leading expert on the psychology of lawyer behavior and a trusted authority on improving performance in law firms and legal departments through behavioral science. He works with legal organizations to enhance organizational effectiveness, capitalize on strengths, and bring out the best in their people by applying research-based insights into how lawyers think, behave, and respond to change. Dr. Richard is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania Law School (J.D.) and practiced as a litigator before earning his Ph.D. in Psychology from Temple University. Over the course of his career, he has collected and analyzed personality data on thousands of lawyers and has consulted with hundreds of premier law firms and corporate legal departments on complex behavioral challenges, including building psychological resilience; coaching and developing leaders; managing unprecedented change; developing talent strategy; and fostering lawyer well-being. Link: LawyerBrain.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Every two weeks, the business development tactics top lawyers use are free at therainmakingmagazine.com ---------------------------------------- Most strategic alliances look perfect on paper. Six months in, they’re falling apart — and nobody knows why. Dr. Kyle Harkema is the author of Strategic Clarity: The Practical Method for Transforming Vision into Results and a scholar-practitioner with a doctorate in business administration. In this episode, he joins Scott Love to break down why alliances fail — and the exact behavioral framework leaders need to build partnerships that actually deliver. What you’ll learn: Why alliances fail even when the strategic logic is sound — and what’s really going wrong The one sentence that reveals whether your alliance is ready: “Because we’re working together, our customer can now ___” The 5 trust-building questions every alliance must answer before work begins Why lagging KPIs (revenue, EBITDA) are the wrong place to start — and what leading indicators to watch instead The warning signs that a partnership is breaking down: multiplying meetings, slowing decisions, and information that stops flowing cleanly When and how to structure revenue share, licensing, or a joint venture spin-off Why a contract preserves the friendship — and how to structure one that holds up when priorities conflict How to identify the right alliance partner: complementarity, incentive compatibility, and behavioral alignment The “set it and forget it” trap — and why every alliance needs a semi-annual check-in at minimum 3 action steps: define your joint value proposition, build a strategic decision framework, and measure the behaviors that create value Visit: https://therainmakingpodcast.com/ YouTube: https://youtu.be/_E7xsyl4xa0 ---------------------------------------- If you are a successful law firm partner or law firm founder and want to hear about other options, please book a time on Scott Love's calendar here: https://attorneysearchgroup.com/schedule Or email Scott to connect with him at: [email protected] 📅 Monthly webinars for transactional partners: RainmakingSeminars.com ---------------------------------------- This podcast is sponsored by SurePoint Legal Insights (formerly known as Leopard Solutions)–turning legal intelligence into opportunity. For a free demo, visit this link: https://surepoint.com/legal-insights/ ---------------------------------------- About Kyle Harkema: Kyle Harkema is the author of Strategic Clarity: the practical method for transforming vision into results.  This book is a research-backed diagnostic mirror that decodes how your company truly thinks, listens, and acts. Because strategy lives in behavior—not plans. Dr. Kyle Harkema, DBA, MBA, is a distinguished scholar-practitioner with a wealth of experience at the intersection of academia and industry. With an academic foundation built on rigorous study and research, combined with extensive practical experience in the business world, Dr. Harkema epitomizes the modern scholar-practitioner—a professional who not only understands theoretical frameworks but also knows how to apply them in real-world contexts. Links: https://www.kylejharkema.com/https://www.youtube.com/@KyleJHarkemahttps://www.amazon.com/Strategic-Clarity-Practical-Transforming-Results/dp/B0GSSFW28Z/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2JLLWIRMP1RUR&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.UR4TNoOVMfqJ_fvS4GMcOBOoA1bE6XarRTdlIr2fLZ4.7bK32nKomY_dIBRWCAAvsOJGqGgJfdVkX6xM0FIBQN4&dib_tag=se&keywords=strategic+clarity+harkema&qid=1791577862&sbm=true&setroute=search&sprefix=strategic+clarit%2Caps%2C148&sr=8-1 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Every two weeks, the business development tactics top lawyers use are free at therainmakingmagazine.com ---------------------------------------- Corporate, finance, and real estate partners have a business development advantage most of them never fully leverage. Ryan Grelecki is here to change that. Ryan Grelecki is a global consultant and master GrowBIG® facilitator at Bunnell Idea Group — one of the most respected BD consulting firms in the legal industry. In this episode, he joins Scott Love for a webinar built specifically for transactional lawyers: deal lawyers, corporate partners, finance and real estate attorneys who are ready to turn their built-in advantages into a real business development system. What you’ll learn: Why transactional lawyers have 4 structural BD advantages that litigators simply don’t have The mere exposure effect: why frequency of contact is one of the most powerful forces in relationship-building Who to target in every deal — not just clients, but strategic partners who become referral engines The “protomoi” framework: how to identify the 5–10 relationships most critical to your practice growth Why a face-to-face ask is 34x more effective than email — and how to use that inside every deal White space analysis: how to mine your existing clients for work you’re not getting yet What “earned dogmatism” is — and why becoming an expert can actually close you off to growth The give-to-get investment: how to design a low-risk, high-value experience that earns the right to ask for work The 4 C’s of conference attendance: Clarity, Connect, Converse, Commit — and why 75% of the work happens before you arrive How to build BD habits that survive busy seasons — the MIT framework and the no-zero-days system 3 action steps for transactional partners ready to build a real pipeline Visit: https://therainmakingpodcast.com/ YouTube: https://youtu.be/MIsxplvDHuU ---------------------------------------- If you are a successful law firm partner or law firm founder and want to hear about other options, please book a time on Scott Love's calendar here: https://attorneysearchgroup.com/schedule Or email Scott to connect with him at: [email protected] 📅 Monthly webinars for transactional partners: RainmakingSeminars.com ---------------------------------------- This podcast is sponsored by SurePoint Legal Insights (formerly known as Leopard Solutions)–turning legal intelligence into opportunity. For a free demo, visit this link: https://surepoint.com/legal-insights/ ---------------------------------------- About Ryan Grelecki: Ryan C. Grelecki, J.D., is a global consultant and master GrowBIG® facilitator & coach at Bunnell Idea Group, where he helps professionals in the legal, consulting, insurance, and other industries build the skills to grow client relationships and win new business. He specializes in designing relationship-focused, give-first BD curricula and 1:1 executive coaching experiences that turn technical experts into confident rainmakers. Links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryangrelecki/ https://bunnellideagroup.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Every two weeks, the business development tactics top lawyers use are free at therainmakingmagazine.com ---------------------------------------- Most law firm mergers fail to deliver on their promise. Not because the financials were wrong — but because nobody did the cultural due diligence. Dr. Heidi Gardner is a Distinguished Fellow at Harvard Law School, former Harvard Business School professor, McKinsey consultant, and author of two best-selling books — Smart Collaboration and Smarter Collaboration — both published by Harvard Business Press. She leads Gardner & Co., a research and advisory firm that helps professional services leaders turn collaboration into client growth. In this episode, Dr. Gardner joins Scott Love to break down exactly why post-merger trust and collaboration fail — and what leaders must do differently before, during, and after a combination. What you'll learn: Why mergers fail more often than not — and what "working" actually means from a client's perspective The cultural due diligence most firms skip entirely — and the data you should be asking to see before signing The two flavors of trust that are both essential for collaboration: competence trust and character trust Why homophily — the instinct to affiliate with your own tribe — is the silent killer of post-merger integration How to use data to identify collaboration leaders vs. islands — before and after a merger Why "not every dollar is a good dollar" — and what a sticky, strategic dollar actually looks like The difference between leading and lagging indicators of merger success — and which ones to track quarterly Why hero-worship success stories backfire — and the less sexy story that's actually more valuable to tell What the Smarter Collaboration Profile psychometric reveals about partnership blind spots and bifurcated cultures Why law firms absolutely do not invest enough in leadership development — and what that costs them 3 action steps: visit SmartCollaboration.com, get curious about your clients, and examine your collaboration network Visit: https://therainmakingpodcast.com/ YouTube: https://youtu.be/td3QJm__7Ig ---------------------------------------- If you are a successful law firm partner or law firm founder and want to hear about other options, please book a time on Scott Love's calendar here: https://attorneysearchgroup.com/schedule Or email Scott to connect with him at: [email protected] ---------------------------------------- This podcast is sponsored by SurePoint Legal Insights (formerly known as Leopard Solutions)–turning legal intelligence into opportunity. For a free demo, visit this link: https://surepoint.com/legal-insights/ ---------------------------------------- About Dr. Heidi Gardner: Dr. Heidi Gardner authored two best-selling books Smart Collaboration and Smarter Collaboration, published by Harvard Business Press. A Distinguished Fellow at Harvard Law School, she was previously a professor at Harvard Business School, a consultant at McKinsey & Co., and manager at P&G. She presently leads the research and advisory firm Gardner & Co., and has lived and worked on four continents. She helps professional service firm leaders turn collaboration into client growth and sustained performance. Links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heidi-k-gardner-ab5b825/ smartercollaboration.com https://www.amazon.com/s?k=smarter+collaboration&crid=3AHLKBDCRF21B&sprefix=smarter+collaboration+%2Caps%2C122&ref=nb_sb_noss_2 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Every two weeks, the business development tactics top lawyers use are free at therainmakingmagazine.com ---------------------------------------- Every year, around bonus and distribution season, law firm partners ask themselves the same question: is it time to make a move? In this solo cast, Scott Love — legal recruiter with 30+ years in the industry and specialist in corporate and finance partner placements — walks through the 10-category career assessment framework he uses with partners every day. If you've ever wondered whether your current firm is still the right fit, this episode gives you a structured, honest way to think it through. What you'll learn: The 10 categories that determine whether a partner should consider a move — from leadership confidence to long-term personal fulfillment Why most partners leave for one of two reasons — and how to identify which one applies to you The 1–10 satisfaction scale: what a six or below actually means for your next step Why "I'm not asking you to leave — I'm asking you to have a 30-minute conversation" is the right frame The "rule it out, then rule it in" approach to evaluating another firm without overcommitting How to use a personal journal to track your diligence at each round without losing perspective Why the most important question isn't which firm pays more — it's which firm is best for your clients What the LPQ process actually looks like — and how Scott's team helps partners navigate it The free resource at partnersonthemove.com: flowcharts, quizzes, ethics guidance, compensation info, and more — no registration required When to reach out to Scott directly — even if you're not sure you're looking Visit: https://therainmakingpodcast.com/ YouTube: https://youtu.be/erxMA31lttg ---------------------------------------- If you are a successful law firm partner or law firm founder and want to hear about other options, please book a time on Scott Love's calendar here: https://attorneysearchgroup.com/schedule Or email Scott to connect with him at: [email protected] ---------------------------------------- This podcast is sponsored by SurePoint Legal Insights (formerly known as Leopard Solutions)–turning legal intelligence into opportunity. For a free demo, visit this link: https://surepoint.com/legal-insights/ ---------------------------------------- About Scott Love: Scott Love is a legal recruiter solely focused on recruiting corporate and finance partners for global law firms in major markets. He is the host of The Rainmaking Podcast, co-author of Rainmaker Confidential, and speaks professionally at conferences on sales, client development, and recruiting. 📘 Book: Rainmaker Confidential — RainmakerConfidential.com 📖 Rainmaking Magazine: free complimentary subscription at TheRainmakingMagazine.com 🎓 Free Webinars: RainmakingSeminars.com 🌐 Free resource for partners: partnersonthemove.com — no registration required Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Every two weeks, the business development tactics top lawyers use are free at therainmakingmagazine.com ---------------------------------------- You can have the best legal mind in the room and still lose the pitch. What separates the attorneys who win business from those who don't often has nothing to do with the quality of their work — and everything to do with how they show up. Paul Marchegiani is the founder and CEO of Vox Vera®, a performance skills consultancy that trains lawyers, executives, and public figures in presence, voice, and spoken communication. A former BigLaw litigator, 15-year Hollywood dealmaker at Warner Bros., NBCUniversal, Miramax, and Amazon Studios, trained opera singer, actor, and the only U.S. lawyer to hold a P.R.A. teaching certification from Patsy Rodenburg, Emeritus Director of Voice at the Royal Shakespeare Company — Paul brings a perspective on communication that no one else in the legal world can. What you'll learn: Why legal training produces brilliant writers and analytical thinkers — and what it costs them in a pitch room What clients are actually evaluating when law firms present (it's not just the law) Why introvert vs. extrovert is the wrong frame — and what to think about instead What Paul learned negotiating 1,000+ deals in Hollywood that applies directly to legal business development How tensions in the body become credibility leaks — and how to spot and release them What presence actually is (and why the Royal Shakespeare Company's approach changes everything) Why getting in your head about how you're coming across is the worst thing you can do while speaking The CEO nonprofit case study: one session, one board presentation, and feedback they'd never received before Why poetry has a place in the practice of law — and how working with heightened language makes you a better communicator 3 action steps to start developing your Rainmaker's voice right now Visit: https://therainmakingpodcast.com/ YouTube: https://youtu.be/XRXsJ_maA7Y ---------------------------------------- If you are a successful law firm partner or law firm founder and want to hear about other options, please book a time on Scott Love's calendar here: https://calendly.com/scott-736/half-hour-phone-meeting-with-scott Or email Scott to connect with him at: [email protected] ---------------------------------------- This podcast is sponsored by SurePoint Legal Insights (formerly known as Leopard Solutions)–turning legal intelligence into opportunity. For a free demo, visit this link: https://surepoint.com/legal-insights/ ---------------------------------------- About Paul Marchegiani: Paul Marchegiani ("mar-keh-JAH-nee") is a Los Angeles-based performance coach, former in-house entertainment lawyer and BigLaw litigator, and Founder/CEO of Vox Vera® — a premium performance skills consultancy that trains lawyers, executives, and public figures in presence, voice, and spoken communication. Prior to launching Vox Vera, Paul worked for over 15 years in Hollywood as a client-side studio executive at Warner Bros., NBCUniversal, Miramax, and Amazon Studios. He began his legal career as a litigator at Orrick and Morrison & Foerster after receiving his J.D. from U.C. Berkeley. Paul is an experienced stage performer and the only U.S. lawyer and senior business executive to hold a P.R.A. teaching certification from Patsy Rodenburg, Emeritus Director of Voice at the Royal Shakespeare Company. He teaches communication skills at Stanford Law School, Berkeley Law, and the University of Chicago Law School. Links: https://www.voxvera.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulmarchegiani/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Every two weeks, the business development tactics top lawyers use are free at therainmakingmagazine.com ---------------------------------------- Half of all lateral partner hires don't last. That's not a recruiting problem. It's a vetting, compensation, and integration problem — and most law firms are making the same mistakes at every stage. Shireen Hilal is the CEO of Maior and a former COO of a national law firm where she drove +20% revenue and +30% profits per partner. She's also a former AmLaw 50 litigator and has led strategy for a $1B division at KPMG. In this Sometimes Tuesdays episode, Shireen joins Scott Love to break down exactly why lateral partner hiring goes wrong — and what firms and candidates can do differently. What you'll learn: Why the LPQ (lateral partner questionnaire) is not enough — and what you need to do instead How to assess the real portability of a book of business (hint: headline revenue is the last thing to look at) Why cultural fit isn't a soft factor — and how to assess it with the same rigor as financials The "coloring in the lines vs. entrepreneurial" framework for diagnosing cultural misalignment before it happens What actually comes out at dinner vs. a 45-minute Zoom — and why in-person matters for expensive hires Why confirmation bias derails lateral hiring decisions — and a simple fix that adds real data What the onboarding vs. integration distinction means — and why giving someone a password is not integration The trend Shireen is hoping becomes standard: tying a sponsoring partner's year-end metrics to the success of their lateral hire What candidates should ask that no one thinks to ask — including talking to a recently acclimated lateral partner 3 action steps across vetting, comp, and integration to immediately improve your lateral hiring outcomes Free resource: Shireen's one-sheet of the right late-stage questions to ask — reach out to her directly via the show notes Visit: https://therainmakingpodcast.com/ YouTube: https://youtu.be/z5ZdvcjrdA8 ---------------------------------------- If you are a successful law firm partner or law firm founder and want to hear about other options, please book a time on Scott Love's calendar here: https://calendly.com/scott-736/half-hour-phone-meeting-with-scott Or email Scott to connect with him at: [email protected] ---------------------------------------- This podcast is sponsored by SurePoint Legal Insights (formerly known as Leopard Solutions)–turning legal intelligence into opportunity. For a free demo, visit this link: https://surepoint.com/legal-insights/ ---------------------------------------- About Shireen Hilal: Shireen Hilal is the CEO of Maior, where she helps law firms build better strategies and improve operations. Shireen founded Maior after two decades in law and professional services, including practicing as a litigator in AmLaw 50 firms, serving as the COO of a national law firm (+20% revenue and +30% profits per partner during her tenure), leading strategy for a $1B division of KPMG, and building change programs at BDO. Shireen also writes columns for Law360 and Today's Managing Partner. Links: Maior's website: https://www.maiorconsultants.com/ Shireen's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shireenhilal/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Most law firms say they want to cross-sell. Few have the internal foundation to actually make it happen. Rebecca Hnatowski is the founder of Edwards Advisory and a specialist in cross-selling strategy and lateral integration for law firms and professional services organizations. In this episode, she joins Scott Love to break down why cross-selling initiatives stall — and exactly what has to be in place before the first client conversation ever happens. What you'll learn: Why "let's cross-sell" without internal groundwork almost always fails The trust problem at the root of most cross-selling breakdowns — and how to fix it Why partners refuse to share clients (and how origination credit structures make it worse) How to build a manageable cross-sell target list from data your firm already has A gap analysis framework: how to identify which clients have unmet legal needs in other practice areas How to use AI (including Claude and ChatGPT) to research target clients and identify opportunities in minutes When to bring in an external consultant vs. handle cross-selling initiatives internally How a post-merger integration timeline affects cross-selling readiness — and when to wait How to turn a target list into actual client strategy conversations (including the perfect year-end ask) Why leaderboards and internal competition keep cross-selling initiatives alive past the first six months 3 action steps to start building a real cross-selling program at your firm today Visit: https://therainmakingpodcast.com/ YouTube: https://youtu.be/7dBb6ypgRvU ---------------------------------------- If you are a successful law firm partner or law firm founder and want to hear about other options, please book a time on Scott Love's calendar here: https://calendly.com/scott-736/half-hour-phone-meeting-with-scott Or email Scott to connect with him at: [email protected] ---------------------------------------- 🎙️ The Rainmaking Magazine helps lawyers, consultants, and professional service providers build thriving practices through smarter business development. 📖 Subscribe to Rainmaking Magazine — free complimentary subscription: https://www.rainmakingmagazine.com ---------------------------------------- This podcast is sponsored by SurePoint Legal Insights (formerly known as Leopard Solutions)–turning legal intelligence into opportunity. For a free demo, visit this link: https://surepoint.com/legal-insights/ ---------------------------------------- About Rebecca Hnatowski: Rebecca Hnatowski is the founder of Edwards Advisory, LLC, where she helps law firms and lawyers turn relationships into opportunities for growth. Drawing on nearly 20 years of in-house legal marketing and business development experience, she helps firms put cross-selling into practice by strengthening internal relationships, identifying client needs, and connecting colleagues' capabilities to those opportunities. Through tailored strategies, interactive workshops, and coaching and accountability, Rebecca helps attorneys follow through — and helps firms make more of the talent and relationships they already have. Links: Learn more at: edwardsadvisory.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebeccahnatowski/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Everyone says trust matters. Kim Bohr can prove it — with data. Kim Bohr is President and CEO of SparkEffect and the researcher behind the State of Organizational Trust™ — a national study that shows trust directly impacts revenue, reputation, and retention. In this episode, Kim joins Scott Love to answer the question most leaders never think to ask: can trust actually be measured? And if so, what do you do with the answer? What you'll learn: Why trust is a measurable, tangible asset — and how SparkEffect's Trust Performance Index proves it The 5 domains of organizational trust: strategic clarity, psychological safety, relational continuity, technology trust, and fairness Why 85% of organizations experienced a significant disruption in the last 24 months — and why most leaders aren't equipped to handle it The finding that will reframe how you think about change: disruption handled well can actually increase trust above baseline What micro-disruptions are — and why ignoring them is silently fracturing your team The difference between engagement surveys and real trust measurement (and why most surveys get it wrong) What "doing nothing" costs organizations in customer trust vs. those who respond well (91% vs. 30%) How one leadership team went from consistently low trust scores to an upswing — and what had to change first The 5 everyday practices that build trust on the ground, starting tomorrow 3 action steps for leaders who want to turn trust into a competitive differentiator Visit: https://therainmakingpodcast.com/ YouTube: https://youtu.be/MRdQ5gmgzpU ---------------------------------------- If you are a successful law firm partner or law firm founder and want to hear about other options, please book a time on Scott Love's calendar here: https://calendly.com/scott-736/half-hour-phone-meeting-with-scott Or email Scott to connect with him at: [email protected] ---------------------------------------- 🎙️ The Rainmaking Magazine helps lawyers, consultants, and professional service providers build thriving practices through smarter business development. 📖 Subscribe to Rainmaking Magazine — free complimentary subscription: https://www.rainmakingmagazine.com ---------------------------------------- This podcast is sponsored by SurePoint Legal Insights (formerly known as Leopard Solutions)–turning legal intelligence into opportunity. For a free demo, visit this link: https://surepoint.com/legal-insights/ ---------------------------------------- About Kim Bohr: Kim Bohr is President and CEO of SparkEffect, where she leads the firm in helping Fortune 1000 companies and emerging enterprises navigate disruption without fracturing trust. With over 25 years of executive experience, Kim and her team partner with leaders, Boards, and CEOs on strategy, talent, and organizational performance. Kim is a published author, host of the Courage to Advance podcast, and a sought-after keynote speaker whose talks draw directly from SparkEffect's proprietary research on the State of Organizational Trust™. https://sparkeffect.com/rainmaking 2026 State of Organizational Trust report: https://info.sparkeffect.com/trust Kim's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimbohr/ Kim's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kimbohr_sparkeffect/ SparkEffect LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sparkeffect/ SparkEffect Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61555355996682 SparkEffect Instagram: https://instagram.com/@sparkeffect_ SparkEffect YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@WeAreSparkEffect Courage to Advance podcast: https://sparkeffect.com/sparkeffect-podcast-courage-to-advance/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Most law firm leaders reject private equity on principle. But what if you could use the PE playbook to grow your firm — without taking a single dollar of outside money? Brad Blickstein is a legal industry futurist, founder of Blickstein Group, and author of What Would Private Equity Do? Unlocking Value in the Law Firm You Already Own. In this episode, Brad joins Scott Love to break down exactly what private equity would do to professionalize business development, pricing, and accountability at a law firm — and why every managing partner should be asking this question whether or not they ever plan to sell. What you'll learn: Why you don't need a PE fund to apply the PE playbook — and what that playbook actually looks like Why pricing is the lowest-hanging fruit at most firms (and why too many decisions are made by instinct) What "eminence marketing" is — and why it's not the same as pipeline management Why law firm business development is still largely episodic and partner-dependent — and how to systematize it The heresy that will make some partners hit pause: "Clients are firm assets, not partner-owned" Why the origination credit model is the #1 structural barrier to cross-selling — and what to do about it How PE-backed portfolio companies manage their sales pipeline — and what law firms can learn from it Why "sales" is a capability, not a dirty word — and how one mentor reframed it forever What AI-native spin-off firms and firms like Pearson Ferdinand signal about where the market is heading 3 action steps for law firm leaders ready to start thinking like a PE-backed firm Visit: https://therainmakingpodcast.com/ YouTube: https://youtu.be/_cYCbz0U1TU ---------------------------------------- If you are a successful law firm partner or law firm founder and want to hear about other options, please book a time on Scott Love's calendar here: https://calendly.com/scott-736/half-hour-phone-meeting-with-scott Or email Scott to connect with him at: [email protected] ---------------------------------------- 🎙️ The Rainmaking Magazine helps lawyers, consultants, and professional service providers build thriving practices through smarter business development. 📖 Subscribe to Rainmaking Magazine — free complimentary subscription: https://www.rainmakingmagazine.com ---------------------------------------- This podcast is sponsored by SurePoint Legal Insights (formerly known as Leopard Solutions)–turning legal intelligence into opportunity. For a free demo, visit this link: https://surepoint.com/legal-insights/ ---------------------------------------- About Brad Blickstein: Brad Blickstein is a legal industry futurist – he has developed a national reputation for his insight into the changing ways that legal services are being consumed and delivered in the modern marketplace. As the founder and principal of Blickstein Group, Brad focuses on helping legal service providers better understand and serve their clients while providing information about law departments and legal operations. Brad also helps clients see the future – educating them on the industry's evolution of legal services and their consumption, and helps position them for success by developing novel products, systems and solutions, which make the delivery of legal services more modern and efficient. A highly respected legal industry strategist and futurist, Brad has been responsible for multiple initiatives that have created a deeper understanding of—and driven change in—the market for legal services. Before most corporations even had legal operations departments, he launched his Annual Law Department Operations Survey, which remains the most comprehensive survey on the topic. He also conceived the long-running Annual Legal Spend Survey, the Legal AI Efficacy Report, and in 2020, the Annual Legal Pricing & Project Management Survey. Brad is a frequent speaker and writer who has contributed regularly to Above the Law and Legaltech News. He is a fellow in the College of Law Practice Management. He received his A.B. from the University of Chicago. Links: https://blicksteingroup.com/team/brad-blickstein/ Order Brad’s book: https://blicksteingroup.com/wwped/ linkedin.com/in/bradblickstein Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Most professionals believe you have to know someone, like them, and trust them before you do business. Scott Love says only one of those is non-negotiable — and it's trust. In this solo cast, Scott Love — legal recruiter, host of The Rainmaking Podcast, and co-author of Rainmaker Confidential — breaks down what trust actually is, how to build it at scale, and why reframing your business as a "trust-earning business" changes everything about how you develop clients. What you'll learn: Why "know, like, and trust" is misleading — and the only attribute that's truly non-negotiable How trust can be borrowed instantly through a referral (and what that means for your strategy) The three dimensions of trust: skill & competence, intention to serve, and execution & follow-through How to use thought leadership, testimonials, and professional involvement to signal trustworthiness before you ever meet someone Why small missed commitments quietly destroy client relationships — and how to protect against it How to build a strategic referral partner campaign from data you already have What a "trust funnel" looks like — and how Scott built one for his own recruiting practice Why speaking on panels and writing white papers should be seen as trust-building, not marketing How to scale trust from one-to-one to one-to-many through intentional generosity 3 action steps to expand trust in your niche starting this week Visit: https://therainmakingpodcast.com/ YouTube: https://youtu.be/YWOJs4m2CUg ---------------------------------------- If you are a successful law firm partner or law firm founder and want to hear about other options, please book a time on Scott Love's calendar here: https://calendly.com/scott-736/half-hour-phone-meeting-with-scott Or email Scott to connect with him at: [email protected] ---------------------------------------- 🎙️ The Rainmaking Magazine helps lawyers, consultants, and professional service providers build thriving practices through smarter business development. 📖 Subscribe to Rainmaking Magazine — free complimentary subscription: https://www.rainmakingmagazine.com ---------------------------------------- This podcast is sponsored by SurePoint Legal Insights (formerly known as Leopard Solutions)–turning legal intelligence into opportunity. For a free demo, visit this link: https://surepoint.com/legal-insights/ ---------------------------------------- About Scott Love: Scott Love is a legal recruiter solely focused on recruiting corporate and finance partners for global law firms in major markets. He is the host of The Rainmaking Podcast, co-author of Rainmaker Confidential, and speaks professionally at conferences on sales, client development, and recruiting. 📘 Book: Rainmaker Confidential — RainmakerConfidential.com 📖 Rainmaking Magazine: free complimentary subscription at TheRainmakingMagazine.com 🎓 Free Webinars: RainmakingSeminars.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Most professionals hate the idea of selling. What if you didn't have to? Chris Papin has built a thriving multi-discipline practice as a JD, CPA, and insurance producer — without ever feeling like he's pitching. The secret is the trust economy: a system of intentionality, authenticity, and regularity that builds steady deal flow without pushing harder. Chris Papin is a licensed attorney, certified public accountant, and insurance producer who works with small business owners and entrepreneurs across every stage of their business lifecycle. He's also the author of 168 Hours: A Startup Business Guide That Respects Your Time. In this episode, Chris joins Scott Love to break down exactly how professional services providers can stop relying on hustle and start building the kind of credibility that brings clients to them. You'll learn: Why deals are driven by emotion — and what that means for how you build trust with prospects How to use a 90-second anecdote to open doors at any networking event without pitching The "step zero" mindset shift that separates professionals who get results at conferences from those who just survive them Why showing up with a QR code instead of a business card is a trust signal — not just a tech flex How to use AI to data mine a conference attendee list and identify your top 10 targets in 30 minutes The two biggest pitfalls that destroy deal flow — and how to avoid both What a client "funnel" actually looks like for transactional professionals (lawyers, CPAs, consultants) Why regularity matters more than intensity — and how to build consistency into your BD rhythm even during busy seasons The "Think, Document, Do" framework: the three-step system that turns good intentions into actual pipeline 3 action steps to start building steady deal flow through trust — starting today Visit: https://therainmakingpodcast.com/ YouTube: https://youtu.be/CNP3rUgqQSo ---------------------------------------- If you are a successful law firm partner or law firm founder and want to hear about other options, please book a time on Scott Love's calendar here: https://calendly.com/scott-736/half-hour-phone-meeting-with-scott Or email Scott to connect with him at: [email protected] ---------------------------------------- 🎙️ The Rainmaking Magazine helps lawyers, consultants, and professional service providers build thriving practices through smarter business development. 📖 Subscribe to Rainmaking Magazine — free complimentary subscription: https://www.rainmakingmagazine.com ---------------------------------------- This podcast is sponsored by SurePoint Legal Insights (formerly known as Leopard Solutions)–turning legal intelligence into opportunity. For a free demo, visit this link: https://surepoint.com/legal-insights/ ---------------------------------------- About Chris Papin: Chris Papin is a multi-talented professional with an impressive array of qualifications that give him a unique, holistic perspective as an advisor – a licensed attorney, a certified public accountant, and a life, accident, and health insurance producer. Chris holds a Bachelor's and Master's degree in accounting from the University of Oklahoma. He earned his Certified Public Accountant designation in 2007, followed by a Juris Doctor degree from Oklahoma City University School of Law in 2008. Admitted to practice before the United States Tax Court in 2010, Chris has garnered recognition for his achievements, including being chosen for the 2009-2010 Leadership Academy Class by the Oklahoma Bar Association and receiving the 2010 Trailblazer honor from the Oklahoma Society of Certified Public Accountants. In 2017 Chris' firm received the Recipient Thomson Reuters Innovation Award, a customer superstar award in the Thomson Reuters community, for doing the most to innovate, invigorate, and grow its practice for the benefit of its clients.  In 2022, Chris won the Top Emerging Firms of the Year, an award that celebrates innovative and forward-thinking companies that have made a significant impact in their respective industries. This prestigious award recognizes emerging firms that have demonstrated exceptional growth, financial performance, and a commitment to sustainability and social responsibility. It serves as a testament to the recipient's dedication to innovation, customer satisfaction, and business excellence. Links: https://papinspeaks.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrispapin/ Order Chris Papin’s book here:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GL8P2PJD Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Most law firms know AI is changing their industry. Fewer know exactly where to start, what to avoid, or how to build a technology strategy that doesn't blow up mid-implementation. Eric Thurston is Executive Chairman of SurePoint Technologies — one of the most widely used legal technology platforms in the country — and a veteran software executive with more than 20 years of experience building and scaling technology companies. He's seen thousands of law firms navigate technology change from the inside. In this episode, Eric joins Scott Love to share a clear-eyed, practical view of where the legal industry stands right now on AI and technology, and what firm leaders need to do to stay ahead of it. You'll learn: How AI has evolved from "just ask ChatGPT" to a genuine business strategy — and what that shift means for law firms right now The two sides of legal technology: practice of law vs. business of law — and why the business side is where most firms are leaving money on the table Why change management is the most underestimated part of any technology implementation The #1 mistake law firm leaders make when buying new tech tools (hint: it's not the tool itself) Why older, monolithic systems can't interact with modern AI — and what to do about it How one firm identified $70,000–$100,000 per attorney per year in recoverable revenue through process improvement alone Why attorneys aren't going away — but the nature of associate work is already changing How forward-thinking firms are rebranding, restructuring, and positioning themselves to be acquisition targets or platform buyers Why data cleanup is the most overlooked prerequisite for any AI initiative 3 action steps law firm leaders can take right now to build a technology strategy that actually works Eric also shares details on SurePoint's annual Ignite Conference — September 14–16 in Savannah, Georgia — and the firm's suite of practice management, business development, and legal intelligence solutions. Visit: https://therainmakingpodcast.com/ YouTube: https://youtu.be/ozGhSb72pTE ---------------------------------------- If you are a successful law firm partner or law firm founder and want to hear about other options, please book a time on Scott Love's calendar here: https://calendly.com/scott-736/half-hour-phone-meeting-with-scott Or email Scott to connect with him at: [email protected] ---------------------------------------- 🎙️ The Rainmaking Magazine helps lawyers, consultants, and professional service providers build thriving practices through smarter business development. 📖 Subscribe to Rainmaking Magazine — free complimentary subscription: https://www.rainmakingmagazine.com ---------------------------------------- This show is sponsored by Leopard Solutions Legal Intelligence Suite of products, Firmscape, and Leopard BI. Push ahead of the pack with the power of Leopard. For a free demo, visit this link: https://www.leopardsolutions.com/index.php/request-a-demo/ ---------------------------------------- About Eric Thurston: Eric Thurston is Executive Chairman of the Board at SurePoint Technologies and a veteran software executive with more than 20 years of experience building and scaling technology companies. Having led organizations across legal technology, workforce management, and enterprise software, Eric specializes in driving growth, innovation, and customer success. Before becoming Executive Chairman, Eric served as President and CEO of SurePoint and previously held CEO and executive leadership roles at TCP Software, Personify, and Mitratech. His track record of building high-performing teams and growing technology businesses earned him recognition as an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year® finalist. Link to Ignite: Ignite2026 - SurePoint Technologies https://surepoint.com/ignite2026/?utm_source=rainmakingpod&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=me1215a1 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Posting on LinkedIn once isn't thought leadership. Speaking on one panel isn't thought leadership. Real thought leadership is a strategy — and most professionals have never been given a clear framework to build one. Bill Sherman is COO of Thought Leadership Leverage, co-host of the Leveraging Thought Leadership podcast, and lead co-author of The Thought Leadership Handbook — the book Scott calls the most intellectually rigorous, practically useful resource on thought leadership he's ever read. In this episode, Bill shares the framework he and his colleagues developed over 20 years of consulting with Fortune 500 executives, professional services providers, and emerging experts who want their ideas to travel further and earn more trust. You'll learn: The difference between being an expert and becoming a thought leader — and why the skills don't automatically transfer Bill's 20-word test: what every core idea must do to earn a "tell me more" The 4 elements of thought leadership: Core Idea, Content Library, Market Offerings, and Platform Identity — explained in full What a content library actually is (and why sticky notes on a wall is a perfectly legitimate starting point) Platform identity: how people talk about your ideas when you're not in the room — and why that matters more than personal brand Why most professionals suffer from "content insecurity" (imposter syndrome's cousin) — and how to push past it The paradox of knowledge-sharing: why giving away your best ideas makes more people come back to you Why the "keep it behind the paywall" instinct is the #1 thing holding thought leaders back How AI is absorbing generic expertise — and what makes your voice irreplaceable 3 action steps to shift from expert to thought leader and start building your platform today Bill also shares how The Thought Leadership Handbook came to exist — from 2.6 million words of podcast transcripts and two co-authors who said they'd never write a book. Visit: https://therainmakingpodcast.com/ YouTube: https://youtu.be/jCFNedZciu4 ---------------------------------------- If you are a successful law firm partner or law firm founder and want to hear about other options, please book a time on Scott Love's calendar here: https://calendly.com/scott-736/half-hour-phone-meeting-with-scott Or email Scott to connect with him at: [email protected] ---------------------------------------- 🎙️ The Rainmaking Magazine helps lawyers, consultants, and professional service providers build thriving practices through smarter business development. 📖 Subscribe to Rainmaking Magazine — free complimentary subscription: https://www.rainmakingmagazine.com ---------------------------------------- This show is sponsored by Leopard Solutions Legal Intelligence Suite of products, Firmscape, and Leopard BI. Push ahead of the pack with the power of Leopard. For a free demo, visit this link: https://www.leopardsolutions.com/index.php/request-a-demo/ ---------------------------------------- About Bill Sherman: Bill Sherman stumbled into thought leadership when a Fortune 500 executive asked: "How do I scale the ideas in my book?" That was twenty years ago. Today he's COO of Thought Leadership Leverage and co-host of the Leveraging Thought Leadership podcast. After exploring why experts share their best ideas with strangers, he thinks more of them should. That's why he put his frameworks and tools into The Thought Leadership Handbook. Bill lives in Las Vegas, Nevada.  Links: Bill's site: https://aha-moments.com/ Book: https://thoughtleadershiphandbook.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bill-sherman-aha-moments/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Private equity has moved through healthcare, dental, and accounting. Law firms are next — and the deals are already happening. But most law firm leaders don't fully understand the structure, the math, or the risks involved. TJ Henry is the co-founder and managing partner of Federate, a management services organization that launches, operates, and scales law firms. He's also one of the most knowledgeable people in the country on how MSO structures work, what investors are actually looking for, and what law firm founders need to know before they sit down at the table. In this episode — part of the Sometimes Tuesdays legal-specific series — TJ joins Scott Love for one of the most detailed, practical conversations the Rainmaking Podcast has ever had on law firm M&A, private equity, and the MSO model. You'll learn: What an MSO actually is — and why it's the legal workaround that makes third-party investment in law firms possible How 20-year contracts, EBITDA calculations, and per-timekeeper fees actually work in these deals Why a $100M revenue firm doesn't generate $100M in EBITDA — and how to find the real number What realistic deal multiples look like right now (and why low-to-mid teens should make you nervous) Why the lawyers most likely to get a deal done are the ones willing to stay and grow — not the ones looking to cash out and leave The three levers every PE investor needs to pull to run a profitable MSO deal: EBITDA arbitrage, law firm growth, and cost reduction What investors get wrong when they try to buy into law firms without law firm operators on their team The difference between a roll-up model and a multi-firm MSO — and the conflicts-of-interest issue that makes one harder than the other Why small to mid-sized firms are actually better deal targets than AmLaw 200 firms What "law firm in a box" looks like — and how Federate can get a new firm up and running in 60 days If you're a law firm founder, managing partner, equity partner, or investor evaluating the legal services market — this episode is required listening. Visit: https://therainmakingpodcast.com/ YouTube: https://youtu.be/lGP1mVGOMzE ---------------------------------------- If you are a successful law firm partner or law firm founder and want to hear about other options, please book a time on Scott Love's calendar here: https://calendly.com/scott-736/half-hour-phone-meeting-with-scott Or email Scott to connect with him at: [email protected] ---------------------------------------- 🎙️ The Rainmaking Magazine helps lawyers, consultants, and professional service providers build thriving practices through smarter business development. 📖 Subscribe to Rainmaking Magazine — free complimentary subscription: https://www.rainmakingmagazine.com ---------------------------------------- This show is sponsored by Leopard Solutions Legal Intelligence Suite of products, Firmscape, and Leopard BI. Push ahead of the pack with the power of Leopard. For a free demo, visit this link: https://www.leopardsolutions.com/index.php/request-a-demo/ ---------------------------------------- About TJ Henry: T.J. Henry is a seasoned legal operations and law firm executive with a track record of helping law firms and legal businesses launch, grow, and scale. He specializes in strategic transformation, operational design, and growth, with a focus on building the infrastructure, teams, technology, and systems that allow legal organizations to operate more effectively. T.J. is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Federate, where he works with law firms and investors across the legal industry. Links: https://federatelegal.com/contact/?utm_source=rainmaking_podcast&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=rainmaking_podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices