TRP 273: [Legal] Launching as a Lateral – Business development techniques to help laterals thrive in their new firms with David Freeman

In this episode of The Rainmaking Podcast, Scott Love welcomes David Freeman, award-winning consultant, best-selling author, and founder of Lawyer Book Builder, to discuss how laterals can thrive when joining a new firm. Drawing from over 30 years of coaching thousands of lawyers, David shares actionable strategies to help partners integrate quickly, build internal allies, and accelerate business development. He likens lateral transitions to being “the new kid in school” — success depends on taking ownership of relationship-building rather than waiting for the firm to do it. David explains how laterals can identify internal allies across practice groups, collaborate with marketing and BD professionals, and proactively offer value to colleagues through what he calls “gifts.” He introduces practical tools like the Memory Matrix—a simple spreadsheet to track and maintain relationships—and emphasizes consistency, visibility, and giving before asking. The conversation closes with three key takeaways: create a detailed integration and BD plan, track and nurture high-value relationships monthly, and build an accountability system to ensure consistent follow-through. Visit: https://therainmakingpodcast.com/ YouTube: https://youtu.be/bToVlYNrosk ---------------------------------------- 📖 Subscribe to The Rainmaking Magazine If you’re serious about growing your book of business, you’ll want to check out The Rainmaking Magazine — a monthly digital publication packed with insights, strategies, and real-world advice for professionals in law, consulting, recruiting, and beyond. 💡 Created for results-driven rainmakers who value credibility and substance. 💥 Now live — subscribe today www.therainmakingmagazine.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/ ---------------------------------------- David H. Freeman, J.D. is a former practicing lawyer from New York, an award-winning consultant, and a two-time best-selling author. He’s a member of the National Law Journal Hall of Fame for being voted the #1 business development consultant and coach in the United States for several consecutive years. For over 30 years, David has trained and coached well over 10,000 lawyers in over 235 law firms world-wide, he’s worked with nearly half of the Am Law 200, he’s the author and co-author of 16 books on law firm business development and leadership, and he’s the creator of Lawyer BookBuilder, an step-by-step, turnkey training and accountability program that shows lawyers how to become exceptional rainmakers. Links: https://lawyerbookbuilder.com/ https://davidfreemanconsulting.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices