LSSO’s 2015 RainDance Conference
Building Effective Client Teams: How
Does the Big Four Do It?
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Session Goal: To share useful and practical approaches that
can help you make a difference when managing your most
valuable clients.
Plan
Execute
Achieve
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The way we do business has changed...
INDUSTRIAL ERA
INFORMATION ERA
CLIENT
Supply side
• 
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Demand side
YOUR
FIRM
YOUR FIRM
Supply side market
Repetitive productivity
Profit is a major selling driver
Limited competition
Creation
CLIENT
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Demand side market
Collaborative and creative productivity
Aggregated value is a major buying driver
Unlimited competition
Innovation
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Why set up a high performance
client service team?
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What does it take to build effective
client teams?
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The right attitude, which implies the
following actions:
1.  Assess your current client portfolio
(segment)
2.  Plan for impacting the future situation (invite the
client to the table)
3.  Select the appropriate cross-functional teams
(match client expectations)
4.  Execute the change you want to see (manage
for success)
5.  Prepare for client meetings and major pursuits
6.  Measure for improvement and continuity (if you
don´t measure...you don´t manage)
7.  Listen carefully to your client (get feedbacks)
Attitude
determines
HOW WELL
you do it!
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Assess your client portfolio; understand your client
buying profiles; business strategies and key initiatives:
Ø  Segment your book of business (manage by facts and not by instinct)
Ø  Identify your client buying profiles/roles
Ø  Speak business with your clients
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Segment your clients
Ø  Clients are NOT created equal => understand your client portfolio and
carefully select those who are aligned to your organization´s
strategy and will make a major contribution to its achievement.
Ø  If you hesitate in choosing appropriately, you´ll end up with a
disconnected portfolio, including a mix of big brand names, old friends
and difficult/over-demanding clients, who will not take your firm close
to the envisioned future.
If you want to help your organization to achieve its strategies, you
must select the right clients and devise a plan to work with them
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Practical criteria for segmenting key clients:
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Firm´s relationship strength with clients
Revenue streams
Costs in servicing the client (we tend to overlook this)
Powerful brands
Growth potential
Payment punctuality
Financial stability
Market reputation
Other reasons your organization may have...
Firm Leadership should lead this “client landscape” exercise
with all practice area Leaders.
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The right attitude, which implies the
following actions:
1.  Assess your current client portfolio (segment)
2.  Plan for impacting the future situation (invite
the client to the table)
3.  Select the appropriate cross-functional teams
(match client expectations)
4.  Execute the change you want to see (manage
for success)
5.  Prepare for client meetings and major pursuits
6.  Measure for improvement and continuity (if you
don´t measure...you don´t manage)
7.  Listen carefully to your client (get feedbacks)
Attitude
determines
HOW WELL
you do it!
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Set up a joint account planning team meeting with your
client to:
Ø  Get closer to his/her team
Ø  Gain a better appreciation for the clients' strategy, main initiatives and
challenges
Ø  Develop a deeper understanding of how your organizations´ services
aligns to the client´s business drivers
Ø  Create solutions across various practice areas
Ø  Understand the process of buying legal services
Ø  Give an opportunity to the group to think as one team (as opposed to
individual silos) serving the client from its own perspective
Ø  Show the client your organization´s commitment to his success
Ø  Develop a well coordinated plan for your team to work in a
multidisciplinary manner
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Create well coordinated account plans
Ø  Once you´ve collected relevant information during the client team
meeting you are in a much better position to plan for the next 30-90 days
Ø  Match your firm´s services to top client challenges to create solutions
and give appropriate insights that generate real value
Ø  Go back to the client and validate the identified opportunities
If you want to help your organization to achieve its strategies, you
must select the right clients and devise an actionable plan to work
with them.
Follow on Twi)er @LSSO15 #lsso #raindance LSSO’s 2015 RainDance Conference
The right attitude, which implies the
following actions:
1.  Assess your current client portfolio (segment)
2.  Plan for impacting the future situation (invite the
client to the table)
3.  Select the appropriate cross-functional teams
(match client expectations)
4.  Execute the change you want to see (manage
for success)
5.  Prepare for client meetings and major pursuits
6.  Measure for improvement and continuity (if you
don´t measure...you don´t manage)
7.  Listen carefully to your client (get feedbacks)
Attitude
determines
HOW WELL
you do it!
Follow on Twi)er @LSSO15 #lsso #raindance LSSO’s 2015 RainDance Conference
Select unique teams: make sure you understand your
clients' preferences
Ø  Be sensitive to cultural differences, specially when dealing with global
clients
Ø  Whenever possible, select a team that fits into client´s expectations
(industry knowledge; proximity to office; languages skills,
communication, etc.)
Ø  Nominate a Partner or Senior Associate to be the sole point of contact
to the client during the job
Ø  Demonstrate team´s efficient use of technology and Legal Project
Management skills
To find out what your client values: ask questions prior to starting
the job and create a team protocol
Follow on Twi)er @LSSO15 #lsso #raindance LSSO’s 2015 RainDance Conference
The right attitude, which implies the
following actions:
1.  Assess your current client portfolio (segment)
2.  Plan for impacting the future situation (invite the
client to the table)
3.  Select the appropriate cross-functional teams
(match client expectations)
4.  Execute the change you want to see (manage
for success)
5.  Prepare for client meetings and major pursuits
6.  Measure for improvement and continuity (if you
don´t measure...you don´t manage)
7.  Listen carefully to your client (get feedbacks)
Attitude
determines
HOW WELL
you do it!
Follow on Twi)er @LSSO15 #lsso #raindance LSSO’s 2015 RainDance Conference
Execute the change you want to see: build high impact
relationships
Ø  Assess your client relationship level
Ø  Develop a relationship map and set up a plan to overcome relationship
shortfalls
Ø  Create and observe your annual client relationship calendar
Ø  Map out key information on prior to client meetings
Follow on Twi)er @LSSO15 #lsso #raindance LSSO’s 2015 RainDance Conference
The right attitude, which implies the
following actions:
1.  Assess your current client portfolio (segment)
2.  Plan for impacting the future situation (invite the
client to the table)
3.  Select the appropriate cross-functional teams
(match client expectations)
4.  Execute the change you want to see (manage
for success)
5.  Prepare for client meetings and major
pursuits
6.  Measure for improvement and continuity (if you
don´t measure...you don´t manage)
7.  Listen carefully to your client (get feedbacks)
Attitude
determines
HOW WELL
you do it!
Follow on Twi)er @LSSO15 #lsso #raindance LSSO’s 2015 RainDance Conference
Map out key information prior to meeting with your client
Client meeting prep work
1) Identify top industry trends and top challenges
2) Identify top CEO initiatives
3) Identify top CFO initiatives
4) Identify top OGC initiatives
5) Map out Board members
6) Map out recent acquisitions or future devistitures
7) Identify relevant risk,compliance or litigation events over the past 12 – 24 months
8) Understand major corporate initiatives for the next 1-3 years (cost reduction, outsourcing,
capital expenditures, etc,
9) Map out your organization work history with the client over past 24 months
10) Get intelligence on client competitors as well as your work with them , if any.
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Get ready in advance for major pursuits
Ø  Engage the right team
Ø  Meet with the client/prospect to align expectations (never assume)
Ø  Understand where the competition is (strengths and weaknesses)
Ø  Set your organization apart (identify key differentiators)
Ø  Demonstrate your experience in the client´s business sector
Ø  Write a powerful proposal document
Ø  Present it in a creative manner
Follow on Twi)er @LSSO15 #lsso #raindance LSSO’s 2015 RainDance Conference
The right attitude, which implies the
following actions:
1.  Assess your current client portfolio (segment)
2.  Plan for impacting the future situation (invite the
client to the table)
3.  Select the appropriate cross-functional teams
(match client expectations)
4.  Execute the change you want to see (manage
for success)
5.  Prepare for client meetings and major pursuits
6.  Measure for improvement and continuity (if
you don´t measure...you don´t manage)
7.  Listen carefully to your client (get feedbacks)
Attitude
determines
HOW WELL
you do it!
Follow on Twi)er @LSSO15 #lsso #raindance LSSO’s 2015 RainDance Conference
Measures that matter: achieve the results you´ve
planned for
Ø  Relationship measures: quality and frequency of client interactions
Ø  Financial measures: pipeline reports; client revenue and costs
Ø  Activity measures: execution against your plan
Ø  Client service measures: account team update meetings
Ø  Pursuit management: wins/losses (lessons learned)
Ø  Knowledge sharing with other teams
Ø  Client service team commitment
Follow on Twi)er @LSSO15 #lsso #raindance LSSO’s 2015 RainDance Conference
The right attitude, which implies the
following actions:
1.  Assess your current client portfolio (segment)
2.  Plan for impacting the future situation (invite the
client to the table)
3.  Select the appropriate cross-functional teams
(match client expectations)
4.  Execute the change you want to see (manage
for success)
5.  Prepare for client meetings and major pursuits
6.  Measure for improvement and continuity (if you
don´t measure...you don´t manage)
7.  Listen carefully to your client (get feedbacks)
Attitude
determines
HOW WELL
you do it!
Follow on Twi)er @LSSO15 #lsso #raindance LSSO’s 2015 RainDance Conference
Listen carefully to your clients: get continuous
feedbacks...and learn about main attributes for providing a superb
service
experience to your clients, according to THEIR own perspective, not yours.
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If your organization currently doesn´t have a formal client feedback
program, is about time to implement one
After doing your work, you should identify what went well and what could
have been done differently
Once you´ve identified points of improvement, document them, share
with your team and, if still possible, fix the specific issue that could have
been done better
Your client will really appreciate your commitment to a high quality
service
Follow on Twi)er @LSSO15 #lsso #raindance LSSO’s 2015 RainDance Conference
What does it take to build effective client
teams?
1) Leadership commitment
2) A clear understanding of your key clients
3) An actionable plan
4) A team that “walks the talk”
5) The right attitude!
Keep this in mind and you´ll be able to Plan,
Execute and Achieve your success! Attitude
determines
HOW WELL
you do it!
Follow on Twi)er @LSSO15 #lsso #raindance LSSO’s 2015 RainDance Conference
THANK YOU !
Q&A
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