Re: Nwtf
 

Because if they knew about business they'd be bankers, or people who really did something.

Re: Nwtf
 

Because the in-house lawyers buying legal services are sophisticated enough to want to hire someone who has some talent and who will actually be working for them.

Re: Nwtf
 

The salesman wouldn't go to GCs exclusively. He'd be hired to work any avenue he could. Join some clubs, get involved in boards. Get near people who can throw business to the firm. Beat the bushes like any other salesman.

He'd be a lawyer, of course, but not one who practices. Like one of those partners whose sole duties involve firm management. But instead, he'd be paid to drum up business.

He'd pitch the talent. And unlike the talent, which doesn't have the time to pound the streets, he can be present on a regular basis, consistently working potential new business for the firm.

BTW, I take it from your post, you assume the GC is the final say on all legal purchases. That's not true. There are slots above the GC. I sold a business service in 2007/08 and ran into difficult CFOs. When that happens, you go to the CEO. If we're talking govt and the county controller doesn't like your pitch, you work angles until you get to the commissioners above him. Doesn't always work, but a few times it did. So why not try? What's to lose?

There isn't any good reason not to have a sales professional on the street. It's a business. That's what you do.

Re: Nwtf
 

That's the fastest way to lose employees I've ever heard.

Re: Nwtf
 

That's a good point, but I don't think it's insurmountable. Clients simply have to be conditioned more and more to view the services provided as fungible. Describe them as widgets on a regular basis and the service becomes more of a commodity. The less personal and subjective it appears, the less the purchaser feels the need to have so much close personal attention from the guys actually crunching out the paper.

Won't work for the break the bank cases or monster deals. Those will always require unique client attention. But there's a lot more of what lawyers do that can be easily be sold as a commodity.

Re: Nwtf
 

You said in another post that clients need to be awakened to the notion that they're buying commodity legal services. For BIGLAW, this isn't true, because BIGLAW rates are too steep for that kind of work. Most clients I know are smart enough to know where they need BIGLAW and where they need something else, and to go with something else when appropriate. When you get to BIGLAW, the idea of having a sales guy around doesn't make sense exactly because the client isn't buying commodity services -- they're buying the partner(s) who will do the work. The firm wishes the client was buying the firm, but they're not. That's why every BIGLAW firm wants to make more $$$ by cross-selling and none of them can do it. This is also why BIGLAW firms are managed so poorly. They are unified enterprises. They are collections of highly-paid talent who bring in their own clients and who can walk out the door to another firm whenever they like.

Re: Nwtf
 

2.

Re: Nwtf
 

I understand the reason someone would want to accept a non-equity partner slot. What I find incredible is the notion that anyone would pay a buy-in for a non-equity slot.

Why would I pay for the privilege of being a salaried lawyer?

Re: Nwtf
 

Was it Heller Ehrman where that worked so fabulously last year or the year before?

Re: Nwtf
 

The Big 4 do this and they've done it for at least the last 20 years. We have BDEs (business development executives) who are pure salesmen and Account Leaders or Coordinating Partners who are with the client on a day-to-day basis but do little or no actual technical work.

I'd hate to have that job.

Re: Nwtf
 

Are you serious? I know several guys like that. Sort of. Sort of in the sense that they are competent in their field, and can talk the talk, but what they don't really practice - they generate business. And I know firms that have (often stupidly) hired them just for that.

Leaving the firms anonymous, I have a friend that has moved at least five times. He is one of the service partners to his $10MM rainmaking partner. Firms want them.

Re: Nwtf
 

We shall see, but there is the possibility that I am going to get to have this moment. I am hearing that the mucky-mucks are considering lowering salaries.

I won't bore you with the math about how profitable I am to them. I won't bore you with our ten-year history.

I will bore you with my fantasy about how I am going to quit if they inform me of this. I will simply quit. No argument, no dialogue. No two-week notice. I will just start packing a box of my personal shit as they stand there in my office, and leave. No closing memos to the file. No explanations of what I only know about what is going on in my files. No nothing. They can chase me if they want, or not.

If I wasn't profitable at my salary it would be one thing, but if they think they can make a little more for themselves at my expense because of a bad economy or whatever, this will be fun. They have no leverage on me. I don't need the money for awhile. I 'm in a field that always has demand. And, they need me for reasons that I won't bore you with.

I am almost looking forward to this.

Re: Nwtf
 

Everyone always asks me why I don't have any personal shit in my office except for my briefcase and jacket.

Re: Nwtf
 

I always wonder why some people would pay to get stuffed in the trunk of a car to come to a country where they have to stand on a corner to get work that pays $75 a day.

Re: Nwtf
 

2. I used to hear that a lot. "Not even a law school degree on the wall. Why?"

Because I will jump as soon as somebody offers me More. I'd fuck you just as soon as you'd fuck me, and we both hate this work, so why are we even having this silly discussion. This place is a "home" to me less than an airport bar would be.

And that I have no idea what I did with my degree. Probably threw it out when I moved out of my LS house.