For many Senior Associates and Special Counsel, the technical pathway to partnership is clear: excellent legal work, strong internal relationships, and consistent performance. The commercial pathway is less obvious, however, safe to say a key component is your ability to build and sustain revenue.
When you are busy on the tools with a relentless work oad, it can feel impossible to free up the time for business development activities. However, if you are planned and strategic you can begin to carve some time out for key activities without too much upheaval.
Shift From “Doer” to “Owner”
At Senior Associate and Special Counsel level, many lawyers are still rewarded for being the safest pair of hands-on complex matters. In order to shift how both you and others view yourself start asking:
- Where did this work come from?
- Who owns the client relationship?
- What other practice groups could be advising this client?
Future partners think in terms of client portfolios, not files. Begin positioning yourself as a “mini relationship partner” — even if you don’t yet hold the title. As a practical step ask to attend client strategy discussions, not just matter updates. Volunteer to prepare client development plans and get to know the business development team.
Build a Personal Brand (Internally and Externally)
Internally you want to carve out a speciality within your team. If you are a litigation lawyer for example, are you:
- The construction disputes strategist?
- The go-to person for regulatory investigations?
- The go to class action SA in the firm?
Specialisation builds credibility. You want to market yourself to partners in the firm and consistent put your hand up for the work you want to hone your skills. Ensure partners in other teams not only know you exist, but know your capabilities.
Externally:
- Publish short, commercial insights (not academic articles).
- Speak at industry roundtables.
- Comment on developments affecting your sector on various mediums like LinkedIn.
Visibility drives opportunity.
Strengthen Industry Relationships for referral Pathways
Build your external networks amongst industry. This can be as simple as putting together a list of 30 – 40 people and having a coffee once a week over a 12 month period with a different potential source of work.
- Build relationships with in-house counsel. You can start at people at your level and stay in contact as they rise within organisations
- Develop rapport with commercial managers, CFOs, COO’s, CEO’s and line managers.
- Put your hand up for secondment opportunities to strengthen relationships.
- Attend industry-specific events rather than purely legal conferences.
Regular catch up’s with contacts in the industry and compounds over time. You don’t generate a $2m practice overnight.
A good question to ask yourself: “if you left your firm tomorrow, who would take your call?”
Get Comfortable Having Commercial Conversations
Future partners are expected to:
- Discuss fees confidently.
- Scope work strategically.
- Identify cross-selling opportunities.
- Spot risk before it escalates.
If you avoid conversations about pricing or client budgets, you are limiting your partnership readiness.
Practical step: Ask to sit in on fee negotiations. Offer to prepare fee proposals. Understand your firm’s profitability model and how partners resource matters and transactions.
Act Like a Partner Before You Are One
The simplest (and hardest) advice is to behave as if you already own the business.
That means:
- Taking responsibility for client experience.
- Solving problems without escalation.
- Your work should not require review and mark-ups from partners. Produce work as if you are the final sign-off.
- Thinking commercially on every matter..
Final Thought
The transition from Senior Associate or Special Counsel to partner is not a promotion for good behaviour. It is an investment decision by the firm who ultimate are a business trying to generate more revenue and profit.
The question decision-makers ask is simple:
“If we make this lawyer a partner, will the business grow?”
Start building the answer now.
