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A law firm business development plan built on relationships
A law firm business development plan is a written, calendar-based routine for staying in touch with the people who send you work: current clients, former clients, referral sources and a short list of targets. Sort your contacts into tiers, give each tier a contact cadence, and block 15 to 30 minutes a week for outreach. For most lawyers, relationships drive new matters.
Most lawyers do not need a marketing campaign. They need a dependable habit of checking in with the general counsel they already serve, the clients whose matters closed last year, and the accountants and other lawyers who send referrals. This plan turns that habit into tiers, a calendar and messages you can send this week.
It also covers the people you have lost touch with. Levin, Walter and Murnighan (2011, Organization Science) found that executives who reconnected with dormant contacts for advice got advice that compared favorably with what their current contacts gave. Your former clients and old classmates are worth a note.
On this page
Who to contact and how often
| Tier | Who | How often | Channel | What to send |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tier 1: Key clients | Current clients with active matters or ongoing work: general counsel, in-house counsel, business owners, and the decision makers who approve outside counsel. | Every 2 to 4 weeks beyond matter communications, plus a relationship check-in each quarter. | Phone call, coffee or lunch, and short personal emails. | Relevant legal updates with a one-line note on why it matters to their business, a quarterly no-billing check-in, invitations to small dinners or CLE programs, and congratulations on company news. |
| Tier 2: Referral sources | Lawyers in other practice areas or firms, CPAs, financial advisors, bankers, insurance brokers, and consultants who have sent you a matter or could. | Monthly touch, with a lunch or call at least twice a year. | Email, phone, lunch, and bar association or industry events. | A thank-you within a day of every referral, an update when the matter closes (within confidentiality limits), referrals sent back their way, and useful articles for their clients. |
| Tier 3: Former clients | Clients whose matters have closed, contacts who changed companies, and people you represented years ago. | Every quarter, plus a check-in about 60 days after a matter closes. | Personal email, LinkedIn message, holiday card. | A closing check-in, a note when their industry or company is in the news, a congratulations on a new role, and an occasional update that touches their prior issue. |
| Tier 4: Targets and prospects | A short list of companies or individuals you would like to represent, plus people you met at CLEs, conferences and pitches. | Every 6 to 8 weeks, never more than you can personalize. | LinkedIn, email after an introduction, speaking and writing in their industry. | A follow-up within 48 hours of meeting, an article or webinar invite tied to their issue, and a request for a warm introduction from someone in Tier 1 or 2. |
| Tier 5: Network and community | Law school classmates, former colleagues, bar association contacts, alumni, board members, and friends in business. | Twice a year, plus life moments. | LinkedIn, alumni events, holiday cards, quick texts. | Congratulations on moves and promotions, a year-end note, and a clear one-line reminder of what you do. Granovetter (1973, American Journal of Sociology) showed that weaker ties often carry new information, so this tier matters more than it looks. |
The 12-month plan
| When | Focus | Actions |
|---|---|---|
| January | Write the plan | Pull last year's originations and referral sources. Pick your Tier 1 and Tier 2 names. Set a client development goal with your practice group leader or in your partner business plan. |
| February | Thank referral sources | Send a personal note to everyone who referred a matter last year. Book two referral lunches. |
| March | Key client check-ins | Schedule a no-billing call with each Tier 1 client to ask about their priorities for the year. Note what you learn. |
| April | Reconnect with former clients | Email five former clients you have not spoken to in a year or more. Review matters closed in the last six months for 60-day check-ins. |
| May | Visibility | Pitch a CLE, panel or article to a bar association or industry group your targets attend. Update your bio and LinkedIn profile. |
| June | Midyear review | Compare contacts made against your plan. Move people between tiers. Drop targets that are going nowhere. |
| July | Referral network building | Meet two new professionals who serve your clients (a CPA, a wealth advisor, a lawyer in a complementary practice). Send one referral to someone in Tier 2. |
| August | Content for clients | Write or share one practical update on a legal change affecting Tier 1 clients. Send it individually with a personal line, not as a blast. |
| September | Event season | Attend one conference or bar event with a list of three people to meet. Follow up with everyone within 48 hours. |
| October | Client feedback | Ask two key clients for a short feedback conversation about how the relationship is going and what they need next year. |
| November | Gratitude | Send thank-you notes to clients and referral sources. Plan small year-end lunches or a client dinner. |
| December | Year-end notes and planning | Send personal holiday or year-end notes to Tiers 1 through 3. List next year's targets and draft January's plan. |
Messages to send
One message is easy. Hundreds of people, all year, is the hard part. Capstone Outreach puts everyone you know on a rhythm you pick, from weekly to every three months. When someone is due, a message like these is already written in your voice from your history with them. You approve it, and it goes from your own email or phone. See how it works.
Start 14 days free, then $25/mo
Everyone on a rhythm. Who is due, and when. Recorded in the app on a demo account.
1. Check-in 60 days after a matter closes
Subject: Checking in after [Matter Name]
Why it works: Former clients are most likely to think of you again when you show up after the matter ends, not only during it.
2. Reconnecting with a dormant former client
Subject: It has been a while
Why it works: Reconnecting with dormant ties is low effort, and a specific reference to past work makes the note feel personal.
3. Thank you for a referral
Subject: Thank you for the introduction to [Client Name]
Why it works: A fast, specific thank-you tells referral sources their trust was well placed and makes the next referral easier.
4. Sharing a legal update with a key client
Subject: [Topic]: what it means for [Company]
Why it works: A personal note that translates a legal change into business terms shows you are thinking about the client between matters.
5. Follow-up after meeting someone at a CLE or event
Subject: Good to meet you at [Event]
Why it works: Following up within 48 hours with something you promised turns a handshake into a relationship.
6. Congratulations on a new role (LinkedIn)
Why it works: A job change is a natural reason to reach out, and new in-house leaders often revisit their outside counsel.
7. Asking a client for an introduction
Why it works: A warm introduction from a satisfied client carries more weight than any cold outreach.
8. Year-end note to a referral source or client
Subject: Thank you for this year
Why it works: A short, specific thank-you at year end keeps the relationship warm without asking for anything.
Write yours in 20 seconds
Free, no signup. The example is filled in: press the button, then replace it with your own situation. In Capstone, a message like it is written for each person you know when their check-in is due.
The weekly routine
- Block 20 minutes at the same time each week (Friday afternoon works for many lawyers) and treat it like a client meeting.
- Scan your Tier 1 list and send one personal touch: a legal update, a congratulations, or a no-billing check-in.
- Check for referrals received, matters closed and events attended this week, and send any thank-yous and follow-ups still owed.
- Reach out to one former client or dormant contact you have not spoken to in a year or more.
- Log each contact and next step in your client list or CRM, and schedule one lunch or call for the coming weeks.
Mistakes to avoid
- Treating business development as something you will do when billable work slows down, which means it never happens consistently.
- Sending firm newsletters as a blast instead of a short personal note with one line about why it matters to that client.
- Going silent after a matter closes, so the client forgets you by the time the next issue comes up.
- Chasing too many targets and prospects while neglecting the current clients and referral sources who already send work.
- Forgetting to thank referral sources or tell them how the matter went (within confidentiality limits).
- Keeping the plan in your head rather than writing down names, tiers and a cadence you can actually follow.
What to track
- Where each new matter came from: existing client, former client, referral source, or new contact.
- The date of your last meaningful contact with each Tier 1 and Tier 2 person.
- Referrals received from and sent to each referral source.
- Lunches, calls and meetings held each month against what you planned.
- Former clients reconnected with and any matters or introductions that followed.
- Originations or fee credit by source over the year, reviewed at your midyear and year-end check.
Will the plan still run in month four? Put each client and referral source on a rhythm that fits their tier. When one is due, Capstone has the check-in written in your voice, ready for you to approve.
Start 14 days free, then $25/mo
A study of 20 million LinkedIn members found that acquaintances, more than close friends, led to new jobs (Science, 2022). Capstone keeps those people warm. You approve every message, and it goes from your own email or phone.
Frequently asked questions
What does business development do in a law firm?
Business development in a law firm brings in and grows client work. For individual lawyers, it means building relationships with clients, former clients and referral sources so they think of you when a legal need arises. At larger firms, a business development team supports lawyers with pitches, client research, events and CRM tools, but the relationships themselves still sit with the lawyers.
What is the 80/20 rule for lawyers?
The 80/20 rule for lawyers is the Pareto idea applied to a practice: a small share of your clients, referral sources and matters tends to produce most of your fees and new work. In a business development plan, it means spending most of your outreach time on Tier 1 clients and your best referral sources rather than spreading effort evenly across everyone you know.
How to make $500,000 a year as a lawyer?
Lawyers who reach that level usually control their own book of business. That means originating work through strong client relationships, a steady referral network and a clear niche, then pricing and staffing matters well. Partnership tracks, origination credit and practice area all matter. A written business development plan you follow weekly is one of the few parts you fully control.
Is $900 an hour a lot for a lawyer?
It depends on the market, practice area and seniority. Rates at that level are more common for senior partners at large firms in major cities and in specialized high-stakes work. For most small firms and solo practices it would be high. Clients judge value on outcomes and trust, which is why relationships matter as much as the rate.
Are there ethics rules I should check before reaching out to prospects?
Yes, it is wise to check. Rules on attorney advertising, solicitation and client confidentiality vary by state and can affect how you contact prospects or mention past matters. Before sending outreach to people who are not current or former clients, or naming clients in any update, check your state's rules and talk with your firm's ethics or compliance counsel.
How many contacts should a law firm business development plan include?
Start smaller than you think: a short Tier 1 list you can actually touch every few weeks, then wider tiers with lighter cadences. Dunbar (1992, Journal of Human Evolution) suggested people can maintain about 150 stable relationships, so the goal is a plan you can sustain, not the biggest possible list.
Do law firms need a CRM for business development?
Not on day one. A CRM for law firms keeps clients, referral sources and every touch in one shared place. Many solo lawyers run this plan from a spreadsheet at first. A CRM starts to pay off when you track more people than you can remember, or when partners share clients. Look for one that shows who is due for a check-in and logs each touch. Check your firm's rules on client data before you add anyone.