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I recently posted on LinkedIn about one of the most important lessons I learned early in my legal career: that problems that feel overwhelming in the moment almost always work out. Research roadblocks. Tough opposing counsel. Crushing deadlines. With time and effort, you figure it out—and eventually, you trust yourself to do it again.
But here’s the part I didn’t fully appreciate back then: That feeling of uncertainty doesn’t disappear. It just shifts.
Once you’ve gotten over the hump of legal competence—when you’re no longer stressed about how to redline a purchase agreement or manage discovery—you graduate to a new category of challenges.
For many lawyers, that challenge is business development.
And just like those early legal hurdles, it can feel foreign and frustrating.
How do I get in the door with new clients?
What should I say in a pitch meeting?
How do I even start a business development plan?
It’s tempting to think that the discomfort means you’re not cut out for it. That rainmakers are born, not made. That you’re “not the business development type.”
But the truth is, you’ve already done this before.
You’ve struggled through complex problems. You’ve learned by doing. You’ve built confidence through repetition. Business development is no different.
So if you’re feeling stuck or uncertain right now, a few reminders:
You don’t have to figure it all out at once. One thoughtful lunch. One follow-up call. One LinkedIn post. Progress is incremental, not instant.
Find people who’ve just done it. A partner who built their book five years ago remembers what it took more clearly than someone who did it 25 years ago. Ask them how they started.
The discomfort isn’t a signal to stop—it’s a signal that you’re growing. Every pitch you fumble, every awkward coffee meeting, every ghosted prospect is part of the learning curve.
You’ve figured out hard things before.
You’ll figure this out too.
Jay Harrington is president of our agency, a published author, and nationally-recognized expert in thought-leadership marketing.
From strategic planning to writing, podcasting, video marketing, and design, Jay and his team help lawyers and law firms turn expertise into thought leadership, and thought leadership into new business. Get in touch to learn more about the consulting and coaching services we provide. You can reach Jay at jay@hcommunications.biz.