Home GPS Tracker GPS December Poll Results

We asked the General Practice Section, "How Did You Land Your Best Client?"

You Said...

• Professional referral (38%)
• Referral from friend/acquaintance (34%)
• Cold call or direct pitch (0%)
• Advertisement (including website) (1%)
• Other (27%)

Percentage response as of 12/2/2011

Reputation:

• Reputation for high level of services.
• Currently 70-80% of my practice is counseling lawyers and law firms on legal ethics matters. Virtually all of these clients are referrals from other lawyers who know my credentials in this field. –Seth Rosner, Saratoga Springs, NY

Referral from another client:

• Referral from former client.
• Most of my clients are referred to me by other satisfied clients. The next largest group is referred by colleagues. –Diana K. Bangert-Drowns, Albany, NY
• Doing work for a client who had transactions with the one who became my best client.
• I received the best client I ever had through another client, who had used me for a number of things. I began to represent the new referral, and represented him in a number of matters over a myriad of legal issues. Had I not relocated, I assume I would still be doing work for him.
• It was a referral from another client. They were both creditors in a bankruptcy and I was able to recover money for both of them. Since then the referred client has given me all his business and terminated his relationship with his prior attorney.
• Referral by another client. –Robert T Farrell, Warrensburg, New York
• Recommendation from an existing client

Networking:

• Socializing –Anastasia Sarantos Taskin, NY. NY
• Participating in the GP Section ListServ
• LinkedIn site networking –Nancy Delain, Schenectady, NY

Client loyalty from a previous firm:

• Through providing superior service at a prior place of employment, my best client decided to continue to work with me after I moved on to another firm.
• When I opened my own practice, he came with me from former law firm.
• While working at a firm I had the good fortune of representing this client on a minor matter. When I opened my own practice this client sought me out because of that experience.
• My two [best] clients were accounts which I handled while an associate in a law firm. When I left the firm they approached me about continuing to serve their accounts.

Served as opposing counsel:

• ...I ended up representing one of my very best clients because I sued him for someone else and after the suit was over ( it took several years ) he called me and asked to speak with me about representing him which I have now done for about 20 years.
• Defeated the company (then adversary) in protracted litigation. I was subsequently hired by the in-house counsel and represented client for more than thirty years.

Chance meeting:

• Met a person who was his VP riding Amtrak to Wilmington –David Cohen, New York
• I met my best client when I was an associate for another lawyer and he was that lawyer's client. A couple of years later we ran into each other in the street and he hired me on the spot to represent him in a case. He's been my client now for thirty years.

...And more!

• Internet search –William L. Fox
• I haven't landed my best or any clients yet! –Paul C. Hannaford, Somerville, MA
• Biggest and best client is an old friend. Second best was a referral from another client. –Richard C. Agins, NY, NY
• A combo of client referral and direct pitch after request for pitch from prospective client –Tim Johnson, Edmeston, NY
• I [used] to work with him in a non-legal setting
• After 54 years of practice, I haven't a clue.

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Please note that the opinions expressed above are those of individual memebers of the General Practice Section, and not necessarily of the Section as a whole.