Ditching The Pitch: The Key To Success In Legal Business Development

Imagine this scenario: As a young associate, a senior partner pops by your office and says, “Let’s go on a pitch meeting together.” Excitedly, you grab your coat, ready for your first in-person interaction with a prospective client. What happens next?

For many lawyers, landing new business in a pitch meeting is the highlight of the week — or even the year, depending on the size of the client. Bringing in new business and becoming a successful rainmaker elevates your status at any law firm. With your own book of business, you gain freedom, control, and independence in your career.

So why do most lawyers avoid business development?

As a business development coach for lawyers, I hear a variety of reasons. These are the top five:

• Fear of rejection
• Lack of interest
• Perceived waste of time
• Uncertainty about how to secure meetings with decision-makers
• Reluctance to come across as “salesy”

Chances are, at least one of these reasons resonates with you. And yes, I know: “They never taught this in law school.” But that’s in the past. Instead, let’s focus on what you can learn today to shift your mindset and approach business development in a way that works for you.

Here are three critical ways to “ditch the pitch” and bring in more of your own clients.

1. Remove Your Head Trash!

We’ve all experienced being sold something we didn’t want or need — it leaves a bad taste. Many lawyers associate sales with this negative experience, and I want to help you reframe that.

Sales is typically defined as the exchange of money for goods or services. But I see it differently. Sales is about solving problems — which happens to be your specialty. Clients come to you with legal challenges, and your job is to resolve them effectively.

So, your goal in a meeting isn’t to “sell” your services. Instead, it’s to guide a potential client through a buying decision. And here’s the best part: you don’t have to sell them anything. Your role is to determine whether their issues align with your expertise and whether it makes sense to work together.

This happens through building trust, asking smart questions, and listening — all skills you already have.

2. People Buy From Lawyers They Like And Trust

Ever wonder why some lawyers land more business than others, even when they’re not the best in their field? It’s because relationships matter more than expertise alone.

I’ve seen lawyers walk into meetings unprepared, rambling about how great their firm is and how deep their expertise runs. Stop. People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.

Take time before the meeting to research your prospective client. There’s no excuse. We have more access to information than ever — use it. Google their name and company, check their social media, and speak with the referral source to understand their background.

Find ways to connect with them beyond business. Don’t rush into a conversation about legal issues; doing so limits your ability to build trust.

For example, you could say:

• “I saw on LinkedIn that your company was just named one of the Top 20 Startups of 2025. That’s amazing! How are you feeling about that?”
• “I noticed you post a lot about your kids’ sports on Facebook. Which events are your favorites to attend?”

Starting a meeting without building rapport is like trying to construct a skyscraper from the 50th floor. Take the time to establish trust before diving into business.

3. Ditch The Pitch For Qualifying Questions

As I mentioned earlier, lawyers love solving problems, and prospective clients have them. The issue isn’t whether you can help — it’s when you bring up your solutions.

Many attorneys fall into the trap of immediately answering questions about their services, firm capabilities, and rates. But doing this too soon means you lose control over the conversation and miss the opportunity to qualify the client properly.

One of my favorite sayings is: “Prescription before diagnosis is malpractice.” Read that again.

Instead of pitching right away, shift your focus to asking thoughtful questions. Your goal is to understand the depth of the client’s problem before offering solutions.

This approach transforms the conversation from a competitive engagement to a collaborative one. By actively listening, you uncover their “pain points” and why they’re motivated to change.

Think of yourself as a therapist. A good therapist doesn’t jump in with solutions; they ask, listen, and empathize. That’s exactly what your prospective clients are looking for.

The other benefit? Asking the right questions helps you determine if the client is a good fit for you.

• Are they truly committed to solving their problem?
• Are they the decision-maker?
• Do they have the budget to afford your services?

By establishing trust, you can ask deeper, more personal questions than a lawyer who spends an hour talking about themselves.

One of the reasons I started working in the legal industry was because I saw a massive gap in business development skills among lawyers. And yes, I know — you weren’t taught this in law school.

But that’s why you’re reading this article.

Your expertise and relationships are the only things you can truly count on in this ever-changing legal world. If you’re serious about your future, invest in learning and refining these skills daily.

I hope this article encourages you to be bold in your business development efforts — not as a pushy salesperson, but as an empathetic, trusted advisor who genuinely helps clients solve their problems.

Now, go out there and start growing your book of business — the right way.

Steve Fretzin is a bestselling author, host of the BE THAT LAWYER Podcast, and business development coach exclusively for attorneys. Steve has committed his career to helping lawyers learn key growth skills not currently taught in law school. His clients soon become top rainmakers and credit Steve’s program and coaching for their success. He can be reached directly by email at [email protected]. Or you can easily find him on his website at www.fretzin.com or LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevefretzin/.