The Rainmaking Podcast TRP 273: [Legal] Launching as a Lateral – Business development techniques to help laterals thrive in their new firms with David Freeman
Oct 7, 2025
In this conversation, David Freeman, an award-winning consultant with over 30 years of experience coaching lawyers, shares invaluable insights for laterals at new firms. He emphasizes that success hinges on owning relationship-building and likens it to being the 'new kid in school.' David introduces the Memory Matrix for tracking relationships and offers strategies for identifying internal allies. He also discusses the importance of proactive value-giving and outlines key steps: create an integration plan, prioritize connections, and establish an accountability system for follow-through.
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Own Your Integration
- Laterals must treat integration as their responsibility, not the firm's obligation.
- David Freeman says firm introductions are gravy and the partner must build internal relationships.
Co-Opt Marketing Early
- Find and partner with the right marketing and BD people and explicitly give them permission to help.
- Ask them, 'If you had absolute control of me, what would you do to maximize my potential?'
Build A Trusted Cohort
- Identify lawyers across practices who can refer or receive work and treat them as allies.
- Build trusted cohorts inside the firm instead of expecting clients to use many practices automatically.
