"Turn the key on maybe tens or hundreds of thousands or more in business..." Praise for ORIGINATE!

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In this issue, we feature the business development excellence demonstrated by the winners of our 2008 Rainmaker of the Year awards. The featured articles recognize what our five winners have accomplished, and offer case studies of how you can turn 2009 into your best rainmaking year. [Click About this Issue for more details.]

The winner in the category “Partner – Transactions” is H. Patrick Callahan of Baker & Daniels LLP in Indianapolis. His achievement transcends categories, for he demonstrates the power of relationship building and team work on successful business development for both himself and the firm. In all his many initiatives, he truly makes clients, community and colleagues better.

The winner in the category “Woman Lawyer” is Lorelei Graham of Miller Thomson LLP in Guelph, Ontario. She approached the high tech marketplace as a true entrepreneur by carefully fashioning a set of services to directly address the needs of emerging tech businesses, working with an effective team, enlisting strong allies marketing outside the profession and cross-selling zealously.

The winner in the category “Small Firm Lawyer” is Wilton G. McDonald II of Higgs Johnson Truman Bodden & Company in Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands. His success demonstrates how an individual lawyer, even at a small firm, can transform a practice with a rigorous plan and tough goals, industrious relationship building, basic marketing methods, a passion for client service, and the hard work to make it happen.

The winner in the category “Associate” is Peter J. Bilfield of Withers Bergman LLP in New York and Greenwich. A disciplined take-charge rainmaker, he has accomplished quite a lot for himself and his firm by finding his niche early, staying active in business development on a day-to-day basis, staying alert to opportunities for the whole firm, plus making relationships a centerpiece of his approach.

Legal Sales and Service Organization (LSSO) assembled this panel of distinguished judges to evaluate the entries. The three judges were Catherine MacDonagh, Esq., President of LSSO; Martha Fay “Marty” Africa, Managing Director of Major Lindsay & Africa consultants; and Gabe Miller Esq., General Counsel of The Law Offices of James Sokolove. Here are the credentials they brought to their decisions on the winners.

Advertising, according to Andy Havens, is the most misunderstood arrow in the professional marketing quiver. It can be valuable early in the sales cycle to get the word out, but also as an adjunct to your other marketing activities. In a well managed sales pipeline, advertising's a pretty good bet for making first impressions and ongoing reminders.

Mark Beese observes how tough things are getting right now for lawyers and firms, then proposes ten fundamental ways you can weather the storm and even surmount the threats to your well-being so you can withstand the storm - and even thrive in the face of such tough times.

Taking a cue from physical training, Darryl Cross explains how all lawyers need to push themselves a little harder to keep up with evolving market needs and competitive pressures. You don’t want be the history expert when you're developing and maintaining business.

When you meet a potential client, how do you concisely convey who you are? What you do? And how do you convey it in an intriguing way so that the other person will care? Adam Stock shows the structure of a good elevator pitch and discloses four ways to make yours better.