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By: Raymond Steadmon, Esq.
Lane & Lane, LLC
Chicago, Illinois

It is a costly mistake to assume that your Primerus membership guarantees that you will be showered with new clients and new cases day in and day out.  That is simply not the case.   If you want new business, you have to work at it.  Primerus provides a massive platform to assist attorneys and firms to develop and maintain that new business you desire.

There is no doubt that the best way to maximize your Primerus membership is to ensure you maximize your exposure to other Primerus members.  Stay in the forefront of other Primerus members’ minds.  Make sure those members are always thinking about you.  Discussed below are a variety of tactics that will help Primerus’ Young Lawyers (and all members) gain that maximum exposure and get the most out of their membership.

1. Think Primerus First. When referring any case or any client anywhere in the world, always try to make that referral to another Primerus member (especially to another YLS member if possible), even if you don’t know that member personally.  Primerus has 2,800 attorneys from nearly 180 member law firms throughout 40 countries and 130 cities, each of which has been vetted to ensure that he or she will provide quality legal services at a reasonable fee.  When you “Think Primerus First,” others will naturally think about you first, and you will begin to reap the rewards from the many others who “Think Primerus First” as well.

Primerus makes referring business a seamless process.  Primerus.com has a list of every one of its members by location and practice area along with their contact information.  In addition, you can send an email to the referrals only listserv (referrals@primerus.com) to get the recommendations of other members.  Of course, you can also always email or call any Primerus staff member who will be happy to assist you.

2. Get Involved.  How many times have you been told as a young lawyer about the importance of getting involved in state and local legal organizations?  Well, getting involved in Primerus is no different and is just as important.  Whether it be joining a committee, holding a leadership position, writing articles or giving presentations, you will be exposed to the 2,800 member attorneys on a regular basis as a result of your involvement. That exposure will keep you in the forefront of your fellow member’s minds when it comes time to refer new business.

The YLS is always looking for assistance with all of its committees, which includes the Executive Committee, Membership Committee, Newsletter Committee and CLE Committee.  The YLS is also constantly soliciting articles to publish in its quarterly newsletter and searching for individuals to present at its annual Boot Camp and for its quarterly webinars. 

3. Attend Conferences and Meetings.  There is no substitute for attending Primerus conferences and meetings in person. In an organization like Primerus, relationships are often formed over the phone and by email, but those relationships are cemented and maintained when you continuously meet and socialize with those individuals in person.  The relationships not only will lead to new business, but they will lead to a lifetime of friendships.  Of course, the education at these conferences and meetings is often top notch as well.

Primerus hosts numerous conferences and meetings every year, including a Global Conference that is open to every Primerus member around the world, as well many institute and practice group specific conferences, such as the YLS Boot Camp, PDI Convocation and Fall Seminar, PDI Transportation Seminar, PPII Winter Conference, PBLI Symposium, US Regional Meetings, and International Conferences. Information on each of the conferences can be found at Primerus.com.

The YLS will be hosting its 4th Annual Boot Camp from March 18-20, 2015, in San Diego, California.  This year’s topic is on Rainmaking / Business Development.  With a spectacular   lineup of speakers, the program will not disappoint.  For more information about the program or to register, visit https://www.regonline.com/builder/site/Default.aspx?EventID=1651314.

4. Make Time to Visit Other Primerus Members. Whether you are traveling for business or pleasure, make it a point to reach out and connect with Primerus members in the location you are traveling to.  With Primerus members located in 40 countries and 130 cities across the globe, the odds are good that there are members very close to where you are traveling.  While we are often restrained by our busy schedules, I highly encourage you to plan ahead of time and build the member visit into your schedule or trip.   Whether the visit is a short tour of the member’s office, a casual work lunch, or a nice formal dinner and show, that visit will be sure to form and cement the relationship for many years to come.

Also, if you work in a city where there are multiple Primerus firms, don’t forget to form and maintain relationships with them as well.  After all, these members are right in your backyard and can be incredible sources of business since none of those other local firms practice the same kind of law that you do.  I suggest you set up a monthly lunch where several members of each local Primerus firm gather to talk business or simply to just socialize.  In Chicago where I practice, we have 3 Primerus firms.  We have implemented a monthly Primerus lunch and have participated on a regular basis for several years now.  Anytime I have a local referral, the other two local firms are the first ones I think of and are the first ones I call.  I assure you, it works.

5. Be Active on Listservs. Every week, we all get thousands of more emails than we would like to.  We are busy people, and the first emails we oftentimes ignore are the plethora of listserv emails that come across our screen.  Stop ignoring them, and use the listservs as the great resources that they are intended to be.   Primerus has over 35 listservs, some of which are both general and open to every member and other of which are specific and limited to certain institutes, practice groups or regions. When you have questions about anything, post them on the relevant Primerus listserv.  When you have answers or ideas to other members’ questions that have been posted on the listserv, take the time to answer them.  Not only are listservs a fantastic educational resource, but every time you post a question or response, you are putting your name in front of all the Primerus members and are further cementing yourself in their minds.  The YLS listserv is yls@primerus.com.

In line with “Think Primerus First,” I also encourage you to use all of the non-Primerus listservs to which you belong to help drive new business to other Primerus members.  Attorneys are constantly posting on their state and local listservs seeking recommendations for attorneys to handle their specific referrals such as “an IP attorney in Boston” or “an employment attorney in Berlin, Germany” or “a civil rights defense firm in San Diego.”  Take the time to go to Primerus.com and lookup whether Primerus has a member that could be of assistance, and if so, assist in the referral.  The goal and hope is that the favor will be returned someday, and if you are consistent, it will be.

In conclusion, remember that there is a continuous influx of new opportunity for networking and business development within Primerus upon which we can all capitalize, including each of the young lawyers in each Primerus firm – not just the key contacts of each firm.  With 2,800 member attorneys, the key contact can only cast his or her net so far.   There is more business to be captured.  However, keep in mind that the opportunity for another member to refer you business may not arise tomorrow or the next day.  It might be years down the road.  It is for this very reason why it is of the utmost importance to be consistent and continuous with your efforts to stay at the forefront of other Primerus members’ minds.  The more constant and continuous efforts you put forth, the greater the likelihood that you will maximize your Primerus membership and reap the benefits it was intended to provide.

Raymond C. Steadmon is a trial attorney in Chicago, IL who represents individuals and families who have been catastrophically injured through the fault of others.  Ray is the Immediate Past Chair of Primerus YLS and current Chair of the newly formed Primerus YLS International.