From the Editor: You've billed your way up the ladder to make it to the partnership. You've earned the right to be in "the room where it happens," to borrow from Lin-Manuel Miranda's "Hamilton." Now how do you build a top practice? Lillian S. Hardy, practice group head of Hogan Lovells' crisis leadership team, writes on that topic in the fourth column of our National Law Journal series, "On the Rise: Voices from Young Lawyers." The series features columns on key practice topics by our 2019 D.C. Rising Stars and other leading young lawyers in the district and beyond. For more insight, read on.   —Lisa Helem, editor-in-chief, The National Law Journal

A longtime mentor of mine likens climbing the Big Law career ladder to entering a series of pie-eating contests where the prize is always more pie. I chuckle every time he says it, but I have a different take. To me, the path is a series of milestones achieved differently by each person, each one requiring a new level of focus. All are easier to tackle if you love your job.

After making partner, the new focus must move quickly to growing a sustainable and fulfilling practice. But how on earth is that done? And what are the tools? 

I don't have all of the answers, but I'll share some tips based on my journey thus far.

Do it your way: That other person's business model is taken by that other person.

Being unique is key to survival in a crowded field. As a new partner, I knew I had to create a distinctive plan to make this role work. When it comes to business development, I have learned from the successes and failures of other lawyers. I try to absorb all that I can from watching and listening to others, including more senior partners that trained me and external mentors. I have learned that no two lawyers are the same and the successful ones make their mark on this profession not just from hard work, but from standing out. 

What does this mean for young partners? Work tirelessly to hone your craft, but put your own spin on how you market it. This will deepen your investment in your career and will give you the stamina to engage in the non-billable effort it takes to make it a success.

Invest in peer relationships. 

For me, building a practice is a team sport. I focus on business generation alongside my peers who are other developing partners. And the majority of names on my growing client roster are from my own generation.  

It is very tempting to kiss up to more senior lawyers once your associate days are long past you. One thinks that everyone that has client work to offer graduated from law school long before you. While that may be true today, it won't be true forever. Maintaining relationships with peers in your firm, from college and from law school will prove most important in the long run.

Believe in your practice and its value. If you don't, others won't.

I had an "ah ha" moment when I realized people were truly buying my judgment and not just my execution of tasks. Believing that I have an unusual knack for helping clients take positions when they're under extreme pressure, I set out to build my practice around exactly that. 

As head of our firm's crisis management practice, my core offerings are predicated on being calm and confident when things heat up. We are all our most poised when we know our material and can utilize our skill, so that is precisely what we must do. Young partners must have unwavering faith in their practice so that they can credibly sell it to others.     

Road test your ideas with friendly audiences.

My middle school drama teacher always demanded that everyone wore full costumes for dress rehearsals so that we could avoid on-stage faux pas on the big day. Undoubtedly in the rehearsals, there would be issues. Thanks to her, we had a chance to fix them. 

The same principle applies for pitch meetings and presentations. I try my best to get in front of my trusted clients for first runs on new projects or business ideas. Let's be honest, flying all over the world to do free CLEs is not as satisfying as booking a seven-figure engagement. But taking those trips gets you ready to deliver when the real opportunity knocks. 

Support your team.

I come from a big, close-knit family, so this one is a no-brainer. Every load is easier to bear with extra hands and brains. When everyone feels supported to play their role and considers the client their own, the team will win more often. That creates a positive impact for clients.  

Supporting your team could mean offering a fresh start to the associate that made a mistake in their work for another partner. (I find that folks in that situation may work harder for the partner willing to give them a second shot). It may mean demanding more from an associate who is not growing from matter to matter. And when associates do a great job—show them off! I often reveal my associates to clients. They are good, and I am proud of them.

When you invest in each person as a professional, they invest in themselves and the team, too. That's when everyone succeeds. 

Share the wealth.

Resist the temptation to take opportunities that should go to someone else. This can be hard if your personal billings are lower than you'd like when the opportunity comes your way, but it is always the right call. At our firm, we have practitioners that do nearly everything, and I frequently pass the ball so that the client gets the slam-dunk they deserve. Sharing the wealth allows for relationship building with colleagues across practices and regions. Watching a colleague succeed adds to my sense of pride in our team. It all works out.      

Focus on your client and they'll focus on you.

Recently, a client called us to ask for advice about assessing an aspect of its internal compliance program. We responded quickly and showed interest in what was meant to be a limited, pro forma analysis. Then suddenly, the client was forced to launch one of the most extensive investigations it has encountered to date.  

The lesson here? Being ready for the smaller project made us the client's first call for the big one. Every client should feel like a VIP and that their project is your singular concern. During client-matter intake, you must offer the same level of interest and attention that you would for your most important engagement of the year. It could become just that. 

Earning your client's trust is the key to repeat business, which is the keystone to building a successful practice, which we're all working towards. That's the icing on the partner cake (I'm not big on pie.) 

Lillian S. Hardy is an investigations partner in the Washington, D.C., office of Hogan Lovells and is the practice group head of the crisis leadership team. Lillian focuses her practice on domestic and international compliance and investigations in risk areas like bribery, corruption and various consumer protection laws. She specializes in high-intensity incident response.

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