Meet the Women Rainmakers!Anne Whitaker
Interview by Afi Johnson-Parris
 Name: Anne Whitaker
Firm Name: Counsel On Call
Address: 1180 Peachtree Street NE, Suite 2620, Atlanta, GA 30309
Phone: (404) 591-5831
Nominated by: Afi Johnson-Parris
Practice area: Legal Placement and Coaching
Anne Whitaker is Vice President of the Atlanta office of Counsel On Call where she is responsible for business development, and is also an executive and career development coach for lawyers. Counsel On Call provides high-quality, attractively priced solutions to the challenges faced by corporate legal departments and law firms with attorney staffing. Anne has over 25 years of experience working in the legal community. She practiced real estate law for five years and in 1991 founded In-House Counsel, Inc., a pioneer in the contract attorney placement business. In 1996, Anne sold the company to a national company and managed their Atlanta office for two years before transitioning into coaching and subsequently joining Counsel On Call in 2003 to assist with marketing and client development. Anne combines her legal experience, coaching skills, and business acumen to assist her clients in achieving their business objectives and works with many of the Fortune 500 companies based in Atlanta. Most successful/favorite rainmaking tip: It is hard to pick one – but if I had to point to one thing that has worked the best for me and my clients it’s to focus on building relationships in the way that is comfortable for you, always with a long-term perspective. There is no “one-size- fits all” approach. Figuring out what works best for you – depending on your personality, practice area, etc. – is key, as is making it a mutually rewarding, long-term relationship you are striving to build with potential clients and existing clients. You are not just figuring out what they can do for you – it‘s what you can do for them and showing that in the way you engage with them. What are their concerns and goals? To whom can you introduce them? What do they need to succeed? Biggest influence on career/best career advice: I have had many influences along the way starting with my father who was a lawyer and state senator in Florida (and a great networker), many lawyers at Glass, McCullough where I started after law school, and of course my current colleagues. But, Judge T. Jackson Bedford, Jr. (who was not a judge at the time but a well known Atlanta lawyer) stands out for me, as he made a huge difference in my life when I decided to break away from the traditional path and start a company. This was at a time when there were not many alternatives to the traditional path for women lawyers. He partnered with me to start In-House Counsel, Inc. and shared with me his belief in the importance of doing what you are passionate about and then doing what it takes to achieve that dream. I have found that to be absolutely true for my career as well as the attorneys who I have coached. I was passionate (and still am) about empowering really talented women lawyers to define success for themselves and create a practice that works well for them. Percentage of time devoted to marketing: The way I think of marketing – building relationships, providing excellent service – makes it a part of what I do every day. The aspects of marketing that involve networking events, giving presentations and one-on-one meetings, comprise about 15 - 20% of my time. Proudest accomplishment: I was going to say the fact that I started a company, grew it and sold it, but it is really more than that. Looking back at the common thread over the past 20 years, I would have to say the fact that I took the risk in 1991 to break out of the mold and create a nontraditional law-related career that no one in my circle of colleagues, friends or family had heard of before. It meant learning new skills that I had not learned in law school or at my law firm. I pushed past my comfort zone and ultimately discovered that I love it. It has allowed me to have a career that is truly a win-win. I get to help lawyers every day make a positive change and further their careers– whether it is a client who is at a law firm or in-house and searching for a great lawyer to assist with a project and reduce their costs, a Counsel On Call lawyer who is practicing through us because they want more control over their lives, or a coaching client who is building their practice or redefining their career. Knowing what you know now, if you were starting out as a lawyer today, what would you do differently? I do not regret anything that I did as a new lawyer. The only thing I would add to what I did then (and it is what I am telling law students and newly minted lawyers all the time whenever I have the opportunity) is realizing that it is never too soon to start networking and building the relationships that will assist you with being a great rainmaker. In addition to focusing on becoming the best lawyer I could be, which was priority #1, and still is, I would not have been so introverted about the way I was practicing. Every new lawyer needs to get in the habit of growing their contact list, staying in touch with friends and fellow law students, and continuing to build relationships. There isn’t much time for that these days with the increasing pressure of billable hours, but you can still do something even if it is target one person a week to connect with. It’s more about having your radar on about it and having a plan about how you are going to network and build relationships consistently. It is absolutely critical, as having a book of business is more important than ever. If a lawyer decides to go in-house, it will help with contacts and prospects for that as well. Tell me about one rainmaking strategy or tactic that you initially thought would work, but it failed. Why did it fail? I have tried a number of things that did not have a great return on my time, but the most obvious to me is attending networking meetings such as bar association events and not having a strategy or follow-up. I thought if I just showed up, mingled and met people then things would start to happen. It did not take long to realize that often all I had to show for it was a drawer of business cards and plans to follow up that never happened. Rainmaking that does work. To follow up on my failed tactic, I found that what works much better is to get involved in selected groups that I am interested in rather than just going to their events. When you are part of a committee that is active it gives you a much different role and ability to interact with people. And for those networking events that I do attend, I always have a strategy about who I want to meet, a plan about how to follow up with them, and then I actually do it. Tell me about one rainmaking strategy or tactic that you initially thought would fail, but it was a great success. Why was it successful? I was extremely uncomfortable at first with initiating and requesting a meeting with someone after meeting them, especially if I did not immediately get a response. I have found over time a way to do it that is authentic and comfortable, and I have learned not to not give up after the first time. What has been your greatest frustration about trying to get new business or new clients? After I have met with someone and we have talked about how we can help them with their legal work and business objectives, I have had occasions when I will follow up a number of months later and they will tell me about something they did that they then realize they could have contacted me for. It is hard when you get very busy dealing with fires and urgent matters to remember to follow up regularly and stay in front of your clients and potential clients in some way. Things happen very quickly in the business world and people will do what they have done in the past and not necessarily think to reach out to you, especially if it is a new client. If you were mentoring a young woman lawyer, what advice would you give her regarding rainmaking? Start immediately, if you have not already, to make relationship building a regular part of your practice—it is never too soon and is what will give you options and choices. Women in general have great relationship-building skills: they are great communicators and ask questions in a way that will facilitate a trusting relationship and open up opportunities with clients. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that if you keep your nose to the grindstone and do good work that you will ultimately be recognized and valued for that alone. It takes being a great lawyer, delivering great service AND building your own relationships. Would you say you ever had a mentor that made a genuine difference in how your career turned out? If yes, please describe. I have had many along the way as I mentioned before. When I discovered I was weak in an area, I would look for people who I admired who were good at it and created my own personal board of advisors. One thing that made a huge difference in my learning business development effectively was a business coach that I hired with whom I worked weekly for 3 years. She taught me a lot of the skills that I continue to practice today. I basically got the equivalent of a crash MBA while on the job that has served me well working with my clients. Think about when you started out as a lawyer. Now think about the new female lawyers just starting out. What is different now compared to when you started? The practice of law is even more competitive and business oriented than it was when I came into it in 1986. There is more pressure to bill more hours, do pro-bono work, and build a book of business than there was then. Also, corporate clients are demanding new ways to cut legal costs which has greatly impacted law firms’ ability to bill for first and second year associates. On the other hand, as a positive, there are many more opportunities with corporate legal departments as a career path option than there were then. List words that best describe you: Optimistic, creative, flexible, patient yet persistent, passionate, compassionate, win/win focused, perfectionist (not always a positive!) | 
