Let’s be honest, BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and people of color) attorneys are often told that the path to success in the legal industry is paved simply with intense, great work. As long as they do great work, they will get the promotions and opportunities they seek. News flash: Wrong! The truth is that great work alone is only half the battle in attaining prominent positions, judgeships, partnerships, and success in their own private practices. What is the missing other half? Learning the true art and science of rainmaking! Creating a compelling case for getting prospects and your network to see you as the only choice that matters. No matter which path you choose in our profession, rainmaking makes you visible and stand out in ways that get you noticed and chosen. But how do you actually do it?
This article will explore untapped techniques for understanding rainmaking and making it work for BIPOC attorneys. Through the three Ps of rainmaking — packaging, positioning, and pitching — you will see that attending the right events, speaking, volunteering, writing, and creating your own brand are your tickets to gaining premium clients and lucrative opportunities.
As a Black woman and former Big Law attorney who has had my own small practice, I will be speaking from real-world experience as the CEO of Perfect Pitch Group, an international professional speaker, top Fortune 100 corporate sales trainer, 13-time national pitch champion, “Shark Tank” alum, #KillerPitchMaster, and five-time No. 1 best-selling author. Entrepreneurship taught me things that my background as first generation in everything and legal experience did not about rainmaking.
Rainmaking! Everyone throws around this term, but what does it actually mean? Just getting clients? Is that it? Is it that simple? No! For many BIPOC attorneys, certainly not all, we did not grow up surrounded by elite professionals like attorneys, doctors, dentists, accountants, etc., and their networks. Some of us are first generation and make ourselves and the whole family proud by gaining a higher education and training. We may have even believed that the hard part is over. Wrong!
Oh, we were in for a rude awakening! Sometimes it happens in school when we realize that not having access to these professionals, their networks, and long-established bonds can be a disadvantage as we try to navigate these spaces without guidance. Yes, you can get a mentor, sponsor, etc. But there are still unique challenges we face that others simply cannot and do not see. We navigate two different worlds.
When I was starting out, the word “rainmaking” meant nothing to me. I was happy to be a law school graduate, pass the New York State bar exam on my first try, become an associate, go to court, and be outstanding no matter what. I networked like crazy, yet I felt exhausted because I was never able to be myself. I felt like I was always on and had to be perfect, say all the right things, wear all the right clothes, and smile, and yet there were things I could not navigate. I couldn’t simply laugh at jokes that were not funny. I would not drink. I felt nitpicked and in some ways like I was not welcome and did not fit the mold. I had no time to understand rainmaking, and although I sought to be proactive and eager, things were not coming that easily to me.
My whole life I wanted to be a litigator, and it was not all it was cracked up to be. The dreams I had for becoming a litigator first took flight in watching “Perry Mason” (the black-and-white and color versions), “Matlock,” “L.A. Law,” “Law & Order,” and the distinguished attorneys from Court TV, which lit a fire under me that still smolders today. To think I wanted to go down in history like F. Lee Bailey or Johnnie Cochran! However, my reality did not match these dreams. The legal profession lost its luster over time as I never could get where I ultimately wanted to go ... or so I thought.
Eventually, I started thinking of life outside the profession. What would that look like? Better yet, who would hire me as a former BIPOC attorney who decided on a different path? Decisions, decisions! Then, I had an incredible encounter where I decided to throw caution to the wind and start an intimate apparel company, Curvy Girlz Lingerie, and the rest is history. What? Lingerie? Deciding to do something else that would challenge me, make me bring my A game, face off with investors, and make a case on national TV showed me that what I had learned as an attorney was still valuable. Becoming a successful serial entrepreneur, 13-time pitch champion, and international professional speaker opened doors that started from my legal training. These experiences helped me understand that rainmaking, from a different perspective, was more than securing clients. So much more!
Rainmaking, like anything else, is a game to learn and to play. It comes down to packaging, positioning, and pitching. Here, I am going to break down for BIPOC attorneys how to build and rebuild your network, stand out in a sea of noise and distraction, and become the only choice that matters to an audience you have strategically gone after. This brings you the visibility you need in the legal profession and opens up a world of new opportunities for you as BIPOC attorneys.
So, how do all three of these — packaging, positioning, and pitching — help you become the ultimate rainmaker? These are my top five tips:
Going to law firm, legal industry, or attorney-focused events is simply not enough. That’s why it’s important to think about attending other networking events outside of our industry and making a name for yourself there. What are you most interested in outside the legal profession? Cleaning up our city, making sure our children have food in their bellies, interest in private equity, causes that focus on women, men, and/or homelessness? Get out there and make a name for yourself. Look for events that focus on your interests and start getting known. These include:
The point is to seek out opportunities to become a resource to those involved by joining a committee, hanging out with the board, and staying top of mind. Get out of our industry and make a name in other industries. This is why packaging and positioning matter. You will meet with and encounter high-net-worth individuals and those who take their networks seriously. Nothing around them is happenstance, so showing up and showing out is crucial.
Even if you are not a litigator, speaking can put you in front of the right people and gain you valuable leads. It can be in your practice area or another zone of genius. As a speaker for the last 30 years, I have learned how to bring big fun and energy to my speeches, keynotes, and presentations. You do not have to be me. Use the power of being an introvert, ambivert, or extrovert to your advantage. I infuse humor into my speeches. Speaking opened up new worlds and opportunities for me and my clients. My audacity and experience as a pitch trainer and 13-time national pitch champion and running three companies serve me well. I have taught at Ivy League institutions and top financial and real estate firms. So, what type of events outside of the legal industry can you speak at? Make a list and go pursue them. Speaking allows you to position your thoughts and opinions above others and be held in higher esteem.
The cool thing is that writing articles, blogs, and books can boost your visibility in the eyes of your target market and inside the legal profession, too. Do you have a unique take on legal topics and/or something else entirely? Then start writing about it, post it, and engage! Listen, the world is craving a fresh perspective on different topics. Why not yours? You can build a whole community around your written work. I have written five No. 1 best-selling business books that companies and schools use to train and teach. I did not know the power of my words until I saw them in bookstores or a particular community college that uses my book as a textbook. With writing, all three — packaging, positioning, and pitching — help you attract clients, customers, and other lucrative opportunities to shine.
I can hear your mind spinning, “I do not want to be on social media”! Let me just say that social media and LinkedIn have been the best platforms for establishing myself and my clients as brands. I utilize social media to highlight my talents and skill sets, my clients, new initiatives, places where I am speaking or attending, and things I am interested in or launching. It allows the right people to find me. Rainmaking! Your groups and network need to see you as a professional and yet still very much human. To get plum assignments, show up on social media more, which helps others engage with you.
As BIPOC attorneys, we must learn to navigate spaces, and as we advocate for others, we should do the same for ourselves. Seek opportunities to speak in rooms you never thought possible, and teach your network how to pitch you for events and opportunities that you know will benefit you in many ways. You are more than your age, race, class, sex, etc. So when others try to limit you to certain circles, spaces, and places, go elsewhere. I have positioned myself as a world-class master communicator without an Ivy League degree who, because of my skill set, real receipts, and results with my clients, has had Ivy League doors opened. There are no limits when you refuse to allow others to tell you where you belong. Also, make sure the pictures you take and post reflect all the places and to whom you speak so it’s clear you can speak to VIPs at every level and to the janitor without missing a beat. Never allow others to box you in: Your perceived flaws are your secret weapon! They will never see you coming.
BIPOC attorneys, you can and will become a rainmaker in your career. You just need someone who has been there, cares, and will provide a roadmap and a framework that works from day one. It requires you to understand the many ways you can advocate for yourself, bring visibility to yourself, and make yourself the only choice that matters.
Now, time to make it rain and slay the game together! #PitchPlease
The views expressed in this article are the personal views of the author and are not official policy positions of the American Bar Association.
