Rainmaking is no accident.
Written by Sam Abeysekera on January 5, 2022
Rainmaking is no accident...

Signing clients, commanding influence in your firm - these things are not about being gifted or being born with a talent. Unfortunately, many rainmakers are not gifted lawyers! 

Most people consider a rainmaker a rare phenomenon that takes luck, a special status, or unique connections…

But they miss what’s behind the success… 

There is a vast difference between what society considers a rainmaker and what being a rainmaker actually is. 

Here are three critical components to rainmaking for women in particular: 

1) Don’t follow the “cult” of the rainmaker. 

I know this sounds odd but the very mindset of seeing a rainmaker as a remote phenomenon ultimately prevents you from becoming one. 

Because often, when we use labels like "rainmaker" or "they’re special,” we automatically put a barrier on our own endeavors.

They appear remote because we never saw what influenced them along the way or what they went through to get to this point. It devalues the care and diligence that went into it.

It also shields our ego by implying that it’s "OK" not to be like them because they are “special.” 

It's an ego trick that is NOT in your best interest. 

Those people are not superhuman. They are 100% human, just like you! 

2) Have a SALES process. 

You may be an excellent lawyer, but if you have no process for getting clients, then your practice is all about luck, or you may get pigeonholed by whoever comes along, or end up as a service partner... 

When I started out as a young lawyer twenty years ago, we were taught to take work under the cab rank rule - i.e. the first available lawyer in line takes the work. It was a mess as you never knew what client you would get. 

So I knew I had to unlearn that culture quickly and get good at the things I wasn't trained on - marketing, pitching, and closing clients - i.e. sales. 

But we don’t just want ANY sales process….for example, many folks are spinning their wheels on podcasts, conferences, and referrals that give you a false sense of confidence….

Instead, build a method that works for you in getting NEW clients on a RELIABLE basis that you WANT to work with.

Being a good lawyer is the gateway to your success. But it is not success in itself. 

You must be able to feed your own practice. 
3) DESIGN your practice to give you the work AND lifestyle AND freedom you want. 

Most lawyers don’t have a strategy for this. 

They focus on the work and build a practice requiring more of them. As the practice grows, they become consumed by their own "success." 

It runs YOU like a machine…

Instead, we can design a practice that gives you the work you want and runs itself like a machine. 

The key to women shattering the glass ceiling is that you get the 6- to 8- figure books of business as well as BALANCE and TIME for the other things you love....even a good night’s sleep! 

In conclusion...

We want to take responsibility for our lives. It is the key to our life force. 

Sometimes it takes disregarding popular approaches to choose something better that works for you on ALL levels. 

So let's do this!

Sam Abeysekera

Sam is dedicated to empowering female partners and founders in the legal industry to break through barriers and redefine success. As the lawyer's advocate, she equips her clients with strategies to become seasoned rainmakers and thrive within the dynamics of law firm culture, all while maintaining balance and authenticity.
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