In Praise of the Expert Generalist: Why the Best Business Developers Think Broadly
LSSO
6 minute read
By: Jeff Berardi, Principal, Berardi Consulting LLC
Research backs up this theory. I recently rediscovered a thought-provoking book that ignited some interesting connections in my life and work. Originally published in 2019 and written by sports journalist David Epstein, Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World is a fascinating look at how top performers across sports, academics, and music differ from others. Epstein found through his extensive research that rather than having narrow and deep subject matter expertise, it is typically those individuals that think broadly across a variety of categories and have a vast range of backgrounds and perspectives to draw upon who are often most successful.
We don't have to look far for examples of world-class athletes who played multiple sports. Deion Sanders famously played 14 years in the NFL and 9 years in MLB, while Josh Allen, the 2024 NFL MVP, was a lightly recruited multi-sport high school athlete who played baseball and basketball before becoming one of the league's best quarterbacks. In tennis, Jannik Sinner was one of Italy's top junior skiers before winning four major titles, Coco Gauff played basketball, ran track, and did gymnastics before becoming the youngest American since Serena Williams to win the U.S. Open, and Jessica Pegula, a former world #1 in women's tennis, was a competitive swimmer who credits her freedom during her youth to explore other sports as key to her on-court success. Similarly, some of the world's most renowned musicians have mastered multiple instruments – Taylor Swift plays guitar and piano, Prince was an elite drummer and bassist in addition to being known for his epic guitar solos, and Dave Grohl excels at drums, guitar, piano, and bass.
1. Building Deeper, More Meaningful Connections
The expert generalist brings a unique advantage to client relationships that purely specialized practitioners often miss. When a law firm partner or business development professional truly understands the intricacies of a variety of practice areas (corporate law, employment issues, intellectual property concerns, regulatory compliance, etc.) they can engage with clients on multiple levels during a single conversation. Rather than having just a superficial understanding about a lot of different areas, the objective should be to have enough depth in each distinct practice to recognize patterns, ask insightful questions, and identify opportunities that others overlook.
Consider a client meeting about a potential merger. Whereas a deep subject matter expert might focus solely on the M&A transaction itself, the expert generalist recognizes the employment law implications, the IP complexities, the regulatory hurdles, and the tax considerations. More importantly, they can speak intelligently about how these pieces interconnect, demonstrating not just legal competence but strategic thinking that clients value deeply.
This broader perspective helps to convey a sense of gravitas by contributing in a meaningful way to discussions that extend beyond one’s primary area of expertise. Clients remember lawyers who understand their business holistically, not just the narrow legal issue at hand.
2. Creative Problem-Solving Through Cross-Pollination
Steve Jobs, the co-founder and former CEO of Apple, understood that innovation comes from synthesis rather than isolated expertise. As he put it: "Creativity is just connecting things. When you ask creative people how they did something, they feel a little guilty because they didn't really do it, they just saw something. It seemed obvious to them after a while. That's because they were able to connect experiences they've had and synthesize new things."
For legal business developers, this principle translates directly into having a competitive advantage. The intersection might be found between regulatory knowledge and industry trends, or between legal precedent and emerging business models driven by new technology tools. In other words, the magic happens in the connections, rather than the deep technical knowledge alone.
Likewise, the expert generalist doesn't just solve problems within established frameworks – they borrow solutions from adjacent fields. For instance, a lawyer who understands both employment law and data privacy might recognize how workplace monitoring technologies create novel compliance challenges that neither practice area has fully addressed independently. This type of innovative thinking positions them as a thought leader rather than just a service provider.
3. Collaborative Opportunities: The Network Effect
Perhaps most importantly, the expert generalist serves as a natural connector within their own firm and across the broader legal community. When you understand multiple practice areas or macroeconomic trends within a particular sector, you become the person others frequently turn to for referrals, joint pitches, and collaborative solutions.
This creates what economists call network effects – the more connections you facilitate, the more valuable you become to your far-reaching network. Partners begin to see you not as competition for client attention, but as someone who can significantly enhance their own client relationships through thoughtful introductions and integrated service offerings.
1. Building Your Expert Generalist Toolkit
Start by mapping your current client base to identify secondary legal needs that consistently arise, such as employment issues in acquisitions, IP concerns in technology deals, or regulatory questions in heavily regulated industries. Develop conversational competency in these adjacent areas, understanding enough to recognize intersections and speak intelligently about connections without becoming a specialist overnight.
Be intentional about consuming information strategically beyond your core practice publications. Read industry publications relevant to your clients, follow trends in adjacent fields, and set aside time weekly to explore topics outside your comfort zone entirely. Whether it's supply chain logistics, AI trends, or private capital investing principles, this breadth adds unexpected value to client relationships.
2. Leveraging Internal and Client Resources
Your firm's greatest untapped resource for developing a broader range of expertise may sit right down the hall. Propose cross-practice "lunch and learns," volunteer for pitch meetings outside your expertise, and offer help with multi-disciplinary proposals. These collaborations build knowledge, strengthen internal relationships, and position you as someone who thinks beyond traditional silos.
Let clients guide your learning priorities by paying attention to business challenges beyond your immediate legal scope. If multiple clients struggle with cybersecurity, invest in understanding both technical and legal dimensions of data protection. This client-driven approach ensures your expanding knowledge base directly translates into enhanced client value.
3. Measuring Success and Playing the Long Game
Success metrics for expert generalists extend beyond billable hours or origination credits. For instance, you can track how many cross-referrals you facilitate, the number of introductions that colleagues make into their existing client relationships, and the type of issues clients discuss with you. Pay attention to meeting dynamics: Are clients seeking your perspective on matters outside your traditional expertise? Are you included in strategic discussions beyond immediate legal needs?
The expert generalist creates opportunities across multiple areas simultaneously. While specialization might provide faster initial recognition, expert generalists become invaluable institutional assets as their careers progress. They're the first call for multifaceted challenges and the go-to colleagues for strategic advice and collaboration.
Closing Thoughts
In David Epstein's research into the careers of world-class athletes, musicians, and scientists, we see that breadth of experience often outperforms narrow specialization. The same principle applies to legal business development. In an increasingly complex business environment where legal challenges rarely fit neatly into single practice categories, the expert generalist isn't just valuable – they're essential.
The most successful business developers are those who can think broadly, make connections across disciplines, and synthesize diverse experiences into creative solutions. Like Steve Jobs observed, creativity comes from connecting experiences and synthesizing new things. For legal professionals, this means developing the rare but critical skill set to grow clients across inter-related services and practice areas.
The question isn't whether your firm needs these broad-thinking connectors, but whether you're positioning yourself to be one of them. In a world that increasingly rewards those who can navigate complexity and make unexpected connections, the expert generalist represents the future of legal business development.
Whether it applies to sports, music, or academic endeavors, we are often taught at a young age that the key to a successful career is to focus deeply on a specialized area of expertise. But is this always the case? What if there was another pathway to success? Indeed, I’ve found that the best business developers happen to be experts in making connections across multiple disciplines, subject matters, and diverse experiences. These “expert generalists” are individuals who have considerable depth of knowledge in a variety of areas, rather than simply one or two narrow categories. When viewed through a business development lens, the expert generalist possesses the rare but critical skill set to grow clients across inter-related services and practice areas.
Research backs up this theory. I recently rediscovered a thought-provoking book that ignited some interesting connections in my life and work. Originally published in 2019 and written by sports journalist David Epstein, Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World is a fascinating look at how top performers across sports, academics, and music differ from others. Epstein found through his extensive research that rather than having narrow and deep subject matter expertise, it is typically those individuals that think broadly across a variety of categories and have a vast range of backgrounds and perspectives to draw upon who are often most successful.
We don't have to look far for examples of world-class athletes who played multiple sports. Deion Sanders famously played 14 years in the NFL and 9 years in MLB, while Josh Allen, the 2024 NFL MVP, was a lightly recruited multi-sport high school athlete who played baseball and basketball before becoming one of the league's best quarterbacks. In tennis, Jannik Sinner was one of Italy's top junior skiers before winning four major titles, Coco Gauff played basketball, ran track, and did gymnastics before becoming the youngest American since Serena Williams to win the U.S. Open, and Jessica Pegula, a former world #1 in women's tennis, was a competitive swimmer who credits her freedom during her youth to explore other sports as key to her on-court success. Similarly, some of the world's most renowned musicians have mastered multiple instruments – Taylor Swift plays guitar and piano, Prince was an elite drummer and bassist in addition to being known for his epic guitar solos, and Dave Grohl excels at drums, guitar, piano, and bass.
The Expert Generalist Advantage in Legal Business Development
I believe that the same rules apply when it comes to legal business developers, whether they are business professionals or law firm partners. Let’s examine some of the ways that these qualities translate into tangible business development success.1. Building Deeper, More Meaningful Connections
The expert generalist brings a unique advantage to client relationships that purely specialized practitioners often miss. When a law firm partner or business development professional truly understands the intricacies of a variety of practice areas (corporate law, employment issues, intellectual property concerns, regulatory compliance, etc.) they can engage with clients on multiple levels during a single conversation. Rather than having just a superficial understanding about a lot of different areas, the objective should be to have enough depth in each distinct practice to recognize patterns, ask insightful questions, and identify opportunities that others overlook.
Consider a client meeting about a potential merger. Whereas a deep subject matter expert might focus solely on the M&A transaction itself, the expert generalist recognizes the employment law implications, the IP complexities, the regulatory hurdles, and the tax considerations. More importantly, they can speak intelligently about how these pieces interconnect, demonstrating not just legal competence but strategic thinking that clients value deeply.
This broader perspective helps to convey a sense of gravitas by contributing in a meaningful way to discussions that extend beyond one’s primary area of expertise. Clients remember lawyers who understand their business holistically, not just the narrow legal issue at hand.
2. Creative Problem-Solving Through Cross-Pollination
Steve Jobs, the co-founder and former CEO of Apple, understood that innovation comes from synthesis rather than isolated expertise. As he put it: "Creativity is just connecting things. When you ask creative people how they did something, they feel a little guilty because they didn't really do it, they just saw something. It seemed obvious to them after a while. That's because they were able to connect experiences they've had and synthesize new things."
For legal business developers, this principle translates directly into having a competitive advantage. The intersection might be found between regulatory knowledge and industry trends, or between legal precedent and emerging business models driven by new technology tools. In other words, the magic happens in the connections, rather than the deep technical knowledge alone.
Likewise, the expert generalist doesn't just solve problems within established frameworks – they borrow solutions from adjacent fields. For instance, a lawyer who understands both employment law and data privacy might recognize how workplace monitoring technologies create novel compliance challenges that neither practice area has fully addressed independently. This type of innovative thinking positions them as a thought leader rather than just a service provider.
3. Collaborative Opportunities: The Network Effect
Perhaps most importantly, the expert generalist serves as a natural connector within their own firm and across the broader legal community. When you understand multiple practice areas or macroeconomic trends within a particular sector, you become the person others frequently turn to for referrals, joint pitches, and collaborative solutions.
This creates what economists call network effects – the more connections you facilitate, the more valuable you become to your far-reaching network. Partners begin to see you not as competition for client attention, but as someone who can significantly enhance their own client relationships through thoughtful introductions and integrated service offerings.
The Implementation Challenge
Of course, becoming an expert generalist isn't simply about random dabbling in multiple areas. What practical steps can legal business development professionals take to cultivate this range? The answer lies not in abandoning specialization, but in expanding one’s expertise in a strategic and intentional manner.1. Building Your Expert Generalist Toolkit
Start by mapping your current client base to identify secondary legal needs that consistently arise, such as employment issues in acquisitions, IP concerns in technology deals, or regulatory questions in heavily regulated industries. Develop conversational competency in these adjacent areas, understanding enough to recognize intersections and speak intelligently about connections without becoming a specialist overnight.
Be intentional about consuming information strategically beyond your core practice publications. Read industry publications relevant to your clients, follow trends in adjacent fields, and set aside time weekly to explore topics outside your comfort zone entirely. Whether it's supply chain logistics, AI trends, or private capital investing principles, this breadth adds unexpected value to client relationships.
2. Leveraging Internal and Client Resources
Your firm's greatest untapped resource for developing a broader range of expertise may sit right down the hall. Propose cross-practice "lunch and learns," volunteer for pitch meetings outside your expertise, and offer help with multi-disciplinary proposals. These collaborations build knowledge, strengthen internal relationships, and position you as someone who thinks beyond traditional silos.
Let clients guide your learning priorities by paying attention to business challenges beyond your immediate legal scope. If multiple clients struggle with cybersecurity, invest in understanding both technical and legal dimensions of data protection. This client-driven approach ensures your expanding knowledge base directly translates into enhanced client value.
3. Measuring Success and Playing the Long Game
Success metrics for expert generalists extend beyond billable hours or origination credits. For instance, you can track how many cross-referrals you facilitate, the number of introductions that colleagues make into their existing client relationships, and the type of issues clients discuss with you. Pay attention to meeting dynamics: Are clients seeking your perspective on matters outside your traditional expertise? Are you included in strategic discussions beyond immediate legal needs?
The expert generalist creates opportunities across multiple areas simultaneously. While specialization might provide faster initial recognition, expert generalists become invaluable institutional assets as their careers progress. They're the first call for multifaceted challenges and the go-to colleagues for strategic advice and collaboration.
Closing Thoughts
In David Epstein's research into the careers of world-class athletes, musicians, and scientists, we see that breadth of experience often outperforms narrow specialization. The same principle applies to legal business development. In an increasingly complex business environment where legal challenges rarely fit neatly into single practice categories, the expert generalist isn't just valuable – they're essential.
The most successful business developers are those who can think broadly, make connections across disciplines, and synthesize diverse experiences into creative solutions. Like Steve Jobs observed, creativity comes from connecting experiences and synthesizing new things. For legal professionals, this means developing the rare but critical skill set to grow clients across inter-related services and practice areas.
The question isn't whether your firm needs these broad-thinking connectors, but whether you're positioning yourself to be one of them. In a world that increasingly rewards those who can navigate complexity and make unexpected connections, the expert generalist represents the future of legal business development.
