By: Jennifer Shankleton & Holly Barocio
Business development (BD) coaching has emerged as a significant trend within law firms. According to BTI’s 2025 Benchmarking Report, 81 of the Am Law 200 firms have now incorporated coaching into their operations. BD coaching is gaining momentum among firms of all sizes as they seek to strengthen client engagement, drive cross-selling, and expand market share. In this Q&A, legal marketing authority Jennifer Shankleton, Chief Growth & Development Officer at Brennan, Manna and Diamond, speaks with GrowthPlay’s Holly Barocio to discuss how firms can strategically evaluate and implement BD coaching programs. This conversation is designed for mid-level legal marketers and law firm leaders seeking to align BD initiatives with overall firm strategy.
Defining Your Objectives
Jen: When your leadership team, marketing partner, or CMO says, “We need to consider business development coaching for our attorneys,” what is the first priority on your checklist?
Holly: Start by asking critical strategic questions: How does BD coaching support your firm’s core growth strategy? What specific outcomes are you targeting? These may include fostering collaboration, enhancing underperforming practices, supporting associate training, integrating laterals, engaging target clients, or elevating market share.
Navigating Firm Culture
Jen: How do you navigate law firm culture, leadership style, business model, partner track, and compensation system when launching a business development initiative?
Holly: I invest time with internal teams and leadership to understand the nuances unique to each firm. It’s always revealing to observe how a firm approaches these discussions before any program begins. I also stress the necessity of defining and tracking both leading and lagging indicators of success to effectively measure program impact.
Assessing Program Type
Jen: How do you decide which BD coaching approach is best for your firm—education, training, coaching, or an integrated model?
Holly: Analyze past program outcomes and consult closely with your professional development team. Set honest expectations regarding behavioral change and educational impact, tailored to your firm’s objectives.
Internal vs. External Resources
Jen: How should a firm determine whether to build a BD program internally or engage external expertise?
Holly: It depends on the firm’s investment level, internal capabilities, and capacity, as well as on desired outcomes. These aren’t mutually exclusive options. Many of my most effective engagements involve collaborative efforts where the internal team co-facilitates alongside external coaches. Some firms use a tiered approach—internal teams work with a specific lawyer segment, while external consultants support others.
Selecting the Right Coach
Jen: What factors are most important when selecting a BD coach or trainer to fit your firm and attorneys?
Holly: Self-awareness—both of the firm and its lawyers—is key. During coaching sessions, I remind attorneys how their technical expertise and personal brand brought them to this point. Success comes down to alignment and a coach’s demonstrated expertise in delivering value to attorneys.
Identifying Participants
Jen: How do you determine who should participate in the coaching program? Should it include all attorneys, rainmakers, mid-level associates, rising stars, laterals, or focus on specific teams or practice groups?
Holly: Selection should be driven by strategic objectives and intended impact. Regardless of role, begin with professionals who are open to self-reflection and new approaches. BD coaching requires a willingness to embrace unfamiliar tactics, which can be outside many lawyers’ comfort zones—not due to skepticism, but because trying something new is challenging for those accustomed to precedent.
Piloting the Program
Jen: Is it advisable to pilot the program? What are the best methods for selecting pilot participants?
Holly: Absolutely. Pilot programs offer valuable flexibility and insight. At GrowthPlay, we favor a brief application process: a short, five-question form that serves as a low barrier to participation while gauging commitment and interest. As positive experiences emerge, they help generate wider interest and build a strong pipeline for future participation.
Building Internal Consensus
Jen: What internal communication and consensus-building efforts are necessary to gain attorney engagement?
Holly: Effective communication is crucial. Successful strategies include increasing visibility for the initiative, building lawyer confidence, and aligning communications with firm strategy. Endorsement from leadership—such as a marketing partner, managing partner, or practice group head—substantially boosts engagement. Moreover, testimonials from previous participants can heighten credibility and help reinforce the value of BD coaching.
Conclusion
Key Takeaways:
1. Align business development coaching programs with firm strategy and set clear objectives.
2. Select participants based on willingness and anticipated strategic impact.
3. Explore hybrid resourcing and consider pilot programs to test effectiveness.
4. Foster internal buy-in through leadership messaging and peer endorsements.
5. Adapt to firm culture and track key success metrics throughout the program.
