Lawyers = Salespeople; Sales Are a Cost, Not a Capability

You go interview 100 top lawyers, boil down their success paths into big data, and the result is simple: there are only three types.

1. Come from a family of lawyers, inheriting big client resources.

2. Obtain access to big clients through prior work or family ties — for example, having been a leader yourself, or having parents who were leaders.

3. Grind away with time and words, traveling everywhere to win over people; if by luck a big client takes notice, they may then refer you to other big clients.

Sales is a cost, not a capability.