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13 August 2019 / Neil Turnbull
Categories: Features , Profession , Legal services , Company
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Business development: time for some strategic thinking

After his recent appointment as head of strategic partnerships at Simpson Millar, Neil Turnbull highlights the importance of relationship building within the legal profession
  • Strategic partnerships and building credibility.
  • Bridging the gap between the lawyers and the law firm.
  • Measuring the success of the strategic partnerships.

Strategic partnerships are integral to many businesses spanning most sectors; with the notion of building a relationship between two commercial enterprises often seen as a positive means by which to build credibility with relevant audiences and, certainly within a corporate environment, drive revenue.

In large organisations this role is assigned to a dedicated individual, or team of individuals, who are responsible for identifying, establishing and maintaining said relationships, while focusing on capitalising at every given opportunity.

The legal profession has been less proactive in establishing this approach, with the lawyers themselves often tasked with the responsibility of the business development/marketing side of the practice on top of their caseloads.

A decision that has merit—given the in-depth understanding of what relationships would work, and why—but one that is perhaps

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