Building Client Relationships as a Patent Attorney

When people think of great lawyers, they picture confident speakers, sharp debaters, and skilled writers. But let me tell you a secret: "the best lawyers are also the best listeners." In the legal profession, people often talk about the art of argumentation, persuasive writing, and analytical thinking. But you know what truly sets great lawyers apart? "The ability to listen." Here’s how mastering the art of listening can make or break your legal career: 1. Understanding clients’ needs Behind every case is a human story. Active listening helps you understand your client’s concerns, emotions, and expectations. When clients feel heard, trust is built. Imagine a client walks into your office, frustrated about a property dispute. They vent for 20 minutes about how unfairly they’ve been treated. If you’re only half-listening, you might miss the fact that the dispute actually started over a poorly drafted contract. Active listening helps you uncover the real problem, not just the symptoms. 2. Spotting key details During a deposition, a witness casually mentions a “conversation” that wasn’t disclosed in earlier evidence. If you’re distracted, you might miss this breadcrumb. A keen listener would catch it and follow up with the right questions, potentially uncovering a game-changing fact. 3. Negotiating effectively Picture this: you’re negotiating a settlement, and the opposing counsel seems adamant about a financial figure. But if you’re really listening, you might catch their client’s real concern—"time". They want the case to wrap up quickly. By addressing that concern, you could close the deal faster and on better terms. 4. Winning in court In the middle of a cross-examination, the opposing counsel stumbles over their words, leaving a gap in their argument. A sharp listener seizes this moment, redirecting the judge’s attention to the inconsistency. Listening in court isn’t passive, it’s your weapon for adapting on the fly. 5. Building strong relationships Ever had a colleague remember something personal you mentioned weeks ago? It’s a small thing, but it builds trust. In law, relationships with clients, peers, and judges are your lifeline. Listening isn’t just polite, it’s how you show you care. Well, you too can become a better listener, by following these habits: - Be present: During client meetings or hearings, put away your phone and focus entirely on the conversation. - Ask smart questions: For example, “Can you clarify what you meant by that?” This shows engagement and helps you dig deeper. - Practice empathy: Imagine yourself in the speaker’s shoes. Understanding emotions is just as important as understanding words. In law, where everyone wants to be heard, listening gives you the edge. So, next time you’re tempted to focus on your response, pause and truly hear what’s being said. You might just find your next breakthrough. Do you think listening is as underrated as I do? Share your thoughts below—I’m listening! #law #lawyer

Too many people view client relationships as transactional. You sign a contract. Send the invoice. Close the client. But I’ve realized that the best client relationships are built on genuine personal connections. This means: - Knowing who you're working with - Understanding their days - Empathizing with them Business and life are not mutually exclusive. Asking about a client's family, hobbies, and goals shows that you care for more than just their business. The problem is that most agencies don’t understand that clients can hire anyone to do their work. They chose you. And often, not just to solve a problem. Clients want to work with great people- not just great companies. There are 5 ways that I infuse this ideology into my interactions with our clients: 1. Be yourself. You don’t need to act a certain way just because “that's expected.” Show up with the attributes that make you, you. 2. Address issues head-on with empathy and transparency. When in doubt, I’ve found being overly transparent works better than being guarded. Vulnerability engenders trust. 3. Practice active listening in meetings. Give your full attention, ask thoughtful questions, and mirror back what you hear. Make your clients feel heard and understood. 4. Spend 5 mins at the start of the meeting just chatting. It’s easy and goes a long way. 5. Share relevant articles and books, make introductions—whatever you can do to add value and show you actually care. And when they talk, really listen. Don’t just wait for your turn to speak, Hear what they’re saying. And the irony is that getting personal is how you get profitable with clients. They’ll be more likely to refer business You’ll get grace during the tough moments And they’ll be more likely to stay on longer When building relationships, aim for a trusted advisor, not an order taker.

The way lawyers build meaningful relationships has evolved way beyond swapping business cards. While trust and personal connections are still the cornerstone of legal business development, technology is amplifying – not replacing – how you nurture those relationships. Think of today's relationship intelligence platforms (CRM on steroids) as your personal business development radar. They're like having a brilliant associate who never sleeps, tracking not just who you know but how well you know them, when you last connected, and what matters most to them. They notice when you haven't connected with a key referral source in a while and can give you a heads-up before the relationship goes cold. Nice, right? LinkedIn (yes, that platform you check but rarely use strategically) has transformed into a sophisticated relationship amplifier. Beyond just showing who knows whom, it reveals shared interests and conversation starters that make your outreach more meaningful. It's the difference between "Hey, let's catch up" and "I noticed you wrote about ESG compliance – our banking team just tackled a similar issue." Thought leadership has evolved too. When you share insights through platforms like JD Supra, your knowledge doesn't just sit on your website hoping someone finds it. These platforms get your takes in front of the right eyeballs, sparking conversations that naturally lead to work. (I speak from experience!!) Here's the thing: While you're convinced all your work comes from referrals (and you're not wrong), those referral relationships are increasingly playing out across digital channels. Your competitors aren't just showing up at networking events – they're strategically visible where your potential clients spend their professional time. The good news? You don't have to become a tech wizard. You just need to be smart about using tools that amplify what you already do well: building trust and delivering value. #AddisAdvice

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗠𝗶𝗱𝗱𝗹𝗲: 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗪𝗲 𝗡𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗸 𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗟𝗮𝘄𝘆𝗲𝗿-𝗖𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 Here's something I've noticed in 25+ years of patent practice: almost everything written about legal services focuses on one of two audiences. Either it's professional education for lawyers—case law updates, drafting tips—or it's DIY resources helping clients avoid lawyers entirely. Think Nolo Press guides. 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁'𝘀 𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗶𝗱𝗱𝗹𝗲: 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗹𝗮𝘄𝘆𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝘁𝗼𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗲𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗹𝘆. I'm starting this series because the most valuable patent work happens through genuine collaboration, not lawyers taking instructions or clients blindly following advice. Yet we rarely discuss explicitly what makes these partnerships work. 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗣𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 Patent relationships are uniquely collaboration-intensive. We're together for years. The work is technically complex, strategically critical, and expensive. Success requires both legal expertise and deep knowledge of your business, technology, and competitive landscape. The traditional model—lawyer as expert, client as information source—leaves value on the table. True partnership where both sides bring essential expertise works better. 𝗔 𝗡𝗲𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 I'm writing this as a patent lawyer, which creates inherent bias. Even "client-centered" lawyering is a framework invented by lawyers. I'm describing a two-sided relationship from one side's experience. So I'm actively seeking perspectives from those of you on the client side. I'll ask questions, test hypotheses, and want to hear from in-house counsel, CTOs, founders, and engineers about what actually works. 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗖𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 I'm focusing on corporate/business patent relationships because that's what I know. Over the next several weeks, I’ll explore: • Why expertise asymmetries go both ways • What makes collaboration actually work • When to engage counsel (probably earlier than you think) • How to have productive disagreements • What changes as companies scale I believe many lawyers and clients already practice this. This isn't revolutionary—it's describing what the best relationships already look like. 𝗟𝗲𝘁'𝘀 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗙𝗼𝗿 𝗶𝗻-𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘀𝗲𝗹: Does your patent counsel actively collaborate on strategy, or just take instructions? 𝗙𝗼𝗿 𝗖𝗧𝗢𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀: Do you feel like a partner in your patent strategy, or a spectator? 𝗧𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝗺𝗲 𝗶𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀: The best patent relationships feel like genuine partnerships, not service provider arrangements. I'm looking forward to exploring this with you. And I'm especially interested in hearing where my lawyer-centric view needs correction. #legalpractice

Here's the thing: As attorneys, we're often put on pedestals. People expect perfectly pressed suits, immaculate offices, and uninterrupted professionalism. But beneath the law degree, we're just people with barking dogs, crying babies, and Amazon deliveries at inconvenient moments. I've found something surprising – these human moments often strengthen client relationships rather than weaken them. Some of my most valuable case insights have come during what I call "the in-between moments." During mediations, when we're just sitting in a room together for hours waiting for updates, I always try to connect personally. My dad calls it "spinning yarns" – just two people sharing stories back and forth. I've been shocked how often clients share crucial case details during these casual conversations that never came up in formal interviews. We'll be talking about their kids or weekend plans, and suddenly they'll mention a symptom they've been experiencing or an impact on their life they hadn't thought to tell me before. Honestly, one of the best ways on the planet to connect with a client is to ask them about their children. It's a universal topic that immediately changes the energy in the room. I remember working on a case for nearly two years, and during a four-hour mediation wait, the client shared completely new information that significantly impacted their case – all because we were just talking as people, not lawyer and client. Post-pandemic, most clients are incredibly understanding about these blurred lines between professional and personal. I've had clients apologize for their own dogs barking in the background, and I always reassure them it's completely fine. While I take my professional responsibilities seriously, I've found that letting clients see the real me – interruptions and all – creates better outcomes and stronger relationships. Sometimes the most effective legal work happens when we remember we're all just people first.