In today's dynamic legal landscape, top attorneys leverage a mix of expertise, communication skills, and client-focused strategies to build and maintain a robust client base. Effective communication, deep legal expertise, client-centric approaches, and a focus on efficiency and user-friendliness are crucial for building and maintaining strong client relationships, they say.

What are the key skills and strategies that successful lawyers employ to attract new clients, establish trust, and cultivate enduring client relationships?

JIRAPONG SRIWAT, Bangkok office representative, Nishimura & Asahi: In the highly competitive legal services market, successful lawyers use a blend of key skills and strategic approaches to attract new clients, establish trust, and cultivate enduring client relationships. At Nishimura & Asahi, we focus on the following core strategies:

Client acquisition: Effective client acquisition begins with a deep understanding of their industry and specific needs. We leverage targeted marketing strategies, including thought leadership through publications and speaking engagements, and participation in industry events to highlight our expertise. Networking and client referrals also are invaluable, as satisfied clients often become our strongest advocates and recommend us to others.

Establishing credibility and trust: Trust is built through competence, transparency, and approachability. At Nishimura & Asahi, our lawyers are not only knowledgeable but also committed to regular and clear communication and delivering on promises. We emphasise on personalised service, where we tailor our approach to meet the specific needs of each client, further enhancing our credibility. Regular updates and transparency in our processes further strengthen the trust and rapport we build with our clients.

Client retention and loyalty: Long-term client relationships are built on consistent satisfaction. We prioritise proactive engagement, regularly seeking feedback to ensure we meet and exceed client expectations. By staying updated on the latest legal developments and trends, we ensure that our service remains cutting-edge. Additionally, fostering a culture of integrity and ethical practice reinforces our clients’ loyalty and strengthens our relationships.

ROY LEUNG, partner, Sit, Fung, Kwong & Shum: Central to this success is the art of effective communication - a skill honed over decades of practice. Mastery in simplifying intricate legal issues into digestible insights for clients is paramount. Active and patient listening, a cornerstone of effective communication, ensures that client’s needs and expectations are accurately gauged, fostering trust and clarity in legal work.

Moreover, the bedrock of trust lies in a profound depth of legal knowledge and expertise. Clients seek assurance in the counsel/expert solicitors recommend, and the confidence derived from the expertise of a veteran practitioner is invaluable.

Prioritising the client's needs, delivering personalised attention, and tailoring bespoke solutions are hallmarks of a seasoned legal professional. This client-centric approach not only fosters trust but also fortifies the foundation of enduring client relationships.

Efficiency in time management and service delivery is also a feature of a seasoned practitioner. By handling client matters with precision and efficacy, not only is trust solidified but also a sense of fairness and transparency in billing practices is instilled.

SFKS’s motto is to “Serve clients respectfully, apply law professionally and render work effectively”. Guided by this principle, I am delighted to see the firm has grown in size and sophistication. I always remind our lawyers of our Motto and trust this would enhance our competence and competitiveness, and maintain lasting relationships with clients.

JOHANNES HADI, partner, Eugene Thuraisingam: The first core skill is competence. I define this as having the necessary knowledge and skills to provide legal services successfully to one’s clients.

I see two aspects to this: (a) subject-matter expertise; and (b) your reliability and responsiveness.

The first half is non-negotiable. Whether it’s mergers and acquisitions or general litigation, clients simply will not come to you if you are not good at what you do.

The next half is about begetting a client’s trust in you. Imagine you have a technical issue, and you email an IT helpdesk. They take ages to respond. Sometimes they forget to respond entirely, and you have to remind them to follow up. Remember the law is a service profession and this sort of laissez-faire attitude will give clients the impression that you are not interested in solving their legal problems. Not an ideal recipe for happy repeat customers.

The second core skill is user-friendliness, which I think requires the ability to communicate with the client at their level and with their language instead of yours. This is a severely underrated trait. Clients come to you with a practical issue to be solved or managed and have little interest in legal jargon or the latest incremental development of the common law. They just want to know – can you take care of this for me, please? It also helps to exude warmth and a genuine interest in your clients as human beings and not walking potential billable hours.

Be the lawyer you would want as a client, and you will get the clients you want as a lawyer.