Building a Law Firm: Wide Business Development Culture

Catherine Alman MacDonagh | Legal Lean Sigma Institute

Catherine Alman MacDonagh, JD is the CEO and Founder of the Legal Lean Sigma Institute, a co-founder and advisory board member of the Legal Sales and Service Organization, and a recognized innovator in the legal industry. With nearly 30 years of experience, she focuses on helping legal and business professionals work more effectively together by improving workflows, reducing inefficiencies, and driving sustainable change. Catherine integrates methodologies such as process improvement, project management, change management, and design thinking to enhance client service, communication, and operational performance. She is also an accomplished author and speaker, known for delivering practical, actionable strategies that strengthen both people and organizational outcomes.

• Education & Credentials

Catherine Alman MacDonagh holds a Juris Doctor (JD) and brings decades of experience applying structured methodologies such as Lean Six Sigma, project management, and change management within the legal industry.

• Recognition & Leadership

Catherine Alman MacDonagh is recognized as a leading innovator in legal operations and service delivery, demonstrated through her role as Founder and CEO of the Legal Lean Sigma Institute and her leadership as a co-founder and advisory board member of the Legal Sales and Service Organization.

• Professional Involvement

Catherine Alman MacDonagh is actively engaged in the legal industry as a speaker, educator, and thought leader, sharing insights on workflow optimization, client experience, and service excellence. She also contributes through her authorship of multiple business books for legal professionals, including Lean Six Sigma for Law, Second Edition.

• Experience

Catherine Alman MacDonagh has nearly 30 years of experience working with legal and business professionals to improve operational performance and collaboration. Her work includes applying tools from process improvement, project management, planning, change management, strategic account management, and design thinking to help organizations build competitive advantages, enhance efficiency, and deliver higher-quality client service.

David Freeman J.D. | David Freeman Consulting Group Inc

David H. Freeman, J.D. is a former practicing lawyer from New York, an award-winning consultant, and a two-time best-selling author recognized for his work in law firm business development and leadership. Over a career spanning more than 30 years, he has trained and coached over 10,000 lawyers across more than 260 law firms worldwide, including work with over half of the Am Law 200. He is a member of the National Law Journal Hall of Fame, having been voted the #1 business development consultant and coach in the United States for several consecutive years. David is also the creator of Lawyer BookBuilder, a structured training and accountability program designed to help lawyers become effective rainmakers, and BD Buddy, a technology platform that supports the development of firmwide business development cultures.

• Education & Credentials

David H. Freeman holds a J.D. and is a former practicing lawyer from New York. His credentials are further distinguished by his extensive career as a consultant, coach, and author in the legal industry, focusing on business development and leadership.

• Recognition & Leadership

David H. Freeman is a member of the National Law Journal Hall of Fame and has been voted the #1 business development consultant and coach in the United States for several consecutive years. His leadership in the field is also reflected in his development of Lawyer BookBuilder and BD Buddy, both of which are designed to enhance business development skills and culture within law firms.

• Professional Involvement

David H. Freeman has been deeply involved in the professional development of lawyers and law firms worldwide, training and coaching over 10,000 attorneys across more than 260 firms, including over half of the Am Law 200. Through his consulting, writing, and program development, he continues to influence how legal professionals approach business development and leadership.

• Experience

David H. Freeman brings more than three decades of experience in coaching, consulting, and training lawyers on business development and leadership. His work includes collaborating with over 260 law firms worldwide, including a significant portion of the Am Law 200, and helping attorneys build sustainable client development practices. He is the author and co-author of 16 books on law firm business development and leadership and has created programs such as Lawyer BookBuilder, which provides structured training and accountability, and BD Buddy, a technology platform designed to foster firmwide engagement in business development.

SESSION 1 – Proven Strategies to Accelerate Cross-Selling Across Practices and Offices | 1:00pm – 1:10pm

Discover actionable methods to break down internal silos, increase attorney collaboration, and unlock untapped revenue by introducing existing clients to additional practice areas, services, and trusted firm colleagues.

SESSION 2 – Techniques to Evolve from Lawyer-Leaders into Effective Sales Leaders | 1:10pm – 1:20pm

Learn how to shift from managing legal work to inspiring revenue-generating behavior, modeling business development habits, and guiding teams toward consistent client acquisition, retention, and long-term growth outcomes.

SESSION 3 – A Clear Understanding of the Core Selling Skills Lawyers Must Develop | 1:20pm – 1:30pm

Gain mastery of the essential client development competencies attorneys need, including discovery conversations, value articulation, opportunity identification, and confidently asking for new work without compromising professional integrity.

SESSION 4 – Methods to Motivate Consistent Business Development Activity | 1:30pm – 1:40pm

Explore proven techniques to overcome attorney resistance, time constraints, and inertia by embedding business development into daily routines, rewarding meaningful effort, and building lasting habits that produce results.

SESSION 5 – Building more Aligned, Collaborative, and High-Performing Teams | 1:40pm – 1:50pm

Implement structured approaches that align practice groups around shared revenue goals, foster trust between attorneys, encourage knowledge sharing, and create teams capable of delivering coordinated value to clients.

SESSION 6 – Deliver Exceptional Client Service That Drives Loyalty and New Work | 1:50pm – 1:55pm

Adopt service standards and relationship strategies that exceed client expectations, deepen institutional ties, generate referrals, and transform satisfied clients into long-term advocates who consistently expand their engagement scope.

SESSION 7 – Create Accountability and Sustain Long-Term Revenue Growth | 1:55pm – 2:00pm

Establish measurable accountability structures, performance metrics, and leadership cadences that track business development progress, reinforce commitments, and ensure sustained revenue growth across attorneys, practices, and offices over time.