In this episode, I sit down with Deborah Farone, one of the most experienced legal marketing and business development advisors in the country, to dig into what actually drives sustainable practice growth. Farone traces her career from a PR firm handling Milbank’s account in the 1990s through Chief Marketing Officer roles at Debevoise and Cravath, to running her own advisory practice today.
The conversation covers what Biglaw gets wrong about business development, why existing clients are the most overlooked growth lever, how law firms are finally starting to teach associates what was once left unspoken, and what it really means for women lawyers to develop business on their own terms. Farone also addresses the industry’s consolidation wave, the squeeze on midsize firms, and why the biggest strategic risk for any law firm right now is standing still.
Key Takeaways:
AI Is Reshaping Legal Practice—But Tools Aren’t The Real Differentiator.
Explore the mindset, cultural shifts, and training strategies that define the AI‑savvy lawyer, revealing why human judgment, standardized competence, and integrated learning—not technology alone—will shape the future of the profession.
* Business development starts with strategy, not tactics. Know where you want to go before you pick any tool or activity.
* Most business comes from existing clients. Growing those relationships and getting referrals from them is more powerful than chasing new names.
* The minders/finders/grinders model is outdated. Every lawyer at every level is now expected to develop business in some form.
* Women who build thriving practices do it in ways that feel authentic to them — opera evenings, hikes with clients — not by mimicking someone else’s playbook.
* The biggest risk for any law firm is complacency. GCs want firms to come to them with intelligence and AI guidance, not the other way around.
Kathryn Rubino is a Senior Editor at Above the Law, host of The Jabot podcast, and co-host of Thinking Like A Lawyer. AtL tipsters are the best, so please connect with her. Feel free to email her with any tips, questions, or comments and follow her on Twitter @Kathryn1 or Bluesky @Kathryn1