Partner Dyan Finguerra-DuCharme Speaks to Law360 About Turning Family Time Into Networking Time
Partner Dyan Finguerra-Du Charme, a member of Pryor Cashman’s Intellectual Property, Litigation and Media & Entertainment Groups, was quoted in the July 7, 2015 Law360 article, “3 Places To Schmooze And Win Business.”
Dyan Finguerra-DuCharme told Law360 how a relationship with one of her clients began about seven or eight years ago with both of their daughters, who happened to play sports together. As a "soccer mom," she said she would hang out with another woman and her husband at games and that the woman grew to like her. Later, she saw Finguerra-DuCharme speak at the annual convention for the IP group International Trademark Association and approached her afterwards, telling Finguerra-DuCharme that she agreed with everything she said and that she wanted to start sending her business.
Developing clients is ultimately about developing relationships, Finguerra-DuCharme said, adding that it’s important for the client to like and respect you. "She already knew me and liked me and respected me, and then when she heard me speak professionally, it just sort of clicked," Finguerra-DuCharme said.
Finguerra-DuCharme said she has one client who goes on an annual run together with her at a convention for the IP group International Trademark Association, explaining that she’s able to maintain her relationship with this client who had moved away to a new place through this annual activity.
Bar associations are also an incredible place to meet people who do the same kind of work, Finguerra-DuCharme added, saying that taking advantage of bar association networking events is something that's really helped her develop her business.
It has taken her “seven years of a slow boil” in developing a relationship with some of her clients, she noted, adding that she looks at developing business as “playing the long game as opposed to playing the short game.” “You're not going to have the business by the end of the third hole, but you may have it for the post-golf round drink afterwards,” she said.
Finguerra-DuCharme notes that ultimately, it's best not to rush the relationship and to pursue it in a subtle manner. She stressed thinking of client development like a long-term relationship. "It's good to always be thinking about client development, but I wouldn't be overly aggressive about pursuing it," she said.
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