Staffing & Recruiter Training Podcast

In this episode of The Rainmaking Podcast, Scott Love welcomes David Freeman, award-winning consultant, best-selling author, and founder of Lawyer Book Builder, to discuss how laterals can thrive when joining a new firm. Drawing from over 30 years of coaching thousands of lawyers, David shares actionable strategies to help partners integrate quickly, build internal allies, and accelerate business development. He likens lateral transitions to being “the new kid in school” — success depends on taking ownership of relationship-building rather than waiting for the firm to do it. David explains how laterals can identify internal allies across practice groups, collaborate with marketing and BD professionals, and proactively offer value to colleagues through what he calls “gifts.” He introduces practical tools like the Memory Matrix—a simple spreadsheet to track and maintain relationships—and emphasizes consistency, visibility, and giving before asking. The conversation closes with three key takeaways: create a det