Attorney’s friendly nature helped propel his career success
Duncan Manley isn’t interested in “networking” – he doesn’t even like the word. It sounds too intentional and calculated for his tastes.
The soft-spoken Alabama attorney is far more interested in establishing authentic relationships than “connections.” In short, he wants to make friends.
“I’m an outgoing person,” he says. “I’ve always been an affable person and I enjoy talking to people. It’s just my nature.”
He jokes that his wife on occasion has become annoyed with him when they have gone out to dinner and he spent more time talking to the waitperson than to her.
“I just like talking to people, and I’m inquisitive, and I like finding out about people,” he says.
Making friends is second nature to Manley and it took him many years before he recognized that the friendships he was forging often led to business for the firm. Gaining the business was a byproduct of his relationships, he insists – never the motive behind becoming friends.
In the days before television advertising, much of which Manley finds distasteful, he remembers once having a conversation with a more veteran lawyer, who told him the firm would draw business as a result of their good work. The firm’s reputation would spread, the attorney explained, and clients would come to the firm because of the good work they were doing.
“And I believed that,” says Manley. “But I later told him that things had changed. The legal profession is a business now and if we don’t get business we’ll go out of business. You can’t just depend on your reputation anymore because other lawyers are talking to our clients and they want their business. We needed to not only protect our existing clients, but we needed to seek other clients to grow our practice.”
Manley’s marketing philosophy is simple and involves three steps.
“You have to meet people. You have to establish a relationship of trust with them. And then you have to, in some way, let them know you are a capable lawyer.”
The soft-spoken Alabama attorney is far more interested in establishing authentic relationships than “connections.” In short, he wants to make friends.
“I’m an outgoing person,” he says. “I’ve always been an affable person and I enjoy talking to people. It’s just my nature.”
He jokes that his wife on occasion has become annoyed with him when they have gone out to dinner and he spent more time talking to the waitperson than to her.
“I just like talking to people, and I’m inquisitive, and I like finding out about people,” he says.
Making friends is second nature to Manley and it took him many years before he recognized that the friendships he was forging often led to business for the firm. Gaining the business was a byproduct of his relationships, he insists – never the motive behind becoming friends.
In the days before television advertising, much of which Manley finds distasteful, he remembers once having a conversation with a more veteran lawyer, who told him the firm would draw business as a result of their good work. The firm’s reputation would spread, the attorney explained, and clients would come to the firm because of the good work they were doing.
“And I believed that,” says Manley. “But I later told him that things had changed. The legal profession is a business now and if we don’t get business we’ll go out of business. You can’t just depend on your reputation anymore because other lawyers are talking to our clients and they want their business. We needed to not only protect our existing clients, but we needed to seek other clients to grow our practice.”
Manley’s marketing philosophy is simple and involves three steps.
“You have to meet people. You have to establish a relationship of trust with them. And then you have to, in some way, let them know you are a capable lawyer.”
Eddy Leks
Leks&Co, Jakarta, Indonesia
Leks&Co, Jakarta, Indonesia
What is your favorite famous or inspirational quote?
Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing.
~ Benjamin Franklin
Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing.
~ Benjamin Franklin
Coffee & Conversation
Due to the Easter holiday, Primerus™ will not be holding Coffee & Conversation on Monday, April 10th. We will return on Monday, April 17th.
Due to the Easter holiday, Primerus™ will not be holding Coffee & Conversation on Monday, April 10th. We will return on Monday, April 17th.
Cocktails & Conversation
April 13th at 4:00 pm EDT
The Dos and Don'ts of Construction Contracts
Jacky Greenberg Vogt
Mandelbaum Barrett PC, Roseland, New Jersey
April 13th at 4:00 pm EDT
The Dos and Don'ts of Construction Contracts
Jacky Greenberg Vogt
Mandelbaum Barrett PC, Roseland, New Jersey
If you are interested in being featured in a future edition of the Primerus Weekly, please contact Chris Dawe at cdawe@primerus.com.
Good People who Happen to be Good Lawyers.
“You make a living by what you get. You make a life by what you give.”
~Winston Churchill
~Winston Churchill
The enduring words of the late British Prime Minister serve as the cornerstone for the Sixth Pillar of Primerus™ – Community Service.
Changing the World in the Nick of Time
Still time to change the ending to a lesson that keeps repeating
According to some astute political observers, if World War III comes, it will prove to be unique because it will never be mentioned in the history books.
History may have been hogwash to auto pioneer Henry Ford, but we would do well to learn a few lessons that would help us recognize that history does indeed repeat itself, especially in matters that shouldn’t have happened in the first place.
Critics of the subject – and there are too many to count – believe that history amounts to little more than the register of the crimes, follies, and misfortunes of mankind, which undoubtedly explains why there is an endless supply of material to whet our reading appetite.
History may have been hogwash to auto pioneer Henry Ford, but we would do well to learn a few lessons that would help us recognize that history does indeed repeat itself, especially in matters that shouldn’t have happened in the first place.
Critics of the subject – and there are too many to count – believe that history amounts to little more than the register of the crimes, follies, and misfortunes of mankind, which undoubtedly explains why there is an endless supply of material to whet our reading appetite.
Primerus™ Weekly invites different points of view
The Primerus™ Weekly welcomes letters to the editor and op-ed columns on timely topics or items of general interest.
Submissions should be limited to 800 words and must be timely, well written, and reflect a relevant point of view that will enlighten our readers. All submissions will be edited for clarity, grammar, and style. Anonymous submissions will not be accepted, nor will those that contain falsehoods or potentially libelous information.
For those interested in contributing a letter to the editor or an op-ed column, please include a short bio (20-30 words) along with your contact information. Submissions should be sent to Robin Lewis at rlewis@primerus.com.
June 8, 2023
2023 Northeast Regional Meeting
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June 14-15, 2023
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Atlanta, Georgia
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June 21-22, 2023
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2023 Western Regional Meeting
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September 18-19, 2023
2023 PDI Fall Seminar
Chicago, Illinois
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2023 PDI Fall Seminar
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October 26-29, 2023
2023 Global Conference
Versailles, France
SAVE THE DATE & CHECK YOUR PASSPORT IS UP TO DATE!
2023 Global Conference
Versailles, France
SAVE THE DATE & CHECK YOUR PASSPORT IS UP TO DATE!
April 4th
Product Liability Networking Call
Presented By: Product Liability Practice Group
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Product Liability Networking Call
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April 18th
IPC Doing Business in the APAC Region Call
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April 25th
IPC New IPC Member Welcome Reception Call
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April 27th
Marketing Section Networking Call
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Marketing Section Networking Call
Presented By: Marketing partners & Staff Section
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