Tag Archives: Deborah Grabein

Big law firms have more resources – including money, staff, and lawyers – than boutiques, small firms and solos. But small firms have the ability to make quick decisions, pursue marketing initiatives that would give big firms intestinal distress, and generally be more agile than big firms.

Small law firms should use those assets to their advantage when creating marketing and business development initiatives, says Hunton Andrews Kurth’s Deborah Grabein. Deborah has spent her career building and rebuilding business development programs at some of the best known firms in the country.

In our last post, Deborah shared some BigLaw business development tips that can be used by any firm or lawyer, regardless of firm size. In this post, she shares some ideas to help small firms turn their perceived weakness into a business development strength.

I met Deborah Grabein in 2005, when she joined the firm now known as Andrews Kurth Kenyon to head up their marketing department and I was working with the firm as a consultant. I was instantly charmed by her warmth and approachability. But that quickly morphed into admiration and respect for her razor-sharp intellect and expertise in legal marketing and business development.

Deborah has worked in legal marketing for decades, building and rebuilding marketing and business development departments at some of the best-known law firms in Texas, including in her current position as Director of Business Development at Andrews Kurth Kenyon. I asked Deborah what BigLaw secrets she could share for lawyers at small firms and solo shops. She definitely delivered.

This week and next, I’ll publish her answers.