At first blush, the concept of collaborating with one’s competitors is counter-intuitive. Most lawyers have spent their academic and professional lives competing with one another. Success came from fighting their way to the top of the class, beating out the competition for limited slots on law review, winning the highest damages awards in their litigated matters. It may be difficult to conceive of a plan for professional success that promotes collaboration with the competition.
However, once their businesses get underway, many solo or small firm practitioners discover that continuing to compete can be counter-productive. Most soon become aware that attorneys tend to get a large portion of their referrals from other lawyers.
