Why did you want to be a lawyer? Why do you put yourself through the monotony of law school only to graduate with a lot of debt? Do you want to be an advocate who can speak for others? get people out of trouble; fight for justice and social change; or just earn a lot of money? Maybe you went to law school because you majored in political science, or you watched too many episodes of Ally McBeal and were seduced by the apparent glamor of the profession. Whatever your reason for choosing this profession, knowing the number one reason for success is something that will change your future and something that your law school is not teaching you.

The Wall Street Journal recently reported that “partnership is no longer a permanent position,” as partners who don’t maintain wealthy client lists and income are being demoted, fired, or “imbalanced.” Don’t wait to learn the truth, as these partners did, that law, like any other profession, is a business. And companies exist to make money. In the legal profession, revenue is derived from clients. So you’re going to need customers! Make no mistake about it; having a “book of business” is the holy grail of success in today’s legal market.

Law schools are dropping the ball…in a big way!

They won’t teach you this marketing imperative in law school. They won’t show you how to promote yourself. They won’t tell you to ask prospective employers how much time and resources they’ll give you to market yourself; or what percentage of the profits you bring into the company will be yours. They won’t tell you that your company can bury you in documents and research for years, keeping you from the very clients and people you need to improve your future; or that your name may never appear on letterhead despite billing an outrageous number of hours. Bottom line: If you can’t create a book of business, you’ll just be another foot soldier working for the man… you’ll never be in control of his career and you won’t have time to do the things he wants to do. No… my young apprentice, law schools won’t teach you all this… but they should.

I suggest that you start promoting yourself, even while you are in school. Start by building a network… inside and outside the law. Join organizations, get involved in charities, politics or other groups where you will connect with key people. Formulate a plan, get a coach, do everything you can. Especially get a “marketing mindset”. Don’t buy into the fallacy that marketing is below your professional standing or a waste of time. Ask any successful entrepreneur what they think is the key to success and they’ll tell you “marketing” and “profitable customers.” Client development should be seen as your number one career goal and your client list is your most precious asset. There is absolutely no downside risk to marketing…just incredible potential.

You’ll be able to put your blackberry and cell phone off, take more vacations, do more pro bono work, and accomplish all the things you planned to accomplish when you entered law school. In short, customer development and marketing will not only set you apart; It will set you free. Don’t think of it as marketing or selling… start thinking of helping, educating, solving problems and providing trusted solutions. Get started now…even before you graduate!