In this series, we speak to new partners about the realities of making the step up.
Joseph McCaughley, partner at Spencer West, talks to Gemma about what it was like to pivot into a new area of law, the lessons he learned from spending eight years in-house, and why getting to know your clients beyond the legal brief will accelerate your career faster than any BD training session ever could.
Gemma: Your career path isn’t exactly the traditional route to partnership. Can you tell me a bit about that?
Joseph: Yes, my career is a bit of an anomaly in the sense that it doesn’t necessarily follow what the traditional route would be. I started at a small firm completely by chance, then joined BLM’s healthcare team. Most of our work came from one client so BD wasn’t really on my radar. The message was simple: keep the client happy.
That meant by the time I was 10 years qualified, I hadn’t really built a network or developed other BD skills than client relationship management. Then I moved in-house to work for that client and stayed for eight years. Again, there was no need for BD — we had more work than we could ever handle.
When I decided to move back into private practice, it was in a different area of law, and I realised that I was missing parts of the BD skillset that many of my peers had already mastered.
Gemma: What does BD look like for you now at Spencer West, especially within a consultancy model?
Joseph: It’s a little different than the traditional law firm model but it is essentially the same – I need to justify my existence commercially — I have to bring in enough work to be profitable for the firm. But the principles are the same: build and maintain relationships.
A big part of my focus is also on internal BD. In many traditional firms, cross-selling between departments is still underused. At Spencer West, I make a conscious effort to collaborate with colleagues who don’t do my type of work but might have clients who need my expertise. The firm is wonderful at fostering internal relationships between colleagues that build genuine personal connections that also serve as opportunities for collaboration.
Gemma: Have you tried anything that hasn’t worked?
Joseph: My website! I thought it would be essential, but honestly, it’s been a waste of time. You can’t compete with firms spending six figures on SEO. LinkedIn, on the other hand, has been invaluable. It’s where I build visibility and stay front of mind.
But you have to learn what works for you. There’s no single formula.
Gemma: You mentioned earlier that you now have a BD plan. What does that look like in practice?
Joseph: It’s deliberately flexible. I don’t want a 10-page document I never look at again. Mine is based on broad principles with clear actions.
For example, I set high-level goals — but then I break them down: how many people I’ll contact each week, what kind of outreach I’ll do. Without that, goals just stay theoretical.
For me, the idea of connecting with people is not about “winning work”. I build connections because I am genuinely curious and interested in people and the work they do. If work comes in time, that’s great – but for me, it is about creating relationships that last rather than forcing sales. That mindset has stayed with me. The by-product of such an approach is that it tends to build a level of trust that doesn’t come from trying to sell – and paradoxically, it leads to more work than direct selling ever does.
Gemma: Looking back, is there anything you wish you’d done earlier in your career?
Joseph: Absolutely — I’d have started broadening my network much earlier. Not in a forced way, but just by being more intentional about meeting people, helping them, and keeping in touch.
When you’re younger and less experienced, you’re often focused purely on billing and doing the work. But those relationships are what sustain you later.
Gemma: And finally, what’s one piece of advice you’d give to senior associates aiming for partnership?
Joseph: Get to know your clients properly — really get to know them. Don’t just focus on the immediate legal issue. Understand how the matter fits into their wider business and what they’re actually trying to achieve.
A lot of lawyers see, for example, a piece of litigation and think their job is simply to defend or win it. But often, the client’s goals are different — they might be focused on protecting reputation, preserving a relationship, or managing risk. When you understand that, you become far more valuable.
The work will naturally follow, and if you’re doing that as an associate, clients will notice. The people who truly grasp what their clients want are the ones who develop the best client relationships and ultimately become indispensable to their firms and get promoted fastest.
Joseph McCaughley is a Partner at Spencer West, specialising in media and reputation management.
