Beyond The Billables
Law school taught you how to draft airtight contracts and argue case law, but no one handed you the playbook on getting clients and making partner. Suddenly, you’re expected to bring in business, navigate firm politics, lead teams, and still find time to bill. Beyond The Billables ™ is here to bridge that gap.
This course isn’t just about business development (well, not all of it). It’s about mastering the full skill set you need for partnership—strategic networking, client management, personal branding, leadership, emotional intelligence, and the mindset shifts that separate associates from future partners.
Whether you’re a natural rainmaker or the thought of “selling yourself” makes you cringe, Beyond the Billables™ will give you a clear, practical roadmap to building a thriving practice, influencing key decision-makers, and positioning yourself for the promotion you’ve worked so hard for.
No fluff. No sales tactics. Just a strategic, modern approach designed for ambitious professionals ready to step up.
What you’ll need: a notebook, a pen and a quiet moment when you can focus.
We recommend using a notebook, rather than typing, as studies have shown that writing by hand is a slower, more cognitive process that engages more brain regions, creating richer sensory feedback and deeper processing of information.
How long you’ll need: Take this at your own pace—there’s no rush. Some of the lessons could take as little as 3 minutes for a first read (without videos), or up to an hour with deep reflection and exercises. The course is designed for you to learn in your own time, around your schedule.
When you’re done, get in touch and book in your free end of course coaching call.
You’re amazing and you’ve got this!
Click below to get started:
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Lesson 1: What Business Development Actually Is
BD isn’t about being the loudest person in the room or knowing the most people. It’s about being intentional, building real relationships, and creating opportunities that align with you.
BD isn’t about being the loudest person in the room or knowing the most people. It’s about being intentional, building real relationships, and creating opportunities that align with you.
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Lesson 2: The "I Hate Selling" BD Strategy
Not a natural-born rainmaker? No problem. BD isn’t about selling - it’s about helping.
Not a natural-born rainmaker? No problem. BD isn’t about selling - it’s about helping.
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Lesson 3: The Magic of Relationship-Driven Growth
Business development isn’t a one-shot deal; it’s about building trust, demonstrating value over time, and proving you’re more than just a well-caffeinated pitch machine. *Warning - strong language in the video which may offend *
Business development isn’t a one-shot deal; it’s about building trust, demonstrating value over time, and proving you’re more than just a well-caffeinated pitch machine. *Warning - strong language in the video which may offend *
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Lesson 4: The Business of Being You
Your business development strategy should fit who you are—not who you think you should be.
Your business development strategy should fit who you are—not who you think you should be.
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Lesson 5: Conflict is Inevitable
Like billable targets and last-minute client demands, conflict is an unavoidable part of law firm life. The key isn’t to avoid conflict—it’s to navigate it strategically.
Like billable targets and last-minute client demands, conflict is an unavoidable part of law firm life. The key isn’t to avoid conflict—it’s to navigate it strategically.
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Lesson 6: Boundaries
Setting and maintaining boundaries is a powerful skill you can develop for both your professional and personal life. Boundaries define how we work, communicate, and protect our time, energy, and well-being.
Setting and maintaining boundaries is a powerful skill you can develop for both your professional and personal life. Boundaries define how we work, communicate, and protect our time, energy, and well-being.
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Lesson 7: Emotional Intelligence In The Workplace
EQ isn’t about being overly sensitive or holding hands in a feelings circle. It’s about leveraging self-awareness, communication and resilience to perform better, lead stronger and build better relationships.
EQ isn’t about being overly sensitive or holding hands in a feelings circle. It’s about leveraging self-awareness, communication and resilience to perform better, lead stronger and build better relationships.
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Lesson 8: Self-Awareness
When you understand what’s driving you, you get to make better choices about how you work, how you show up, and how you lead. Think of this as a friendly reset button for a clearer, calmer, and more intentional version of you.
When you understand what’s driving you, you get to make better choices about how you work, how you show up, and how you lead. Think of this as a friendly reset button for a clearer, calmer, and more intentional version of you.
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Lesson 9: Building Strong Working Relationships
You may not have control over who you work with but you can control how their behaviour impacts you. *Warning - language that may possibly offend in the introduction.*
You may not have control over who you work with but you can control how their behaviour impacts you. *Warning - language that may possibly offend in the introduction.*
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Lesson 10: Bridging the Generation Gap
Understanding generational differences isn’t about tolerating them—it’s about leveraging them. When you learn how to connect across age groups, you build stronger teams, improve collaboration, and make your life at work a whole lot easier.
Understanding generational differences isn’t about tolerating them—it’s about leveraging them. When you learn how to connect across age groups, you build stronger teams, improve collaboration, and make your life at work a whole lot easier.
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Lesson 11: Employee To Entrepreneur
Being able to draft flawless contracts is important—but if you're aiming for partnership, it's your grasp of how the firm generates profit, where you fit into that equation, and how you can help grow the business that really sets you apart.
Being able to draft flawless contracts is important—but if you're aiming for partnership, it's your grasp of how the firm generates profit, where you fit into that equation, and how you can help grow the business that really sets you apart.
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Lesson 12: Time Management
Effective time management isn’t about being busy—it’s about being intentional. Start small, be consistent, and remember: You’re a lawyer, not a machine. Use systems that serve your strengths and energy levels.
Effective time management isn’t about being busy—it’s about being intentional. Start small, be consistent, and remember: You’re a lawyer, not a machine. Use systems that serve your strengths and energy levels.
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Lesson 13: Show Me The Money
At its core, a law firm isn’t just a collection of brilliant legal minds. It’s a business. And businesses must be profitable to thrive.
At its core, a law firm isn’t just a collection of brilliant legal minds. It’s a business. And businesses must be profitable to thrive.
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Lesson 14: Your Reputation Precedes You
A good lawyer understands how their personal and firm-wide reputation is built through every touchpoint of the client experience—and how to proactively shape both.
A good lawyer understands how their personal and firm-wide reputation is built through every touchpoint of the client experience—and how to proactively shape both.
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Lesson 15: The Client Experience (the bow that ties it all together)
A great client experience earns loyalty, referrals, and repeat business, all while your competitors wonder how you do it.
A great client experience earns loyalty, referrals, and repeat business, all while your competitors wonder how you do it.
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Meet The Trainer
Michelle Anderson Lahr
With over 20 years experience in the London insurance market, Michelle has worked on some of the largest US liability losses and negotiated high-profile settlements across multiple lines of business.
After passing the New York Bar Exam in 2019, she transitioned into a senior business development role before founding Fell, an exclusive, referral only, consultancy firm.
Michelle’s expertise is backed by extensive training in coaching, emotional intelligence (EQ-i 2.0), Neuro-linguistic Programming, psychotherapy, and business development. This unique combination allows her to help lawyers unlock their full potential, develop a thriving practice, and stand out in a competitive market.
As a former client herself, and having spent her career around lawyers, Michelle knows first-hand what truly matters to clients and the lawyers they instruct. She combines that experience with insights from her extensive research into the client–lawyer dynamic to deliver practical strategies for business growth, leadership development, and personal resilience, ensuring sustainable success.
