Episode #19: Lawyers Can't Sell, But Need To

Why Are Lawyers in Japan Struggling to Win New Business Today?

In today’s competitive legal market, both 日本企業 (Japanese companies) and 外資系企業 (multinational companies) have more options than ever. Traditional assumptions—“expertise alone attracts clients”—no longer hold. Buyers scrutinize invoices, compare firms, and expect more than technical knowledge.

Lawyers were trained for legal excellence, not for client acquisition. The result? Many highly skilled professionals feel frustrated when their expertise does not automatically translate into new engagements.

Mini-Summary: Legal knowledge is no longer enough. Japanese and multinational clients now make decisions based on relationship factors, not only credentials.

When clients choose legal services today, they apply the same process they use for other business decisions:

1. Know – Has someone they trust recommended the firm?

2. Like – Do they enjoy interacting with the lawyer?

3. Trust – Does the lawyer communicate solutions clearly and confidently?

This mirrors a doctor’s bedside manner. Even with excellent medical skill, trust is built through how the doctor listens, explains, and reassures.

Japanese terms such as “信頼 (shinrai, trust)” or “安心感 (anshinkan, sense of reassurance)” capture what legal buyers expect — and these expectations mirror global norms.

Mini-Summary: Buyers hire lawyers they know, like, and trust—not merely the ones with the highest academic or technical credentials.

Because sales was never part of law school, many lawyers unknowingly fall into patterns that make persuasion harder:

1. Insufficient Questioning and Listening

Uncovering needs requires professional questioning techniques. This is Selling 101, but most lawyers never receive training in it.

2. Explaining Only Features, Not Benefits

Legal experts often describe procedures or statutes with enthusiasm, but clients want to know:

• How does this help my business?

• What outcome will this create?

• What risks does it remove?

3. No Trial Closes or Objection Handling

Skills like confirming client interest (“trial close”) or addressing resistance are core to sales — yet absent from standard legal education.

Mini-Summary: Lawyers often speak in features, not benefits, and rarely use structured sales methods that move clients toward decisions.

How Can Lawyers Build Trust Through Clear, Client-Friendly Communication?

Clients may not understand complex legal issues, so clarity becomes a trust-building tool. High-performing lawyers translate complexity into accessible, business-relevant explanations.

This involves:

• Demonstrating empathy

• Showing the impact on the client’s current situation

• Linking legal work to revenue, risk reduction, or operational stability

• Providing evidence and case examples

• Asking for the business with confidence

When lawyers present solutions in this structured, benefit-oriented way, clients feel understood — and are more likely to proceed.

Mini-Summary: Trust rises when lawyers communicate in simple, business-focused language rather than dense legal detail.

The legal services market in Japan is saturated. Clients have abundant choices. Those who rely only on technical knowledge compete for scraps, while those who master relationship-driven sales become rainmakers.

Training programs in leadership, sales, presentation, and client communication — such as those offered by Dale Carnegie Tokyo — help legal professionals achieve:

• Higher client engagement

• Stronger relationship-building skills

• More persuasive communication

• Greater confidence in business development

With over 100+ years of global Dale Carnegie expertise and 60+ years serving Tokyo-based 日本企業 and 外資系企業, these skills have proven to elevate performance in demanding professional fields like law.

Mini-Summary: The future belongs to lawyers who treat client acquisition as a professional skill — not a side activity.

• Expertise alone no longer differentiates lawyers in Japan’s competitive market.

• Clients follow the Know–Like–Trust rule, just as they do for other high-stakes purchases.

• Lawyers must master questioning, listening, benefit explanation, trial closes, and objection handling.

• Clear, concise, client-oriented communication transforms legal competence into client confidence.

Founded in the U.S. in 1912, Dale Carnegie Training has supported individuals and companies worldwide for over a century in leadership, sales, presentation, executive coaching, and DEI. Our Tokyo office, established in 1963, has been empowering both Japanese and multinational corporate clients ever since.