It often happens in silence.
A junior associate delivers flawless legal research, airtight drafting, and technical precision. Yet when they sit across from a client, something feels missing. The client doesn’t just want the right answer—they want someone who understands their business, their risks, and their strategy.
At Survey Research Associates (SRA), we’ve seen this gap widen across firms. Legal training makes excellent lawyers. But business training makes trusted advisors. And in today’s competitive market, the firms that invest in teaching business acumen to their junior attorneys create lasting client relationships—and stronger careers.
Why Legal Talent Alone Isn’t Enough
Because clients expect more than technical expertise, they want advisors who see the bigger picture. They don’t just ask, “Is this contract enforceable?” They ask, “How does this decision affect our revenue, our investors, or our long-term growth?”
Naturally, attorneys who speak this language stand out. They win trust, they build loyalty, and they open doors to deeper engagements.
What Business Skills Matter Most
Besides knowing the law, junior attorneys need to:
- Understand financial statements so they can connect legal risks to business outcomes.
- Read industries and markets to contextualize client decisions.
- Navigate negotiations with an eye toward value, not just compliance.
- Communicate simply so non-lawyers understand impact, not jargon.
Normally, these skills aren’t part of law school curricula. But when firms take ownership of teaching them, they set their attorneys apart.
How Firms Can Build Commercial Acumen
That’s why we advise firms to integrate business skills into professional development from the start. A few effective steps include:
- Workshops with client executives to hear directly what matters in boardrooms.
- Cross-training with finance and operations teams inside the firm to break silos.
- Simulated client scenarios that require legal and business judgment.
- Feedback loops from partners and clients highlighting how associates’ advice impacts the client’s bottom line.
And when junior attorneys get exposure to this kind of training early, they not only serve clients better but also gain confidence faster.
The Payoff: Better Service, Better Retention
By the way, firms that invest in commercial acumen don’t just create better lawyers—they create stickier client relationships. Clients remember the associate who spotted a financial implication others missed. They return to the team that understands their strategy, not just their statute.
For attorneys, the benefits are just as strong. Learning business acumen builds confidence, accelerates leadership readiness, and makes the job more meaningful. Associates feel like they’re not just drafting—they’re advising.
Where SRA Fits In
At SRA, we’ve seen how feedback accelerates this journey. When we design upward reviews and engagement surveys, we look closely at how associates perceive their development opportunities. If feedback shows a hunger for business training, firms can act quickly to fill that gap.
And when associates feel the firm invests in their growth beyond billable hours, retention improves dramatically. That’s the hidden value of treating business acumen as part of the new legal toolkit.
Final Thought
Tradition built lawyers who know the law. The future demands lawyers who also know the business.
And because the legal market keeps evolving, firms that equip junior attorneys with commercial acumen today will lead tomorrow. They’ll deliver client service that feels strategic, not transactional. They’ll build careers that feel purposeful, not mechanical. And they’ll set themselves apart in a crowded market.
Ready to strengthen your firm’s professional development strategy?
Let’s talk about how SRA can help you integrate feedback-driven training that builds both legal expertise and business acumen.
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