Name: Adriane J. Dudley
Firm Name: Dudley Clark & Chan, L.L.P.
Address: 9720 Estate Thomas, Havensight
St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands 00802
Phone: (340) 776-7474
Nominated by: Stacey Graham
Practice area: Employment/labor law, civil litigation and government relations

Ask Rainmaker Adriane Dudley where she practices law, and her reply is "in paradise." Ms. Dudley established her law firm in beautiful St. Thomas, Virgin Islands in 1985. The full service firm concentrates in civil litigation, commercial and administrative law, labor and employment law, real estate, banking, business management matters, arbitration and mediation. The following excerpts from an interview with Ms. Dudley provide great insight into successful rainmaking skills and the strategies which led one woman to successfully practice law in paradise.

Most successful / favorite rainmaking tip:

Remembering names. People are excited when you remember their names.

Biggest influence on career / best career advice:

James Baird, a coworker in Chicago involved me in ABA State and Local Government Law Section affairs; I also served on the ABA Board of Governors 1996-99. This involvement provided me with exposure to a national group of attorneys and potential clients which afforded me the ability to publicize my law firm and practice areas. Additionally, when I moved from Chicago to the Virgin Islands in 1975, I was advised to join the U.S. Attorney's office to gain trial experience and meet more members of the public before going into private practice.

Percentage of time devoted to marketing:

One hundred percent of every community contact or Bar or charitable activity is a marketing opportunity, even working presents opportunities. Good work for clients along with loyalty is usually rewarded by more work and continued referrals.

Proudest accomplishment:

My children; they are successful human beings who are contributing to good public service and ethical business practices.

Knowing what you know now, if you were starting out as a lawyer today, what would you do differently?

I would complete a federal judicial clerkship at the highest possible level.

Tell me about one rainmaking strategy or tactic that you initially thought would fail, but it was a great success. Why was it successful?

I thought that chairing a charitable board would help gain clients. It failed because asking people for money is not always a way to gain clients, especially in tough economic times. However, becoming President of our local business organization had the opposite result.

Tell me about one rainmaking strategy or tactic that you initially thought would fail, but it was a great success. Why was it successful?

None, because I never plan to fail.

What has been your greatest frustration about trying to get new business or new clients?

The recession. These are very tough times for everyone, especially small businesses in a tourism-based economy. Clients have a general malaise and a negative view of the future. Also, clients are feeling in limbo due to the upcoming election and the financial collapse on Wall Street.

If you were mentoring a young woman lawyer, what advice would you give her regarding rainmaking?

 

1. Join organizations: local bars, the ABA, the NBA, other minority oriented Bars, the Chamber of Commerce and even special interest groups like the local playhouse or book clubs. The more people who know you, the more referrals you’re going to receive. Caution, don’t spread yourself too thin or you won’t succeed at anything. I try to limit active involvement to three or four activities.
2. Find a mentor, someone whom you have identified as a role model who has reached your goals.
3. Volunteer to do something for your community, do it really, really well and make sure people know about it.

Would you say you ever had a mentor that made a genuine difference in how your career turned out? If yes, please describe.

The late Edward Miller was the chair of the National Labor Relations Board when I worked there as his assistant counsel. As I interacted with him, he said, “You should be in private practice with a firm like mine.” One month later he retired from the NLRB, returned to his old law firm and took me with him. He was a wonderful, supportive mentor and friend.

Think about when you started out as a lawyer. Now think about the new female lawyers just starting out. What is different now compared to when you started?

Competition is horrible and practice is much less congenial and not nearly as much fun. Prejudice against women has begun to rear its ugly head again. Women feel that they must be all things to all people as a result. So I think practice is a lot harder today. Marriage, children, relationships and those other things that make life more fulfilling have to be put off in order to make a living.

Words that I live by as a Rainmaker:

“If I tell you I will do it, consider it done.”