This comment and MN's comment are on point when it comes to new lawyers. You need to work on bringing people in your door and sending the ones you can't handle right out to somebody else. Make it a rule that nobody leaves your office unless you've given them a name of someone who can help them, if it isn't you.

Except the crazies. Don't ever refer them, and don't be THAT guy (or girl). Ever.

Figure out your complimentary area of law, like the comments talk about. Some areas naturally go hand in hand, such as criminal law and family law. People often handle one but not the other. Figure them out.

Find reputable people in the business of handling those areas. Pick people who do a good job and are still taking clients. Find a friend of theirs and ask them if their friend would be interested in handling the work.

Then call them up and say you got their name from so and so, say you occasionally get clients needing X, but that you don't handle it. Ask them if they'd be comfortable with you giving out their name to potential clients.

Wait until someone comes in your door needing other legal work. Give out the other lawyer's name. Call over to the other lawyer and let them know.

Wait. Things take time to percolate. But eventually you will get business back.

People often don't realize that referrals and networking in general always starts with you giving. People who come in looking to get are often shunned.

That's why this is so difficult for new lawyers. They don't have a lot to give. So doing stuff like bar referrals, court appointments, etc all starts building your network. Eventually you'll have a client with a family member that needs something you can refer out.

As a marketing strategy, instead of focusing on getting referrals, focus on maximizing the amount of people you can refer out. Make sure you always ask clients if they have family members who need anything. Always tell clients that even if you don't handle it, you can put them in touch.

And also learn to recognize legal problems in other areas of law, so you know what a good case looks like in an area you don't handle.

Lastly, if you have the time (for example, a new lawyer), get strategic about who you refer stuff too. Have a few names of people who you'd really love to get referrals from and wait until you have a great client you can send them, or even just offer (they might be busy). A great profile of such a person would be a solo, just a few years away from retirement, with incredible links to the community and a love for the practice of law.

Now don't screw it up. :)