Key Insights from Leaping Ahead: The Legal Marketing Association’s 2024 Chief Marketing Officer Forum
By: Anusia Gillespie, Chief Strategy Officer
Over 100 legal professionals gathered at Nixon Peabody’s Boston offices to hear how four highly accomplished Chief Marketing Officers stay ahead in the fast-changing field of legal marketing and business development – leaping to success. The panel brought together Danielle Paige of Nixon Peabody, Carolyn Manning of Mintz, Jeffrey Berardi of Arnold & Porter, and Nancy Kostakos of Cooley.
The Legal Marketing Association reported that 70% of law firms plan to increase their digital marketing budgets in 2024, so perhaps it isn’t surprising that these four CMOs unanimously agreed the brand-building is the focus this year.
These law firm CMOs shared a variety of insights; here's a distilled rendition of the forum's top takeaways, peppered with anecdotes and examples:
1. Empathy and Risk-Taking in Action:
The panel session began with a creative question to each panelist – what is one thing on your desk that inspires you in your work? Examples ranged from small sculptures to framed quotes, with the consistent themes of both empathy and having the courage to take risks.
The CMOs emphasized that working in a law firm is a human-centric business, underscoring the importance of embracing and fostering connection in legal marketing and business development (MBD). To punctuate this point, Danielle shared candidly, “Don’t get distracted. People stay with people they like and trust. That’s the ballgame.” She also shared her inspiration, a sign that reads: “May all of your vibes say, I got this.” She elaborated that, in this business, “it is important to stay poised.”
2. Overcoming Strategy Execution Challenges:
The panel highlighted accountability issues and internal politics as major pain points in strategy execution. One CMO remarked, "Most strategies aren't actionable," because the buy-in required at the outset makes strategies “super diluted.” Another emphasized that, in a law firm, it "Comes down to the tactics. It's all about how you move the needle and get things done," underscoring the importance of focus and execution.
3. Balancing Technology and Creativity:
While new marketing tech tools like Templify streamline processes, there was a cautious approach towards AI. One CMO expressed concerns about losing the human touch, stating, "I don't want marketing to lose its magic." They emphasized the need for careful integration to preserve creativity and authenticity.
Despite the theme of caution, one CMO raised her hand to make and emphasize the point that there is a “Huge opportunity for people to develop expertise in AI,” and encouraged professionals to learn and raise their hands as the resident AI expert as a career progression strategy.
The best place to start is with training created specifically for the law firm context, check out SkillBurst’s AI library, Generative AI Fundamentals for Law Firms, to get smart quickly in this area – our latest module is Generative AI and Business Development!
4. Essential Skills for Legal Marketing Professionals:
When asked for the most important skills for law firm MBD professions, the discussion highlighted key qualities such as intelligence, collaboration, patience, and deep expertise. One CMO emphasized the importance of curiosity, stating, "You have to want to know what your lawyers do day-to-day." These insights underscore the multifaceted skill set required for success in legal MBD.
SkillBurst’s Professional Essentials library of 100+ modules for law firm lawyers and business professionals includes topics like communication, management, collaboration, being an effective leader, and much more and is the leading resource for essential skills as a poised MBD professional.
5. Lessons in Adaptability and Growth:
Anecdotes from panelists emphasized the importance of adaptability and continuous learning. One shared their experience of transitioning from brochures to websites, highlighting the need to let go of outdated practices to embrace new opportunities. Another stressed the value of sharing solutions, stating, "If you see something is not working...find a solution and share it with your boss, they will be happy, and they just might promote you to solve it."
These key insights serve as guiding principles for legal marketing professionals navigating the complexities of the industry in an era of constant change and innovation.
At SkillBurst, we are committed to empowering legal professionals with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in today's competitive environment. Explore our training solutions to stay ahead of the curve and unlock your full potential in legal marketing and business development by contacting us today.
