The 31st Annual Marketing Partner Forum

Please join us for lunch as we officially launch our program.

Law firms who engage corporate legal departments in feedback cycles about the firm’s performance can garner much-needed insight on how to improve matter performance overtime. Yet an opportunity to better understand the what and how general counsel and legal operations professionals assess law firm performance internally would be worth its weight in gold.  This workshop offers a unique opportunity to hear directly from general counsel and corporate legal professionals about how they measure firm performance, areas where firms tend to fall short and how firms can make dynamic first impressions and deepen existing relationships.

Facilitators:
Aaron Boersma, Strategic Projects Lead, Global Affairs Finance, Google
Christopher Ende, Chief Revenue Officer, King & Spalding LLP
Peter C. Erichsen, General Counsel, Ropes & Gray LLP

For Fortune 500 CEOs, entrepreneurs, and Silicon Valley venture capitalists, Generative AI represents the latest iteration of machine learning poised to effect economic and societal transformation. Colorfully evinced in popular technologies such as ChatGPT and Stable Diffusion, this “next generation” of artificial intelligence (“AI”) illustrates the ability of computers to generate original content and “learn” at an exponential rate on par with—or perhaps more efficiently than—human beings. For many business leaders, such developments represent a near-fantastic evolution once consigned to the realm of science fiction and savvy law firm marketing and business development executives are exploring ways to capitalize on this latest wave of innovation. This workshop offers a practical exploration of business development strategy and matter-level execution in our modern climate. How can firms seize momentum and deliver on client expectations?

Moderator:
Peter B. McGlynn, Partner & Trial Department Chair, Bernkopf Goodman LLP

Facilitators:
Fernando Garcia, Senior Vice President, Legal and Governance, A Global Airline Company
Jared Jaskot, Lawyer, Jaskot.Law
Ray Meiring, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder, QorusDocs

Most firms have client team initiatives. Many of these key client initiatives are waning or in need of a strategic boost. Turning these key client initiatives into a strategic account imperative of the firm is the critical next step to retain and grow those clients who are, and those clients who could be strategically important to the firm’s future. This workshop will focus on how to turn key clients into strategic accounts and the tactical steps necessary for obtaining alignment between the firm and its clients.

Facilitators:
Silvia L. Coulter, Principal, Business Development Practice Leader, LawVision Group, LLC
Alvidas Jasin, Director of Client Development, Ropes & Gray
Josh Johnston, Managing Director, Center for Client Experience, RSM US LLP
Chris Landry, Chief Operating Officer and Co-Founder, SigParser

Law firms who engage corporate legal departments in feedback cycles about the firm’s performance can garner much-needed insight on how to improve matter performance overtime. Yet an opportunity to better understand the what and how general counsel and legal operations professionals assess law firm performance internally would be worth its weight in gold.  This workshop offers a unique opportunity to hear directly from general counsel and corporate legal professionals about how they measure firm performance, areas where firms tend to fall short and how firms can make dynamic first impressions and deepen existing relationships.

Facilitators:
Aaron Boersma, Strategic Projects Lead, Global Affairs Finance, Google
Christopher Ende, Chief Revenue Officer, King & Spalding LLP
Peter C. Erichsen, General Counsel, Ropes & Gray LLP

For Fortune 500 CEOs, entrepreneurs, and Silicon Valley venture capitalists, Generative AI represents the latest iteration of machine learning poised to effect economic and societal transformation. Colorfully evinced in popular technologies such as ChatGPT and Stable Diffusion, this “next generation” of artificial intelligence (“AI”) illustrates the ability of computers to generate original content and “learn” at an exponential rate on par with—or perhaps more efficiently than—human beings. For many business leaders, such developments represent a near-fantastic evolution once consigned to the realm of science fiction and savvy law firm marketing and business development executives are exploring ways to capitalize on this latest wave of innovation. This workshop offers a practical exploration of business development strategy and matter-level execution in our modern climate. How can firms seize momentum and deliver on client expectations?

Moderator:
Peter B. McGlynn, Partner & Trial Department Chair, Bernkopf Goodman LLP

Facilitators:
Fernando Garcia, Senior Vice President, Legal and Governance, A Global Airline Company
Jared Jaskot, Lawyer, Jaskot.Law
Ray Meiring, Chief Operating Officer, QorusDocs

Most firms have client team initiatives. Many of these key client initiatives are waning or in need of a strategic boost. Turning these key client initiatives into a strategic account imperative of the firm is the critical next step to retain and grow those clients who are, and those clients who could be strategically important to the firm’s future. This workshop will focus on how to turn key clients into strategic accounts and the tactical steps necessary for obtaining alignment between the firm and its clients.

Facilitators:
Silvia L. Coulter, Principal, Business Development Practice Leader, LawVision Group, LLC
Alvidas Jasin, Director of Client Development, Ropes & Gray 
Josh Johnston, Managing Director, Center for Client Experience, RSM US LLP
Chris Landry, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder, SigParser

Change is a constant, especially within a law firm, and as the legal industry itself continues to evolve, firms well recognize the need to adapt their marketing strategies to effectively engage clients. Considering continuous alterations of pricing models to the rapid development and adoption of AI tools, how might said changes also be impacting law firm marketing teams? To meet these growing demands within an increasingly dynamic digital landscape, firms are expanding marketing teams to include staff with new and/or unique skillsets.  So, who are the new faces of the marketing department and what new skills are they bringing to the firm? This session will explore these emerging roles as well as the skills and expertise required for success in these positions. Our faculty will also offer insight into how these new roles can drive innovation, enhance client engagement, and elevate the firm’s overall marketing efforts.

Facilitators:
Jennifer Johnson, Chief Executive Officer, Calibrate
Jason Noble, President and CEO, ikaun
Lauren Piccolo-Ingram, Director of Client Development, Cooley LLP

Lord Kelvin famously proclaimed that if something could not be measured, it could not be improved. For law firms, areas critical to consistent improvement come in the way of profitability and pricing.  Though there are several metrics such as conversion rates, cost per lead, and SEO rankings that are tracked as a part of any solid marketing strategy, as pricing specialists join law firm marketing teams, bringing with them well-crafted pricing strategies and a renewed focus on profitably, how are these critical aspects of business influence weighing in on the marketing mix? Join us in a discussion of how the means of measure are evolving within marketing departments.

Facilitators:
Jeff Grossman, Chief of Strategic Initiatives, Proskauer Rose LLP
Lorrie Thomas Ross, CEO and The Marketing Therapist®, Web Marketing Therapy, Inc.

Though there has never been a one-size-fits-all approach, the way firms collaborated with clients had seen seismic shifts over the past few years. Tried and true ways of in-person may not have always be possible during the pandemic, but now as the pendulum has begun to swing away from purely remote interactions, are firms returning to ageless proven methods of collaboration or are there innovative and unique approaches being pursued? Join us in this session to explore the trends and innovative methods for meeting and collaborating with business clients, enabling participants to enhance their client engagement strategies and drive impactful outcomes in a new working reality.

Facilitators:
Mitchell Sterling, Chief Client Development and Relationship Officer, Blank Rome LLP
Chris Whitmore, Practice Group Leader, Marketing and Business Development, Intapp

Please join us for cocktails and canapés as we reflect upon the day’s discussions. Spouses and significant others are welcome.

Please join peers and industry colleagues for a networking breakfast.

Jen Sander, Director, Enterprise Marketing, Events & Operations, Thomson Reuters

As in any great quest, challenges during one’s journey often lead to transformative treasures.  Though they brought welcomed rain for firms, the strenuous storms along the path of the past few years seem to be passing. As clouds dissipate, could changes in talent, technology and client demands poise risks to the newfound growth in the legal landscape? What additional challenges might the current pathway present and are there promises of opportunities on the horizon? Join us in an exploration based upon Thomson Reuters Institute survey data and research around the current and future states of legal marketing and business development.

Presenters:
Silvia L. Coulter, Principal, Business Development Practice Leader, LawVision Group, LLC
Brent Turner, Director, Advisory Services, Thomson Reuters

Since the pandemic, general counsel roles have been expanded.  Outside of the regulatory oversight their departments provide, more and more in-house counsel are being brought to the table in strategy conversations that involve every facet of their businesses. Their departments are also being tasked to do less with more.  Given the hand in hand relationship between in-house legal departments and their outside council, it is important for firms to understand and anticipate the shifts being experienced by general counsel.  How can law firms better understand the changing needs of their in-house clients? With law firm rates rising and general counsel budgets shrinking, how can firms and general counsel address the disconnects around matter pricing? Join us in an open conversation of the in-house/law firm relationship.

Moderator:
Axel Threlfall, Editor-at-Large, Reuters

Panelists:
Aarash Darroodi, General Counsel, Fender Music Corporation

Leander A. Dolphin, Managing Partner, Shipman & Goodwin LLP
Fernando Garcia, Senior Vice President, Legal and Governance, A Global Airline Company
David Leonard, CEO Partner, McCarthy Tetrault
C. Bradley Vynalek, Firm President, Quarles & Brady LLP
Dan Weintraub, Managing Director, Chief Administrative & Legal Officer, Audax Group

Please join peers and industry colleagues during our networking luncheon.

Though the strategy may have worked in the long run, a famed tale recounts the enormous amount of energy expended to ultimately find a foot to match a shoe.  Yet, if the foot (or person owning it) is truly the thing of importance, shouldn’t the shoe be reengineered to meet the needs of its wearer, especially when that wearer is uniquely important and irreplaceable?  Unfortunately, in the current volatile market, law firms aren’t living in a fairytale, but the lessons learned can be of value. As profits decline and clients are forced to do more with less, it is crucial for law firms to look at reengineering their operations, processes, and strategies to prioritize the needs and expectations of their clients. Join us in a session that invites legal experts and firms who have undertaken reengineering efforts to better meet the needs of their clients to share their stories of challenges, successes in designing a client-centric experience.

Moderator:
Connor Kinnear, Chief Marketing Officer, Passle

Panelists:
Bela Grover, Chief Client Relationship Officer, Goodwin Proctor
Alexandra Guajardo, Global Director of Commercial Strategy, Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP
Hans Haglund, Director of Business Development, Harness IP

Pricing can have one of, if not the, greatest impact on managing a law firm. From the client’s perspective, it influences how they value the firm’s services and, ultimately, helps them decide whether they’ll hire the firm at all. Figured into that pricing is a collective understanding of the cost of operations that the firm must maintain to offer its services to clients. Coupled with inflationary pressures and the rising cost of talent, those operational costs don’t seem to be shrinking.  With the weight of rising prices on one side and client demands for lower costs on the other, how are firms shouldering the challenge to control costs?

Moderator:
Jen Dezso, Director, Client Relations, Thomson Reuters

Panelists:
Ashton Batchelor, Chief Innovation & Value Officer, Blank Rome LLP

Keith Maziarek, Director of Pricing and Legal Project Management, Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP

Mike Raposa Jr., Senior Vice President – North America, RRD

Though it was written in 1936, Dale Carnegie’s famous work is still one of the most important books for professionals seeking to strengthen their networks. The challenge of influence remains an ever-present issue for law firm leadership, especially in an era where in-person water cooler connections have dwindled significantly. Given this shift, alongside the challenges inherent in creating connections, what are the best methods of legal leadership, and more specifically Chief Marketing Officers (CMOs), to exercise their influence in the current work environment? This session will explore some of the unique challenges faced by CMOs and key actions they might employ to enhance their impact within the firm. Our faculty will also outline opportunities where CMOs might use their influence towards driving business growth within their firms.

Moderator:
Nancy Kostakos, Chief Marketing Officer, Cooley LLP

Panelists:
Azeema Batchelor, Director of Business Development, Wiley Rein LLP
Kyle Clark, Practice Leader, Baker Botts (DC)
Kathryn Whitaker, Chief Marketing Officer, Burr Forman LLP

Please join us for our keynote presentation.

David Epstein, Author, Range

When undergoing green space/white space analysis of top revenue clients, there is always excitement about potential opportunity.  Yet the pursuit of the opportunity is often blocked by partners who won’t be team players and by outdated compensation systems that don’t reward “cross-selling”.  This all causes great challenges for firm leadership.  What insightful solutions exist for firm leaders who are trying to solve for internal issues of client service?  What more can the C-suite officers do to help motivate professionals to rally around firm efforts to attract and retain clients?

Moderator:
Joe Przybyla, Sr. Sales Director – North American Legal Vertical Lead, Introhive

Panelists:
Elizabeth Gooch, Chief Business Development and Marketing Officer, McDermott Will and Emery LLP
Dan Pulka, Chief Business Development and Marketing Officer, Troutman Pepper LLP

Gillian Ward, Chief Revenue Growth Officer (Fractional)

In our ever-developing digital age, legal marketing teams are faced with a rapidly evolving landscape that demands innovative approaches to stay competitive. Artificial Intelligence (AI) has emerged as a transformative force, enabling legal marketing professionals to enhance their strategies, improve customer engagement, and drive business growth like never before. From the creation of a personalized marketing experience to the growing use of of chatbots and virtual assistants, the possibilities that AI presents to both new and existing marketing methods are endless. This session will delve into the exciting ways legal marketing teams can utilize AI tools to navigate the complexities of the modern marketing ecosystem and explore how AI is expected to change the marketing landscape.

Moderator:
Adrian Lurssen, Co-founder, VP Strategic Development, JD Supra

Panelists:
Drew Hawkins, Director of Marketing Technology, Womble Bond Dickinson
Jeannie Muzinic, Chief Business Development & Marketing Officer, Fisher & Phillips
Katherine Wilson, Co-Founder, Fractional Law Firm CMO

Please join us for cocktails and canapés. Spouses and significant others are welcome.

Please join peers and industry colleagues for a networking breakfast.

The connection between sales and marketing within an organization is intendedly strong but doesn’t always turn out to be a devoted pairing. Leads, and ultimately, the potential dollars that they yield can be decisively strengthened by the marketing department’s efforts and expertise. In implementing a strong strategic mix of targeted advertising, compelling content, and engaging events, marketers can attract potential customers and drive them towards the sales funnel, lending to the success for the entire organization.  Join us to explore how marketing can best develop and/or promote engagement activities with an eye towards a return on these investments.

Moderator:
Kate Harry Shipman, Principal, KHS People LLC

Panelists:
Alina Gorokhovsky, Chief Executive Officer, SCG Legal
Kelly C. Harbour, Chief Business Development Officer, Goulston & Storrs PC
Terra Liddell, Chief Marketing Officer, Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner, LLP

Well known is the adage that it is cheaper to keep an existing client than to attract a new one.  Given that law firm rates are on the rise and corporate legal departments are being pressured to do more with less, firms are being forced to think creatively about their own financial management and operations. As the fiscal divisions between clients and firms widen, can firms be doing more to insulate long-standing relationships?  For example, could firms charge a lower rate of commoditize work or are there forces unseen that make such change difficult? This session takes a deep dive into the interoperability of firms with an eye towards client service.

Moderator:

Jen Sander, Director, Enterprise Marketing, Events & Operations, Thomson Reuters

Panelists:
Jared Applegate, Chief Legal Operations Officer, Barnes & Thornburg LLP

George Ticknor, Partner, Locke Lord LLP

David C. Whitestone, Partner, Holland & Knight LLP

Gathering feedback about how you gather your feedback from clients is crucial.  Post matter surveys are often the baseline and, in many cases, might not be enough to be impressive to clients.  Before moving forward to gain feedback, it is important to step back and understand who you should be targeting for meaningful responses from, what is important to them and how to pose questions that really gain insight about the performance of your firm. Join us in a session about how to engage clients in feedback towards an objective of affecting and impacting firm profitability.

Moderator:

Murray Joslin, Executive Vice President, Creative & Business Solutions, Integreon

Panelists:
Kushraj Cheema, North American Research Director, Chambers and Partners
Jeanne Hammerstrom, Chief Marketing Officer, Benesch
Bob Robertson, Chief Marketing Officer, Jackson Lewis

Whoever said, “what you don’t know can’t hurt you” was never responsible for the legal oversight of a company. With a myriad of responsibilities, in-house legal departments might not have the time, nor the resources to garner a true and accurate understanding of how they perform against market counterparts or what market changes may be on the horizon that will greatly impact their businesses.  However, law firms, with a wealth of knowledge and experience housed within their Client Relationship Management (CRM)/ Enterprise Relationship Management (ERM) systems, have an abundance of insightful information that would be highly valuable to their clients. Yet how to best mine that data and use it to create a valuable tool is easier said than done.  This session welcomes an exploration into how firms can fully utilize their ERM/CRM data to improve their client experiences.

Moderator:

Steven Tyndall, CEO and Founder, Client Sense

Panelists:
Chris Fritsch, CRM Success Consultant and Founder, CLIENTSFirst Consulting LLC
Mark Levin, Chief Business and Development Officer, Marshall Gerstein
Barry Solomon, VP, M&A Integration, Litera

Please join us for cocktails as we conclude this year’s program. Significant others welcome.