I’ve been working on a project recently that involves speaking with several of the world’s leading rainmakers. These are top professionals who consistently generate significant business, often making it seem effortless to others. However, when you really listen and ask the right questions, a common thread emerges: they each develop business in their own unique way, and they all emphasize…
As the chief marketing officer at two of the world’s most successful law firms and a national marketing professional at a global management consultancy, Deborah Farone has mastered the skills of professional services marketing, business development and communications.
With expertise in creating strategic firm-wide marketing programs and coaching lawyers in the U.S. and abroad, Deborah brings a diverse range of skills to each unique situation her clients face. Whether the client is a law or consulting firm, or an individual lawyer, her clients often turn to her over the long term, for ongoing marketing strategy and implementation support.
She was the first person ever hired to create and oversee a state-of-the-art marketing program for Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP, acknowledged as one of the country’s most admired law firms and is one of the CMOs recognized for helping to found the business development and communications profession at law firms.
Deborah’s clients have included some of the country’s leading law firms, most renowned lawyers, technology companies, jury consultants and professional advisors.
In addition to her highly regarded work for law firms in the strategic marketing and communications counseling spheres, she has established and led marketing and business development efforts in other professional services, including management consulting, advertising and public relations firms.
Deborah was nominated by her peers as the first recipient of the Legal Marketing Association’s Legacy Award in recognition of her contribution to the profession. She has lectured in the U.S. and Europe, taught numerous marketing classes and has served on the faculty of New York University. She is an officer on the Law Firm Management Committee of the International Bar Association. She is also a Fellow of the College of Law Practice Management.
Deborah is the author of the acclaimed book Best Practices in Law Firm Business Development and Marketing (PLI 2019) and appears as a regular columnist for Forbes, Bloomberg and The American Lawyer.
Capabilities
Marketing Management
Strategic Plans
Reputation Management
Training & Coaching
Speaking Engagements
Unlock the Secrets with Author Deborah Farone
Culled from more than 60 interviews with law firm leaders, chief marketing officers and legal innovation visionaries,Best Practices in Law Firm Business Development and Marketingprovides actionable advice and real-world thinking. Each chapter is filled with information that can be scaled to apply to a large international law firm or a single-practitioner firm. The book is now available online on Amazon and pli.edu/bestpractices in various formats.
This book uncovers the best practices in the wide arena of legal marketing and covers topics including:
- The most successful ways to create long-term relationships with clients
- How personalities, leadership, and collaboration contribute to a firm’s culture and brand
- What characteristics management should look for when hiring a CMO
- How compensation, firm culture, training, and coaching can support and incentivize business development
- Steps to take to build an individual reputation and brand, including the use of press, speaking engagements, and social media
- The essential approach to support women lawyers with business development — including ideas on networking, mentorship versus sponsorship, and authenticity in marketing
- How new technologies are being applied to deliver better service, attract clients, and generate business
- The important role of legal operations, the procurement professional, and legal process outsourcing
- Practical methods for evaluating AI solutions to business needs such as billing, e-discovery, and technology-assisted review
About Deborah Farone
With expertise in developing and managing marketing departments, and experience in one-on-one business development coaching and strategic public relations in the U.S., Asia and Europe, Deborah Farone brings a diverse range of skills to each unique situation.
The first person to be hired to develop and run a marketing program for Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP, acknowledged as one of the country’s most admired law firms, Deborah has been called the leading expert in law firm marketing and recognized one of the CMOs who helped found the business development and communications profession at law firms. In addition to her highly-regarded work in the strategic marketing, marketing operations, and communications counseling spheres, she has established and led marketing efforts for several other professional service companies including those in the management consulting, advertising and public relations professions.