Insights

Last week, I had the honor of speaking at a fantastic program started by the incredibly talented Andrea Markstrom, CIO of Schulte Roth & Zabel LLP. The group – i.WILL (Inspiring Women Igniting Leadership and Learning) – has a mission to help women advance in their careers— and it was a privilege to be part of it. I joined Nicole…

Between client work and writing a second book, it was amazing to take a few days off. This photo was taken in the Luxembourg Gardens, one of my favorite spots in Paris. It reminded me how powerful it can be to pause, whether in a beautiful place like this or back at the office. In a world of constant deadlines…

According to a study by Heidi K. Gardner, a thought leader in professional services, and Anusia Gillespie, a brilliant innovator, integration is essential for success. With 47% of lateral partners leaving their new firms within 5 years, it’s important to pay attention. Firms bring on lateral partners with high hopes—for new clients, expanded practices, and fresh energy. But almost half…

As a CMO, I remember sitting in my office close to midnight. I was still working — eyes blurry — trying to finish refining an RFP for a prospective client we likely wouldn’t land. It was directory season, and I was drowning in submissions and strategy. There was also a PR issue we were trying to mitigate. Then the phone…

Every single day, law firms are making leadership changes. It’s great to see succession at work. The tough thing is, stepping into leadership means more than just overseeing legal work—it means driving growth. Business development and marketing are no longer side functions; they are core to your firm’s success. To position your firm for sustainable growth, here are a few…

Capuchin monkeys. Law firm marketing. Holding on to great people. An editor recently asked me, "Why is it that legal marketers leave 🏃‍♀️ their firms?" While there are several reasons, from lack of advancement to culture to compensation, there are several ways to value and retain your business development and marketing staff. I've seen several law firms do this well.…

Growing up in the suburbs, the fourth of July always meant two things: a chance to ooo and ahhhh at fireworks, and the best time of year to buy bathing suits  and grills. I can remember my dad, putting me and my sister in the back of the station wagon and taking us to Sears, just to look at all…

What makes one webinar fail (allowing me to chop carrots while I pretend to watch) while another one, makes me wish it would go on for longer. After watching hundreds of these as a way to learn more on a topic, here are a few  ideas that might be helpful. Only use visuals such as powerpoints if they are CITE -…

In the last two weeks, I’ve given four presentations regarding business development and building a personal brand. But these talks were different than the ones I conducted in the past in that they included something new: a portion on the topic of trust. Why trust? Many years ago, when I asked a partner at a firm why his clients hired…

Are your marketing efforts falling because you're forgetting the most important steps? I worked with a lawyer we'll call Clark. Clark had a gift for writing bylined articles, but despite his talent, he would publish pieces and consider the job done. He never sent them to clients or prospects or shared them on LinkedIn. Clark would mutter to his CMO,…