Evolution of excellence: a look back at the progress of marketing communications.

Legal marketing and business development professionals play increasingly important roles within law firms today. Setting the stage for this work are the innovations of the past. Let's take a look back at how standards for messaging strategies--specifically, advertising campaigns branding/identity initiatives and website management--have developed through the lens of some of the most successful legal marketing and business development projects over the past 15 years.

Marketers today are using these projects to reflect the firm's foundation, build awareness of firm services and practice groups, and strengthen relationships with current and prospective clients.

2005 | Borden Ladner Gervais LLP

In 2005, Canadian law firm Borden Ladner Gervais LLP's ad campaign garnered attention for its New Yorker-style illustrations.

2006 | Choate Hall & Stewart, LLP

Choate Hall & Stewart LLP's "By Any Measure" campaign with a nod to the firm's high rankings, established it as a high-quality, mid-sized competitor in the BigLaw space.

2009 | Joseph & Associates, LLP

Joseph & Associates, LLP gained new clients from the buzz surrounding its 2009 ad campaign that delivered a tongue-in-cheek approach to gender stereotypes to create awareness about the firm's capabilities and achievements.

2009 | WeirFoulds

In 2009, WeirFoulds launched a new website after rebuilding its brand. This website featured a portal for each of its four core areas of practice for visitors to learn more in-depth information and a dedicated page for each lawyer to showcase areas of specialty.

2009 | WilmerHale

WilmerHale's "Practicing Green" initiative sent a strong message of corporate responsibility to its internal and external stakeholders. Among other things, the campaign led to a significant increase in staff participation in firm environmental programs, which in turn resulted in measurable results to share with clients and prospects.

2012 | K&L Gates

With over 2,000 lawyers and 40 offices, K&L Gates updated its web presence to meet the needs of such a complex, global enterprise over the course of several years. Newly launched in 2012, the website included a multimedia section with videos, webinars and other media; a mobile site; and a recruiting micro-site.

2015 | K&L Gates Hub

Three years after launching its new website...