'Every day is different from the last': a Day in the Life of Deborah J. Cook, Web and Graphic Designer.

• Author: Ryplewski, Paul

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Deborah J. Cook, web and graphic design specialist at Carlton Fields, is a repeat law firm professional. She started her career in the industry 20 years ago as a legal secretary, left to pursue a career in graphic design and then returned to the legal industry more than a year ago when she joined Carlton Fields as a temp. Cook said she wanted this job on the very first day, loves [her] team and everything about her career.

Carlton Fields provides legal and consultative services to a broad spectrum of clients ranging from multinational Fortune 100 companies to start-ups, and has offices in six major Florida cities and in Atlanta with more than 300 attorneys and government consultants.

The Carlton Fields marketing team includes the chief marketing officer, a digital media and marketing technology manager, a marketing manager, proposal manager, public relations manager, senior writer, marketing events coordinator, business development manager, administrative and marketing assistant, and Cook, the firm's web and graphic design specialist.

She said, "We all act as more of a team, each having a very specific function within our department." While Zabak has been with Carlton Fields for almost 30 years, others on the team have tenures closer to 10 years. "Our team's experience and familiarity with the firm's professionals help us all provide excellent service and materials," Cook said.

On the evolution of law firms from her first encounter 20 years ago until today, Cook mentioned that she "didn't know this type of job existed"--a sign of how much the industry has grown throughout the years. When asked about the changing face of law firm marketing and business development, Cook recounted the days when creativity was all about engraved letterheads for lawyers.

With a lot of work to be done, Cook typically starts her day around 8 a.m. Roughly 75 percent of the day is spent on graphic design, such as creating ads for sponsorships, signage, bio updates, articles, press releases and reports, and "pretty much anything that's creative." The life of a modern-day graphic designer also involves elements beyond print, such as website and blog maintenance.

One recent project Cook recalls was the firm's 2012 Class Action Survey, a great example of how Carlton Fields' embraces creativity. "With this report, there were few limitations to the design, apart from adhering to the firm's newly rolled out branding package and website. If you have...