Learning from our predecessors.

• Author: Hammerstrom, Jeanne
• Position: President's Podium

It's hard to believe that our professional organization has had 25 years of life in the legal industry. With only one-year terms, our previous presidents have helped to develop some of the best lessons learned and real life experiences from which we have developed into essential parts of our law firms. Legal marketing has evolved from a small group of risk takers and visionaries, to an even bigger group of more than 3,000 risk takers and visionaries.

This issue of Strategies focuses on the beginnings of legal marketing from our members who served as presidents of LMA over the last 25 years. They started as NALFMA members and have guided us in to the transition of the current Legal Marketing Association. Their roles as leaders of this association have provided us with the foundation that enhances our organization's service to members today.

As I networked and learned from other LMA members at the 25th LMA Annual Conference, I continue to be impressed with not only the knowledge and resources with which we are surrounded in this association, but our unique ability to share and learn from each other. Those types of values were set 25 years ago and continue today. Several important lessons emerged for me during the days I spent in Orlando.

1. An association is only as strong as its members. We benefit from idea-sharing, networking and connecting with one another onsite. We also have service members who are always available to share the newest products and services available to us to improve our work in our firms and make us look like rock stars.

2. Industry experts are always a wealth of experience...