Legal Marketing: a look back at 25 years: LMA presidents share their insights.

• Position: LMA 25 - Cover story

Twenty-five years ago legal marketing was just gaining momentum as a profession. Law firms were starting to recognize the title legal marketer, and those in the profession recognized a need for an association to develop the profession both with individuals in the practice and within law firms. The Legal Marketing Association was founded in 1985. Justine Jeffrey of Jennings Strouss & Salmon in Phoenix invited 25 law firm marketing directors to San Francisco for an organizational meeting. Later that year, they elected a board of directors, and created the National Association of Law Firm Marketing Administrators (NALFMA). In 1999, NALFMA changed its name to the Legal Marketing Association.

LMA Strategies editors reached out to the past presidents to get their thoughts on the past 25 years; specifically, the changes that have occurred as a result of both the association's formation and the prevalence of legal marketers in the industry. The next 11 pages tell their stories.

1986

Sally Schmidt

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In what year were you president of LMA? I was the first president of LMA (then called NALFMA), in 1986-87.

What was your job then? At the time, I was the director of marketing for O'Connor & Hannan, a 100-lawyer firm with offices in Minneapolis, Denver and Washington, D.C.

Where are you now? I am the president of Schmidt Marketing, Inc. I have been consulting to law firms (more than 450 and counting) on marketing, business development and client relations strategies for "gulp" 23 years.

How did your leadership role with, and general involvement in, LMA assist you in your career and more through the years? In so many ways! Leadership skills, confidence, information and best practices, credentials and lifelong friendships.

Do you have a fond memory of an important life or career lesson you learned from your LMA leadership role? Actually, the lesson I recall most vividly came from the year before LMA officially began. At our first meeting, those in attendance chose an advisory board to organize an association. I was very interested in participating, but was not selected. However, mid-way through the year, someone left the advisory board and I was asked to replace her. At the first official meeting, I was elected president. My lesson: You don't need to be the first one asked to do something; you just need to be the last one asked. That means you've fulfilled the need.

Can you please give us your thoughts about this history of a specific legal marketing tactic? After so many years working with this profession, it becomes apparent that some trends are recycled while others are new directions. For example, in the late 1980s, alternative fees were the rage. I bought a book called "Win-Win Billing Strategies," published by the ABA, which outlined creative ways to price services, including risk-based billing. In 2011, we are walking the same path. However, other things are clearly changing. In the early days of LMA, the largest firms had 300 lawyers; today, the largest firms have 3,000 lawyers. Law firms can no longer try to be all things to all people. Clients have segmented legal services into high-value issues, middle-importance matters and commodity work. It is much easier for clients to identify true specialists (even if we don't call them that) for the high-value work. And I think we will continue to see lawyers who provide higher-volume, lower-value work spin off from large law firms to form their own boutiques or operate under different models. Firms caught in the middle will suffer. (And this is irrespective of the size of the firm.)

What legal marketing tactic or success did you see a friend or colleague implement that really left an impression on you? I love the Litigation Trends research published by Fulbright & Jaworski (I do not work with the firm). I have long believed that proprietary research is one of the most effective tools available-the positioning and marketing opportunities for the results are amazing-yet few firms invest in it. Fulbright has used the research to position itself very effectively; even better, the firm continues to sustain its efforts.

What advice would you give to younger folks in the industry today? Try to find joy in the job. It is a very tough environment and so many people become worn out or jaded. So as you develop your career always try to remember when you first started working in the legal industry. With energy and patience, you will effect change.

What has surprised you most about the growth of the industry? How very little some things have changed.

What is one of the best things you've seen LMA change about itself since you were president / do over the years / lately? I think LMA has done a good job of responding to the needs of people in different functions and at different levels in their organizations. From a coordinator to a CMO, everyone can find value in and benefit from LMA.

Any predictions for the future of legal marketing? The future is bright! Jobs are opening up and law firms still need a tremendous amount of education and assistance. There will continue to be many opportunities to try new things, build new skills, introduce new ideas and make a real contribution to the legal profession.

1987

Carol Scott James

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In what year were you president of LMA? 1987

What was your job then? I was the marketing director at Gray Cary Ames & Frye in San Diego. Gray Cary Ames & Frye subsequently merged with Ware Freidenrich, which was merged into DLA Piper.

Where are you now? Jeffer Mangels Butler & Mitchell LLP, Los Angeles/San Francisco/Orange County, director of marketing & business development. (I love working for a profitable, mid-sized irm that has lots of rainmakers focused on business development, and little in the way of bureaucracy!)

How did your leadership role with, and general involvement in, LMA assist you in your career and more through the years? Many of the founding members of LMA are still in the held, and are valued colleagues and wonderful friends. I am fortunate that I can pick up the phone and pick the brains of some of the best legal marketers in the industry (and have a few laughs in the process).

Do you have a fond memory of an important life or career lesson you learned from your LMA leadership role? I tried to join the ALA when LMA did not yet exist, but was declined membership as marketing was not yet accepted as a legitimate function in law firms. Three years later, when I was LMA president, the national president of ALA (who is now a friend-she hates it when I tell this story) paid me a visit in an effort to co-opt our fledgling organization. I learned that when a group of people put a good idea into motion, it accelerates of its own accord and is hard to stop. Hmmm ... Maybe that was a physics lesson, not a career lesson (p = mv).

What advice would you give to younger folks in the industry today? Focus on being conscientious rather than clever; on building relationships rather than being a star. Delivering good results, consistently, over time and having a network of supportive, senior-partner-level lawyers will provide you with more opportunities than executing a handful of brilliant marketing campaigns.

What has surprised you most about the growth of the industry? Technology and the Internet have completely changed the way we market services-the speed of that change has been mind-boggling. While this is true for all industries, the surprise for ours is that technology and the Internet have created more jobs for marketers, rather than eliminated them.

Any predictions for the future of legal marketing? As law firms endeavor to maintain both high profits and ongoing revenue, it is likely we will see more product managers within legal marketing departments (as various offerings, at varied prices, will be developed.)

1988

Merrilyn Astin Tarlton

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1989

Donna L. Shaft

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1990

Michael Ralston

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1991

Marcie Johnson

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In what year were you president of LMA? 1991-1992

What was your job then? Established first marketing department at Chapman and Cutler, after doing the same at Friedman & Koven and Lord, Bissell & Brook, starting in the profession in 1983. We were called marketing administrators then, and were generally one-person departments, no matter the size of the firm.

Where are you now? I have retired after 15 years with Schiff Hardin LLP as manager of mischief. I remained in legal marketing from 1983 until 2009.

How did your leadership role with, and general involvement in, LMA assist you in your career and more through the years? Besides giving me credibility in the law firms in which I worked, my involvement both in national and the Chicago (Midwest) chapter afforded me the opportunity to network with those who were both in-house and consultants/vendors around the world. This was invaluable in picking brains and knowing the best people to recommend to the attorneys to supplement the work the department was doing. Having a personal relationship with these individuals enhanced my position internally.

What advice would you give to younger folks in the industry today? You have chosen a profession that is constantly evolving. You are surrounded by highly intelligent individuals who will challenge you on a daily basis. You will never be bored. LMA involvement is crucial to your success.

What has surprised you most about the growth of the industry? When Steve Brill said legal marketing would never succeed, I don't think that anyone except the small group, who started the organization, would have predicted it would be as successful as it is and that it would be international in scope.

What is one of the best things you've seen LMA change about itself since you were president / do over the years / lately? The name change made it possible for us to get away from being thought of as "Administrators" and gave rise to directors and...