Planning ahead: tools for assessment and growth.

• Author: Roach, Betsi
• Position: From the Desk of the Executive Director

With fall in full swing, many of our firms have started planning and budgeting for next year. From creating fresh marketing material to hiring new staff and providing continuing education for current employees, I challenge all LMA members to think proactively about their plans for 2013. As you do so, keep in mind that there's no reason to complete this planning in a vacuum. I encourage you to take advantage of the helpful tools LMA makes available to aid in this process, including an updated compensation survey and extensive online education.

The 2012 LMA Roles and Compensation Survey was distributed in August. The first phase of the survey took place in late 2011 and collected data from CMOs in law firms in the United States and Canada with 100 or more lawyers. The soon-to-be-released results will include information from firms with 50 or more attorneys on staff, providing you with an even broader understanding of the legal marketing compensation landscape. This information will provide tremendous value as you budget for new hires and promotion increases in 2013. Your participation in this important initiative is an essential part of our efforts to advance the legal marketing and business development profession.

One investment that I hope all LMA members remember to plan for is attendance for themselves and their staff at the 2013 LMA Annual Conference. The 2013 conference will take place April 8-10, 2013, in Las Vegas, and the value of attendance at our conference cannot be overstated. From targeted programming to professional networking, the event offers benefits to those at every level of experience. Keep in mind that the early registration discount will end Dec. 28, 2012, so if you have remaining budget dollars, consider applying them toward the 2013 conference and register by year's end.

In the meantime, many LMA chapters and regional groups have valuable events planned for the upcoming months. These include:

* LMASE Mini-Conference--Project Management, New Orleans, Oct 12

* LMA-Virginias Continuing Marketing Education Conference, Richmond, Va., Oct 19

* LMA Midwest Regional Conference, Minneapolis, Oct 25

* LMA New England Regional Conference, Boston, Nov. 1-2

* LMASE Mini-Conference--Creating Value...