Page 211 - 2019 - Leaders in Legal Business (n)
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The Strategic Legal Marketer
Jill Weber1
Past President, Legal Marketing
Association
Today, legal marketing professionals are playing an increasingly strategic role for law
firms. These professionals bring to the table both the business acumen and skillset necessary to
add unique substantive value in helping to drive the business of the firm. This underscores a very
important value-add to the firm: providing support
to attorneys in the critical area of business growth
at a time when budget and resources are stretched
thin.
According to a 2016 joint survey2 from the
Legal Marketing Association (LMA) and
Bloomberg Law®, more than 80 percent of law
firm attorneys cite a lack of time as their primary
challenge in developing new business for their
firms. An additional 30 percent cite lack of staff as
a factor, while another 21 percent point to budget
constraints. This comes at a time when law firm focus and emphasis on business development and
marketing continues to increase because of internal and competitive pressures. The survey states
1 Jill Weber is the 2017 president of the Legal Marketing Association and chief marketing and business development officer for Stinson Leonard
Street, where she is responsible for creating and executing marketing and business development strategies, including Fast Forward®, a nationally
recognized integrated business development initiative. Jill was named to the National Law Journal’s inaugural list of “50 Business of Law
Trailblazers & Pioneers”; is a Fellow in the College of Law Practice Management; was recognized as an “Unsung Legal Hero” by Minnesota
Lawyer; was the recipient of the EXCEL Minnesota Award, sponsored by the Minnesota Chapter of the International Association of Business
Communicators; and has received three national and 19 local Legal Marketing Association (LMA) “Your Honor” awards. She is the 2017 LMA
president and was co-chair of the 2012 LMA Annual Conference. She has attended Harvard Law School’s “Leadership in Law Firms” executive
education program. Jill offers more than 20 years of experience creating marketing and business development strategies for professional service
firms, including law firms, accounting firms, and financial institutions. Jill successfully led the marketing communications strategy for the Stinson
Leonard Street merger in 2014 and is actively involved in ongoing integration and client growth strategies.
LMA is The Authority for Legal Marketing. A not-for-profit professional organization founded in 1985, LMA serves the needs and maintains the
professional standards of the men and women involved in marketing, business development, client service, and communications within the legal
profession. LMA also is a resource for practicing attorneys and law firm leaders who want to develop their practices and gain competitive advantage.
A special thank you to the following contributors:
Ian H. Turvill, Chief Marketing Officer, Freeborn & Peters LLP
Ryan King, Director of Communications, Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C.
Jennifer L. Ahner, Director of Major Accounts & Proposals, Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C.
Amber Bollman, Business Development Manager at Barnes & Thornburg LLP
Adam L. Stock, Chief Marketing and Client Services Officer, Allen Matkins Leck Gamble Mallory & Natsis LLP
Katherine D’Urso, Chief Client Development Officer, WilmerHale
2 Legal Marketing Association & Bloomberg Law, 2016 Joint LMA-Bloomberg Law Survey Report, https://www.legalmarketing.org/bloomberg-
lma-survey.
196
Jill Weber1
Past President, Legal Marketing
Association
Today, legal marketing professionals are playing an increasingly strategic role for law
firms. These professionals bring to the table both the business acumen and skillset necessary to
add unique substantive value in helping to drive the business of the firm. This underscores a very
important value-add to the firm: providing support
to attorneys in the critical area of business growth
at a time when budget and resources are stretched
thin.
According to a 2016 joint survey2 from the
Legal Marketing Association (LMA) and
Bloomberg Law®, more than 80 percent of law
firm attorneys cite a lack of time as their primary
challenge in developing new business for their
firms. An additional 30 percent cite lack of staff as
a factor, while another 21 percent point to budget
constraints. This comes at a time when law firm focus and emphasis on business development and
marketing continues to increase because of internal and competitive pressures. The survey states
1 Jill Weber is the 2017 president of the Legal Marketing Association and chief marketing and business development officer for Stinson Leonard
Street, where she is responsible for creating and executing marketing and business development strategies, including Fast Forward®, a nationally
recognized integrated business development initiative. Jill was named to the National Law Journal’s inaugural list of “50 Business of Law
Trailblazers & Pioneers”; is a Fellow in the College of Law Practice Management; was recognized as an “Unsung Legal Hero” by Minnesota
Lawyer; was the recipient of the EXCEL Minnesota Award, sponsored by the Minnesota Chapter of the International Association of Business
Communicators; and has received three national and 19 local Legal Marketing Association (LMA) “Your Honor” awards. She is the 2017 LMA
president and was co-chair of the 2012 LMA Annual Conference. She has attended Harvard Law School’s “Leadership in Law Firms” executive
education program. Jill offers more than 20 years of experience creating marketing and business development strategies for professional service
firms, including law firms, accounting firms, and financial institutions. Jill successfully led the marketing communications strategy for the Stinson
Leonard Street merger in 2014 and is actively involved in ongoing integration and client growth strategies.
LMA is The Authority for Legal Marketing. A not-for-profit professional organization founded in 1985, LMA serves the needs and maintains the
professional standards of the men and women involved in marketing, business development, client service, and communications within the legal
profession. LMA also is a resource for practicing attorneys and law firm leaders who want to develop their practices and gain competitive advantage.
A special thank you to the following contributors:
Ian H. Turvill, Chief Marketing Officer, Freeborn & Peters LLP
Ryan King, Director of Communications, Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C.
Jennifer L. Ahner, Director of Major Accounts & Proposals, Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C.
Amber Bollman, Business Development Manager at Barnes & Thornburg LLP
Adam L. Stock, Chief Marketing and Client Services Officer, Allen Matkins Leck Gamble Mallory & Natsis LLP
Katherine D’Urso, Chief Client Development Officer, WilmerHale
2 Legal Marketing Association & Bloomberg Law, 2016 Joint LMA-Bloomberg Law Survey Report, https://www.legalmarketing.org/bloomberg-
lma-survey.
196
