I highly recommend the MPF Leadership Conference. I’ve participated many times, as have several of my partners. We leave with new ideas and fresh perspectives every time.
Thank you for allowing me to participate. Your team is masterful at making all feel valued at your event and I dare say helping attendees see the value in attending.
Thank you for the invite to speak on the Managing Partner panel. Even though I have now attended 7 MPFs, I always bring back substantive and helpful information for my partners.
From my perspective, the conference went extremely well. Thank you for inviting me to participate; I was proud to be part of a very talented faculty. Congratulations to all!
Thanks for partnering with us from the ABA Law Practice Division. Very well organized. Your team knows precisely what they are doing and we appreciate you.
It was indeed a very well run and informative conference. I especially enjoyed meeting the participants and other faculty and learning from them. Thank you, John, for giving me the opportunity to participate.
Our new managing partner, Wynn Shuford, attended your conference last month and has raved about it ever since. Thanks for your continued great work in the area of law firm leadership.
The conference was tremendous and I've already made tentative plans to attend next year's event. I've also reached out to other firm leaders I know to let them know the advantages of the Managing Partner Forum. Thank you.
I've attended two events through John's Managing Partner Forum. They are always of high quality, and provide invaluable information that is useful to our firm.
Thank you for what you do for our industry. I go to a lot of conferences, and your event is the one I look forward to and gain the most from each year.
I found this conference to be extremely valuable. We all face very similar challenges, and it’s comforting to know that others share the same questions and concerns.
The MPIE sessions are always very helpful. We implemented several successful programs after the last Forum and I expect we'll do so again after what I learned today.
The group dynamics in the MPIE sessions are a great value. I liked Susan Hackett (General Counsel of the Association for Corporate Counsel) on Skype, too.
The MPF brings together the leaders of Florida's top firms, together with experienced consultants, for a great exchange of ideas and information. It's an excellent resource.
Since the majority of our firm’s business is referred by other law firms, The Forum is a great place to catch up with our clients while also learning from my peers. It’s a terrific program.
I attended The Managing Partner Forum and thought it was outstanding. The program provided an excellent opportunity to benchmark my firm’s performance with our peer group.
The MPF provides much-needed interaction for those of us in the 'isolated' role of managing partner of a mid-sized firm. I liked the professionalism of the attendees.
I truly appreciated the opportunity to interact with other managing partners throughout the region. Well done!
The successful managing partner develops a clear sense of strategic direction, so that on most days most partners are marching in the same direction. How one does this is what the Forum is all about.
The MPF provides a rare opportunity for managing partners to gather and share insights and perspectives on ways to be more effective law firm leaders.
There is a difference between leadership and management. Law firms need both. The managing partner must be the keeper of the vision and its continuous champion.
The Managing Partner Forum provides a unique venue to network with other managing partners so I can learn new ways to be more successful in today’s climate.
The Managing Partner Forum offers an invaluable opportunity to learn about the latest trends in the legal industry and to compare notes with other law firm leaders.
The exchange of practical ideas and hearing success stories from other managing partners is what I liked best. This program could have easily lasted two days.
The discussions were surprisingly open and productive. I came away with much information on where we are doing well, ideas for improvement and strategies for capitalizing on opportunities.
The Managing Partner Idea Exchanges were the best part of the day. I very much appreciate the opportunity to participate and will be here again in the future.
The Keynote Presentation was concise, to the point and had great written materials and presentation slides. It certainly measured up to its advertising and then some!
In this short article, Peggy and Alan present practical guidance to make the practice of law more profitable and rewarding. The principles set forth apply at any stage of your career and its damn good...
Merrilyn is the founder of Attorney-at-Work, one of the most popular blogs for practicing attorneys in the US. With the tagline “One Really Good Idea Every Day for Enterprising Lawyers,” its goal is give lawyers...
In this short article, Dorothy suggests seven clear and well-defined strategies to take your firm’s social media performance to the next level. Originally published on Legal Management magazine, this practical article talks about: Target Marketing...
We recommend most everything David writes on law firm leadership and management. The essence having practice groups, says Maister, is the willingness of individuals to contribute non-billable time to the group effort and their agreement...
This short article reports on a recent survey of 307 business leaders by Globality, Inc. which brings encouraging news to smaller and mid-sized law firms. A few highlights: Forty-one percent (41%) cite cost effectiveness as...
Generally, I’m not a big fan of law firm rankings and directories. Many (maybe even most) are little more than a play to lawyer ego, and have little or nothing to do with clients and...
Today, most law firm leaders today recognize the important and necessary role that marketing and business development play in operating a profitable and successful law firm. But getting lawyers to work together, and invest the non-billable time and effort...
Making marketing a living, breathing part of your firm’s culture begins with you. The managing partner and other firm leaders must be passionate and consistent in order to gain buy-in from everyone on the team....
Allison’s article cites data from a recent LexisNexis survey about how Canadian law firms place a higher value on client feedback and do it much more often and systematically than US firms. Sixty-five percent (65%)...
This two-part Lex Mundi article focuses on what law firm leaders can do to deal with the downturn through both aggressive law firm economics and strengthening client relationships. The suggested practices can help firms survive...
The right marketing director can add substantial (yet difficult to quantify) value in helping your law firm develop strategy and setting priorities for your marketing and business development programs. If your firm has 30 more lawyers, hiring an in-house marketer...
Gerry Riskin is one of most highly respected law firm consultants on the planet. After serving as managing partner of a thriving Canadian law firm, he co-founded Edge International in 1983. His writings have been...
This article is featured in the May/June 2014 issue of the ABA’s Law Practice magazine which focuses on marketing. In it, Terri does a great job outlining the benefits of soliciting client feedback, as well...
Adam is one of the world's leading experts on the intersection of law firm marketing and technology. He chairs the Legal Technology Marketing Conference and his work has been recognized by the Legal Marketing Association and...
Leighton Lord recently stepped down in his role leading Nexsen Pruett, a 180-lawyer firm with eight office locations in the Carolinas. He was kind enough to share this article he recently wrote for Lawyers Weekly....
In December, Jody Glidden of Introhive, interviewed me on how to set up an effective in-house marketing department at a mid-size law firm. Jody did a great job and I thought the article turned out...
Earlier this year, Jody did a follow up interview with us on how to create and empower an effective marketing department at your law firm. As with our first interview, Jody and his team did...
Last year, we conducted a Managing Partner Social Media Survey with Jaffe to ascertain firm leaders’ attitudes about and the use of social media. My conclusion was (and remains) that most managing partners are present,...
John Byrne’s template for Law Firm Social Media Policy is practical and to-the-point….perhaps the shortest and sweetest of the bunch. It clearly sets forth guidelines for responsible, common-sense online behavior.
Did you know it takes 5-7 times more time, effort and energy to generate a new matter from a new client than from a current client? From a business development perspective, the action, my friends,...
Ross is a pioneer in law firm marketing, especially in the areas of impactful branding and advertising campaigns. I always enjoy what he has to say, and agree with most everything he preaches. Ross and...
This classic article originally appeared in Law Marketing Exchange, LMA’s national newsletter, back in 1997. Although written almost 15 years ago, its lessons are more important and relevant than ever. Take great care of your current clients – the...
We’re huge believers in Industry Practice Groups (IPGs) to market legal services. Most importantly, clients want and look for industry expertise in lawyers and law firms. Beyond that IPGs help firms cross-sell services and focus their marketing resources on defined target...
What separates the "minders and grinders" from the successful rainmakers who are bringing in their own client work and contributing to the firm’s bottom line? Holtz has identified seven telltale traits. The good news? She...
Anyone thinking about doing business with your law firm is going online to learn more about you. They check out your website, they Google your firm name and/or the names of your lawyers. And they’re...
If you’re like me, you assess the quality of your car mechanic’s work based on the way you’re treated when you deal with him, and whether or not you trust him. Does he listen to...
We originally wrote this article for the Legal Marketing Association in 2008 and it received lots of attention and interest back then. And it’s receiving even more attention after Karle Lester, Managing Editor of Wisconsin...
Can smaller and mid-sized law firms compete successfully with BigLaw in today’s turbulent legal market? History says yes, and we believe they can. This short article by the late Bruce Marcus sets forth ten ways...
In this article from the ABA Journal, Dennis succinctly presents his reasons why every lawyer in private practice should have a LinkedIn profile. For starters, it's likely to be among the top three results when...
According to research conducted by the highly-respected BTI Consulting Group, 70% of in-house counsel are dissatisfied with their primary outside law firm. Astonishing, don’t you think?
Terry Isner and our friends at Jaffe have now identified more than 1,200 legal rankings and directories, citing Chambers and Legal 500 as the most prestigious of the bunch. In fact, the number of legal...
We call your attention to an article we wrote 15 years ago on the subject. It appeared in the ALA’s Legal Management magazine. Its lessons still apply – perhaps more than ever – as law firm...
According to a recent Harvard University study, more than 70% of a customer’s "brand perception" is based on experiences they have with the organization’s employees. For law firms this means both lawyers and support staff. This article speaks to the...
We’re strong proponents of Industry Practice Groups (IPGs) for a variety of reasons. They showcase the firm’s industry expertise; they promote sharing and teamwork among lawyers; and they create a forum for accountability. They’re also...
We received some nice press in Wisconsin Lawyer magazine commenting on Bob Denney’s most recent edition of “What’s Hot and What’s Not in the Legal Industry.”
Good news for smaller and mid-sized firms, according to this article which appears in the current issue of Inside Counsel magazine. According to a recent survey of over 550 in-house counsel, 65% say they have...
Law firm marketing has come a long way since its infancy in the 1980s. Back then, law firm marketers were focused primarily on firm brochures and promotional items. Martindale Hubbell was the only directory that...
Law firms often struggle with how to get associates and younger professionals involved in business development early in their careers. In this article, Maister offers the best piece of advice – they should start by...
We believe that every lawyer in private practice should take the time to develop an individual marketing plan. The reasons are many: – Clients hire lawyers, not law firms. – Clients hire and refer lawyers...
There are two kinds of lawyers – those who have their own clients and those who work for lawyers with their own clients. The difference between the two is having an individual, written marketing plan.
We’re pleased to send you part 1 (part 2 will be released later this month) of our first annual survey about how law firm leaders and their firms are dealing with social media. Part 1...
This summer, we partnered with Jaffe to conduct the most comprehensive survey about how smaller and mid-size law firms and their leaders are dealing with social media. Part 1 was released last month and it...
This White Paper reports on a 2012 survey conducted by ALM Legal Intelligence examining the ROI – of both time and money – that law firms are spending on their social media programs. Although it’s a "big firm" study...
There are two kinds of lawyers in private practice: Lawyers with clients and lawyers who work for lawyers with clients. That said, we believe that every lawyer in private practice should want to take the...
This hard-hitting and ground-breaking report, which includes an abundance of benchmarking data drawn from two MPF surveys conducted earlier this year, serves as a wake-up call for leaders and owners of smaller and mid-size US...
William and Ian teamed up to write this forward-thinking White Paper to help your law firm adapt to the challenges and opportunities created by the shifting legal marketplace. Rather than proceeding with business as usual...
By now, almost all of the AmLaw 200 law firms have adopted social media policies to guide how their lawyers and staff conduct themselves and represent the firm in various online forums, including blogs, listservs,...
This 14-page White Paper, released in November 2009, studies the hiring methodologies of in-house counsel at Fortune 1000 and Global 500 companies. The research concludes that peer referral is the most powerful way for a lawyer (or firm) to...
Every December, Bob Denney presents his annual report entitled "What's Hot and What's Not in the Legal Profession." This is the 22nd year he has compiled his observations and shared them with clients and friends....
We’ve collaborated with Frank Ramos of Clark Silverglate to write an e-book called “Attorney Marketing 101” for participants at the inaugural Art of Marketing seminar presented by the Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel (FDCC)...
Business Development for Lawyers ($49.95, ALM Publishing) covers the gamut helping lawyers create their own sources of work. From developing a reputation to developing relationships, from retaining existing clients to generating new business, this book examines all...
Marketing the Law Firm ($279, Law Journal Press) is one of the bibles of law firm marketing. We believe that every law firm serious about its marketing program should have a copy in its library. At...
In this best-seller, Ferrazzi writes about how to build a lifelong community of colleagues, contacts and friends without becoming a networking jack-ass. Never Eat Alone ($24.95, Doubleday) is on almost every rainmaker's short list of recommended reading. It makes...
Selling the Invisible ($21.95, Warner Books) is perhaps the best book ever written on marketing professional services. Throughout its 250+ pages, Beckwith stresses the importance of building relationships and providing great service, rather than selling features and...
The Lawyer's Guide to Marketing Your Practice ($89.95, American Bar Association) will help your firm's lawyers master the creative marketing solutions they will need to attract new clients, increase referrals and strengthen client loyalty.
Along with Sally Schmidt’s Marketing the Law Firm, The Rainmaking Machine ($275, Thomson West) is another “must-have” publication that should be in every law firm’s marketing libary. At 800 pages, it is very comprehensive and well-organized. Originally published...
I've known of Gerry Riskin for many years and finally had the opportunity to hear him speak at the ABA Annual Conference in 2009. I bought his book – The Successful Lawyer ($74.95, American Bar Association)...
Through anecdotes, illustrations, checklists and easily adopted tips, The Trusted Advisor ($15.95, Free Press) is one of the classics and makes the components of trust clear and straightforward in a proven, five-step development process. It should have...
If we could only recommend one book to a lawyer in private practice, it would be True Professionalism ($26, Simon & Schuster)! Maister's lesson is clear: believe passionately in what you do and never compromise your standards and values....
My good friend Tom Arceneaux is the Partner-in-Charge of Business Development of Blanchard Walker, a 25-lawyer firm based in Shreveport, Louisiana. Every morning, he distributes a "Business Development Thought for the Day" and he's been...
Law firm marketing has come a long way in 25 years, and firms are starting to figure out what works and what doesn’t. In the early days, it was mostly about brochures, sponsorships and advertising. More...
This is a terrific Web site maintained by David Freedman, a public relations consultant based in Highland Park, IL. It accurately and objectively reviews over two dozen of the top books on marketing and business development for...
This is a helpful portal addressing all aspects of law firm marketing. Operated by Larry Bodine, an expert in law marketing, the portal includes news on events and resources, and hosts the LawMarketing Listserv. In...
Founded in 1985 and with over 2,500 members, LMA is dedicated to serving the needs and maintaining the professional standards of those involved in marketing within the legal profession. 93% of the NLJ’s top 250 firms are represented...
Tom’s blog is consistently ranked as one of the leading blogs by many about law firm marketing, so there’s a reason why it ranks at the top of list when one does a Google search on...
The number of law firm rankings and directories has exploded in recent years to more than 1,100 according to Jaffe. Which ones are best for your firm? What policies (if any) are in place to...
According to recent MPF surveys, marketing and business development are top of mind among managing partners of smaller and mid-size law firms. More and more firms are hiring in-house marketing professionals, increasing their marketing and...
Despite the advent of social media and the Internet, we maintain that law remains a “people business.” By that, we mean that clients hire lawyers, not law firms. There are exceptions, of course, but generally...