Passle CMO Series Podcast

Episode 107 - Shade Vaughn of Akin on The Role of Changemaker for Legal CMOs: Driving Actual Change

The last few years have accelerated the need for CMOs to be changemakers. More than ever, CMOs are able to drive much-needed transformation both within the marketing team and across the wider firm.

This week on the CMO series, Alistair Bone is fortunate to be joined by Shade Vaughn, Chief Marketing & Business Development Officer at Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, to discuss the role of the CMO as a changemaker and what driving change looks like in practice.

Shade and Ali discuss: 

• Shade’s career journey and how he came to his current role at Akin
• The point in that journey that driving transformation became integral 
• The importance of ‘intent’ and Shade’s previous experience in this area
• How that approach translates in Shade’s work at Akin and how that aligns with the marketing efforts at the firm
• The next technology Shade has set his sights on
• The biggest mistakes CMOs make in driving change
• The sub-skills and experience that marketers looking to become CMOs should develop now
• Advice for others looking to be a changemaker across their legal marketing career

Episode 106 - Jennifer Becker of Marshall Dennehey on keeping busy lawyers engaged in business development

Building a book of business is crucial for lawyers, but engaging them in business development can be a challenge. Many lawyers receive little to no exposure to marketing and business development during their education, making it difficult to naturally embrace this vital aspect of their careers.

Today Cam Dobinson is lucky to be joined by Jennifer Becker, Director of Marketing & Business Development at Marshall Dennehey to discuss how to engage busy lawyers in the critical function of business development.

Jennifer and Cam discuss:

• How Jennifer came to her role in legal marketing & business development and the moment she realised the importance of engaging lawyers in BD
• The attitude and approach that lawyers have to marketing & business development 
• How to successfully approach engaging lawyers in BD
• How to cater to different personalities and approaches across a large number of lawyers
• Key programs that have engaged lawyers and produced good results
• Advice for marketing and BD leaders looking to engage their lawyers in business development 

 

Episode 105 - Megan Senese of Stage on taking a client-first approach to legal business development

While understanding the client's needs is a fundamental skill in legal business development,  traditional protocols and precedents can inadvertently hinder business growth.

On this episode of the CMO Series podcast, we explore the challenges that professionals face in building successful client relationships with someone well-versed in doing just that both in-house and now as a consultant. 

Ed Lovatt is lucky to sit down with Megan Senese, Co-founder of Stage, to share her journey of transitioning from Big Law to entrepreneurship. Together with her former colleagues, she founded Stage, a marketing and business development company aimed at assisting busy lawyers in expanding their practices.

Megan reflects on the lessons learned from starting a new venture in the legal industry, offering valuable insights and practical tips that in-house business development teams can apply to enhance their strategies and drive growth.

Megan and Ed discuss: 

• Megan’s unique career in professional services from KPMG to legal, and now setting up Stage with her former in-house team
• The importance of a client focus in business development 
• The different approaches to BD Megan discovered after starting her own company
• The key opportunities for BD that law firms could take advantage of, based on her in-house career experiences
• The significance of understanding the clients and how you go about learning that information and delivering value 
• Advice for in-house BD professionals looking to take a more client-focused approach

 

Episode 104 - Andrea Burke of WilmerHale on Charting your Career Progression in Legal Marketing

There’s no clear path to a successful career in legal marketing, but there are emerging trends and development opportunities that professionals can lean into to progress in a legal marketing career.

Someone able to offer guidance for others looking to take a more direct route to a role within the profession is Andrea Burke, Director of Client Development at Am Law 50 global law firm, WilmerHale. 

Ed Lovatt welcomes Andrea to the CMO Series to discuss her career journey and top tips for professionals looking to advance in the industry. 

Andrea and Ed explore: 

• Andrea’s 10-year career at WilmerHale and her journey to her role now
• The key approaches to developing a legal marketing team
• The important considerations in terms of professional development opportunities when it comes to recruiting and retaining team members
• How legal marketing professionals can recognise the right time to make a move
• The key criteria legal marketing candidates should be looking for when assessing a firm
• The questions candidates should be asking a prospective firm that would indicate if they are the right or wrong fit
• How candidates can make themselves more marketable to law firms
• Advice for those Legal Marketing professionals looking at their career paths

 

Episode 103 - Áine Bryn of Marsh McLennan on Demonstrating the Strategic Credibility of the Marketing Function

On today’s episode of the CMO Series, we shed light on an often-misunderstood aspect of professional services firms - the marketing function. Traditionally seen as a cost center, it has emerged as a strategic player in driving growth and profitability.

Cam Dobinson is lucky enough to welcome Áine Bryn, a seasoned expert in building and showcasing the credibility of the marketing function. As Partner and Chief Marketing Officer at Marsh McLennan, Áine brings a wealth of experience and insights to the table.

Together, they explore the pivotal role marketing plays as an enabler of business development and how it contributes to the overall strategic vision. 

Áine and Cam discuss: 

• What the landscape currently looks like for professional services marketing teams
• The importance of a commercial mindset and "speaking the language of the business", and the alignment between Marketing and Sales
• The key elements of credibility and how marketers can  demonstrate those to the firm
• Why content is essential to demonstrating credibility and Áine’s approach to delivering value to clients
• Advice for anyone looking to demonstrate the credibility of the marketing function within their firm

 

Episode 102 - Michelle Murray on Key Client Programs: What Your Firm Needs to Know

Effective Key Client programs can be the defining factor to the overall success of a firm. 

In this episode, we delve into the world of Key Client programs and their significance in driving business growth. We have the privilege of speaking with Michelle Murray, an experienced professional who has written the playbook for implementing successful Key Client programs. 

Michelle joins James Barclay to share her expertise as an LMA President, Global BD Director, CMO, and Strategic Projects Director, as we explore the critical aspects of Key Client programs and learn valuable insights from Michelle's wealth of experience.

In this conversation, Michelle and James explore: 

• How to describe and introduce a Key Client program to a firm
• The key steps involved in launching a successful Key Client Program
• What an effective Key Client program looks like, and how to assemble the participants
• How to determine the level of service provided in a Key Client program
• How to build consensus within the firm for a Key Client program, and how to allocate resources
• The most common mistakes firms make when implementing Key Client programs
• The key metrics to measure the success of a Key Client program
• Advice to others looking to create a successful Key Client program 

Episode 101 - Drinking from the firehose: Sarah Kempsey of Montgomery McCracken on the first 12 months as a new CMO

Throughout the CMO Series Podcast, we've delved into the challenges faced by legal Chief Marketing Officers. Few periods in a CMO's career are as demanding as the first 12 months in the role. Today, Eugene McCormick has the privilege of speaking with a true trailblazer who has thrived under this pressure. Join us in welcoming Sarah Kempsey, CMO at Montgomery McCracken.

Drawing from her wealth of experience, Sarah shares invaluable insights on navigating the complex landscape of legal marketing. From establishing a strong foundation to overcoming obstacles, she offers practical advice and strategies tailored for new CMOs. 

Sarah and Eugene discuss: 

• Sarah's journey to her current role as CMO
• Highlights of Sarah's 12-month tenure as a CMO
• Sarah's proudest accomplishments and biggest challenges
• Navigating the absence of a playbook and finding the right approach
• Personal growth and changes throughout the 12 months
• Sarah's one key piece of advice for legal marketers facing ambitious and challenging times

Episode 100 - Celebrating 100 episodes and exploring the future of professional services marketing

Welcome to a milestone episode of the CMO Series Podcast. We're pulling out all the stops to celebrate our 100th episode by taking a look back at our favourite moments as well as a sneak peek into the future of professional services marketing and business development.

I'm thrilled to be joined by Yasmin Zand, as we embark on a journey through the realm of modern marketing. We'll uncover the fascinating world of the composable approach to website architecture and explore the remarkable ways AI can supercharge your content marketing efforts. Plus, we'll share invaluable insights gleaned from our incredible guests, who spilled their secrets on successful law firm rebranding, building enterprise-scale websites, and forging a digital-first strategy.

A big thank you to our guests, including Julie Stott, CMO at Travers Smith, Mary-Anne Russell, Global Managing Director of Marketing & Sales Enablement at AMS, Crossley Sanford, Managing Director at Ankura and Barney O’Kelly, UK Marketing Director at AlixPartners who left us awestruck at CMO Series Live in London. And heartfelt thanks to all the guests who have made the CMO Series the success it is today. Get ready for more amazing spotlights over the course of the next 100 episodes!

 

Episode 99 - Behind the scenes of a legal rebrand with Erica Roman of Cole Schotz

Rebrands. They can be some of the most exciting and challenging projects a legal marketer can take on.

On today’s episode of the CMO Series, we’re lucky to welcome someone who has recently completed a law firm rebrand. Charles Cousins sits down with Erica Roman, Chief Marketing and Business Development Officer at Cole Schotz, to discuss the project, its challenges, successes and how it all came about.

Charles and Erica explore: 

• How Erica came to be the CMO at Cole Schotz and at what point on the journey she recognised a rebrand was needed
• How to approach early conversations about the website and the need for redesign
• The process from start to finish and the type of internal resources required for the project
• How to involve the wider firm and the approach to getting feedback
• Where the direction of "Lawyering is our Art" came from
• The biggest challenge of the project and the biggest success
• Advice for others looking to be successful in leading rebrands within their law firm

CMO Series REPRESENTS - Born This Way: Roy Sexton of Clark Hill on Inclusion, Community and the Role of Leadership

On this episode of CMO Series REPRESENTS, Yasmin Zand is lucky enough to sit down with Roy Sexton, Director of Marketing at Clark Hill and 2023 Legal Marketing Association President, to discuss his journey both inside and outside of the professional services marketing industry. 

Roy discusses how his formative experiences as a gay man have impacted his approach to leadership and why finding safe and inclusive communities that allow him to be his authentic self have become so central in his career. 

The conversation delves into Roy’s childhood, passions, and why his headline performance at the 2023 LMA Annual Conference in Florida was so poignant in supporting the LGBTQ+ community at that moment. 

Listen in full to hear Roy’s story and his advice for others looking to be comfortable and authentically themselves in their professions.