Passle CMO Series Podcast

CMO Series REPRESENTS - Embracing Equity: Bringing authenticity to professional services marketing

On Episode 2 of CMO Series REPRESENTS, we continue the conversation with leading women in professional services marketing, this week discussing the importance of bringing your authentic self to the workplace.

We’re lucky to be joined by some leading voices in the industry as we delve into how firms are embracing equity and why women should bring their value and unique qualities to their roles. And by doing so, encourage others to be themselves to help build a more equitable environment where everyone can thrive.

Sharing their unique perspectives and personal insights on this topic, we catch up with Katie Cramond, Director of Business Development International at Mcdermott Will and Emery, Tamara Costa, National Director, Brand and Marketing Communications at BLG, Lucy Rao, Business Development Director at Boodle Hatfield, Claire Farrelly, Head of Marketing and Business Development at Forsters, Sherry Allen Chief Marketing Officer at Butler Snow, Sarah-Jane Howitt, Business Development and Communications Director at Weightmans, Kim Perret, Chief Marketing Officer at Jones Walker, Ana Margarida Craveiro, Director of Communications and Public Relations at Morais Leitao, Vikki Whittemore, Group Marketing Director at Gateley and Julie Stott, Chief Marketing Officer at Travers Smith.

 

Episode 82 - Judith McKay of McCarthy Tétrault on content and its importance in effective professional services marketing

The way we consume content has changed and clients have come to expect more personalised, relevant content that is delivered when they need it. This escalated shift to digital we’ve experienced in recent years presents fresh opportunities for professional service marketers.

Today on the CMO Series, Charles Cousins is lucky to welcome Judith McKay, Chief Client and Innovation Officer at leading Canadian law firm, McCarthy Tétrault LLP, to discuss the importance of effective content marketing.

Charles and Judith explore:

• What the content marketing landscape looks like for professional services firms today
• To what extent firms are adapting to the changing landscape
• What firms should be looking to do to enhance their thought leadership and content marketing efforts
• Real-world examples of effective content marketing at McCarthy and the results
• The importance of leveraging feedback and data on thought leadership at an account and strategic level
• Advice for any marketing and BD professionals looking to take a more effective, client-focused approach to their content marketing
• What the content marketing landscape looks like for professional services firms today
• To what extent firms are adapting to the changing landscape
• What firms should be looking to do to enhance their thought leadership and content marketing efforts
• Real-world examples of effective content marketing at McCarthy and the results
• The importance of leveraging feedback and data on thought leadership at an account and strategic level
• Advice for any marketing and BD professionals looking to take a more effective, client-focused approach to their content marketing

 

CMO Series REPRESENTS - Embracing Equity: The Role of Mentorship in Professional Services Marketing

To celebrate International Women’s Day 2023, we reached out to women across professional services marketing and business development to learn about their lived experiences in the industry.

We were overwhelmed by the response. Having spoken with more than 50 women about their careers, and how firms can embrace equity to level the playing for everyone in the profession, it was clear there was so much more to discuss and many more groups that are still underrepresented in professional services marketing.

As a result, we’re excited to launch CMO Series REPRESENTS, a platform for discussion with marketing and BD leaders on key issues relating to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion within the industry. 

We begin by celebrating female voices and experiences throughout this Women’s History Month (March 2023) and beyond.

Join us as we talk with marketing and business development leaders from top law and professional services firms to shine a light on inspirational leaders, and game-changing initiatives, as they share their insights, discuss the challenges, and best practices to support others making their way in the profession. 

First up, we speak with Alessandra Almeida Jones, Global Director of Marketing and Communications at Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner, Alicia Mack, Chief Business Development & Marketing Officer at Nutter McClennen & Fish, Barbara Malin, Chief Business Development and Marketing Officer at Jackson Walker, Beth Huffman, Director of Marketing at Nelson Mullins, Eleanor Smith, Chief Client Officer at Barnes & Thornburg, Lauren Whittemore, Vice President of Global Marketing & Group Digital Strategy at Intertek, Lisa Azzuolo, Chief Marketing Officer at Bennett Jones and Samantha Maher, Marketing Director at Stewarts, to learn about their personal experiences and the strategies and practices their firms are adopting to truly embrace equity and embed it in their culture.

The conversation covers the importance of mentorship for professionals at all stages of their careers, the impact that positive role models have on creating an inclusive and supportive workplace and advice for women entering the profession.

 

CMO Series Special: Robyn Addis of LISI on what’s in store at the #FollowFriday Conference

In the year that will undoubtedly go down in history, 2020, Robyn Addis showcased her entrepreneurial spirit and keen eye for talent on LinkedIn. She featured her friend and family photographer, using the hashtag #FollowFriday, and what began as a simple tribute quickly snowballed into an incredible following. Robyn's unwavering dedication to spotlighting remarkable women saw her continue the tradition of featuring phenomenal individuals every Friday.

Taking her #FollowFriday journey to the next level, Robyn conceived of an ambitious plan to unite these incredible people and more. The result is nothing short of remarkable; the #FollowFriday conference, taking place this International Women's Day (8 March), promises to be an event unlike any other. It is a testament to Robyn's hard work and vision that she has succeeded in amassing a community of over 160 attendees, all eager to collaborate, share their experiences, and elevate each other's careers and lives.

On this episode of the CMO Series, Yasmin Zand has the pleasure of sitting down with Robyn to learn about the origins of #FollowFriday, what attendees can expect from the conference, and how others can get involved. 

Episode 81 - Morgan Horvitz of Galloway on gaining attorney engagement in key marketing and BD programs

Gaining trust with your firm’s key stakeholders is key to successful marketing and business development. But engaging attorneys in your key marketing programs can have its challenges. Limited time, resources and visibility within the firm can stifle even the most effective marketing initiatives.

This is why Edward Lovatt is so lucky to welcome Morgan Horvitz, Chief Client Relations and Business Development Officer at Galloway to the CMO Series, to share her experience in gaining attorney engagement.

Ed and Morgan cover:

• Morgan’s career journey to her current role at Galloway and how those experiences have shaped her approach
• The point at which Morgan identified the importance of strong stakeholder relationships, particularly with attorneys, in driving successful business development
• Successful projects implemented at Galloway including the CRM 
• The more traditional and in-person activities that create wrap-around support for attorneys
• How to go about building the brand of the marketing and BD function within the firm to help build trust with attorneys
• Key stakeholders and functions that need engaging for wider firm buy-in
• Challenges or roadblocks when it comes to engaging key stakeholders and how to overcome those
• Advice for marketing and BD professionals looking to effectively engage their attorneys and key stakeholders within their firm

Episode 80 - Anna Hedgepeth of Cranfill Sumner on her personal story about leading change management within a legal BD and marketing team

Marketing and business development professionals are often considered change agents. Shifts in technologies and industries present exciting and new opportunities. Managing those, alongside the personal changes that team members experience, is a skill marketing leaders will need to hone for long-term success.

On today’s episode of the CMO Series, Alistair Bone is lucky to welcome someone well-versed in change management. Anna Hedgepeth, Director of Business Development at Cranfill Sumner, is here to tell us about her personal experiences in managing change and how those experiences have positively impacted and influenced her work at the firm. 

 

Ali and Anna discuss: 

• Pivotal moments in Anna’s career and personal life that influenced her role at Cranfill Sumner
• The point at which Anna realised how critical change management is when it comes to leading and developing a legal BD and marketing function
• The challenges Anna faced personally, such as coming back from maternity leave
• How managing her changes differed from managing the changes facing other team members and the processes needed to support those
• Why the SAW program was developed to gamify BD activities across practice areas and how Anna’s change management experience has influenced the marketing and BD efforts at the firm
• Advice for other BD and marketing leaders looking to implement change in their firm

Episode 79 - Laura Toledo of Nilan Johnson Lewis on Embedding Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in law firm culture

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Most law firms have a working group or committee in place to create, communicate and manage their DEI strategy. While these initiatives are well-intended, they can be difficult to retrospectively integrate into the core values and culture of the firm.

Today’s guest is here to share what it’s like to work in a truly progressive firm. Ali Bone is so lucky to welcome Laura Toledo, Director of Business Development & Marketing at Nilan Johnson Lewis to hear how their values are embedded in the firm’s culture and how they impact marketing and business development on a daily basis.

Ali and Laura cover: 

• How Laura came to her role at Nilan Johnson Lewis and why her interview was so significant 
• The firm’s history in terms of culture and where the progressive nature came from
• How to keep conversations about Diversity, Equity and Inclusion going to continue progressing
• How culture influences day-to-day activities and how those values translate externally
• How working in a progressive firm enables career progression as a marketing and BD leader
• What a progressive culture means for professionals in the legal industry and how it could benefit firms and individuals if they were to take this approach
• Advice for other marketing and BD leaders looking to embed their DEI values into their firm’s culture

A transcription of this episode is available here. 

Episode 78 - Powers Tanis of McAngus Goudelock & Courie on culture, communication and the role of marketing

Law firm culture. Articulating it isn’t easy, but it impacts all aspects of the firm, from recruitment, retention and employee experience to client engagement and business development.

On today’s episode of the CMO Series, Ali Bone is lucky to welcome someone who has successfully defined their firm’s culture - Powers Tanis, Director of Strategic Marketing and Communications at McAngus Goudelock & Courie.

Powers joins the series to share her insights on culture, communication and the role of marketing in demonstrating the firm’s values.

Ali and Powers discuss: 

• Powers’ background leading up to her current role at McAngus Goudelock & Courie
• The point in Powers’ career she realised the importance of culture and social value within the workplace, and in law firms specifically
•  The activities Powers is implementing at McAngus to cultivate and communicate culture 
• How these activities have changed and evolved in response to hybrid and more flexible working arrangements
• The impact of this very considered approach to culture within the firm in relation to recruiting talent and retaining existing talent within the firm
• How the culture impacts business development and marketing activities
• Plans for 2023 and beyond when it comes to communicating the firm’s culture both internally and externally
• Advice for other marketing professionals looking to cultivate and communicate their firm’s culture

A full transcription of this episode is available here.

Episode 77 - Julie Wall Khoury of Balch & Bingham on customising business development coaching for today’s firm

Defining and creating a new business development training program in a firm that’s thriving is perhaps more daunting than starting from scratch. Many firms stick to a tried and tested method, but that isn't always the most effective, or equitable, approach for a modern-day firm.

On this episode of the CMO Series Ali Bone has the pleasure of welcoming Julie Wall Khoury, Chief Marketing Officer at Balch & Bingham to share her experience in developing a successful business development coaching program.

Ali and Julie explore:

• Balch & Bingham’s background in BD training and what needed to change
• How the ‘Business Generator’ program come about, and the process and people involved in that journey
• What value Society 54 brought to the research and development of the program
• Identifying the right tools and platform for the program to be successful
• Why ‘levelling up’ access for everyone in the firm was a conscious decision in the development of the program
• How to drive engagement with a BD training program
• The challenges or barriers to success when implementing a new program 
• The success stories off the back of the program and how feedback will influence the next iteration
• Advice for other marketing and BD leaders looking to take a customised approach to their BD training program

A full transcript of this episode is available here. 

Episode 76 - Lisa Azzuolo of Bennett Jones on delivering for today’s clients in a century-old firm

It’s no secret that the past 25 years have seen the most significant transformation in legal marketing and BD. But the events of recent years have no doubt seen the most monumental step change, from advances in technology to the way firms and their clients operate and interact on a daily basis.

On this episode Charles Cousins is lucky to talk to Lisa Azzuolo, Chief Marketing Officer at Bennett Jones, about the challenges facing legal marketers and how to deliver value in today’s climate as well as the lessons learned in implementing a commemorative communications campaign that resonated with all of the firm's stakeholders.

Charles and Lisa discuss: 

• Lisa’s career journey which spans 30 years, and her path to CMO at Bennett Jones
• The firm’s 100-year history and the objectives of the centennial campaign that launched in 2022 to celebrate this landmark moment 
• How the new ways of working in recent years impacted the project and the challenges that presented 
• How the firm demonstrated its gratitude and commitment to its clients through the campaign during a time when it was impossible to meet with people in person 
• The implications of remote and hybrid working on the way teams operate and how to motivate teams and keep the momentum going
• The highlights and successes of the campaign
• Advice for other legal marketing leaders looking to implement a campaign of this magnitude

Find out more about Bennett Jones’ history and its centennial campaign, Firm First: 100 Years of Service and Trust, here.