Main Conference Agenda
Day Two | Friday, March 12, 2010

8:00-9:00
Breakfast in the Exhibit Hall

9:00 - 10:00 – Concurrent Breakout Sessions

Track One – Professional Development

9:00-10:00
Enhancing Your Leadership Role within Your Firm – Establishing and Gaining Credibility

Panelists will discuss best practices for developing credibility within your firm, including:

  • Increasing your own brand within the firm – relationship-building strategies to help you align with change agents and thought leaders
  • Thinking and acting like a leader vs. a follower
  • Fine tuning your communication skills to translate your goals into actions
  • Different approaches and styles for presenting information and delivering your message to achieve visibility and buy-in
  • Thinking creatively to produce higher quality results in new and more efficient ways
  • Managing, training, and serving as a role model for your staff and other colleagues

Presenters:
Linda P. Williams, Chief Marketing Officer, Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow
Garrett & Dunner, LLP

Mary C. Kimber, Chief Marketing Officer
Patton Boggs LLP

Track Two – Business Development

In Partnership with: LSSO
Sponsored by: Sant Corporation

9:00-10:00
Creating and Implementing a Sales and Business Development Culture in Your Firm

With the forecast for corporate legal departments to spend less on outside counsel for the second consecutive year, there is increasing pressure on law firm marketing and business development professionals to drive new revenue growth, while retaining and expanding revenue via cross-selling from existing clients. For many that are facing this task, the critical first steps are to determine which elements for a successful business development and sales program are vital, how to sell the concept internally and how to put the plan into action. This highly-rated program was originally designed and presented for LSSO, and features leading voices in global business development.

Presenters:
Timothy B. Corcoran, Senior Consultant
Altman Weil, Inc.

Melanie Green, Director of Business Development and Marketing
Baker & Daniels LLP

Robert D. Randolph, Jr., Director of Marketing and Business Development
Bryan Cave LLP

Steven M. Bell, Chief Client Development Officer
Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice, PLLC

Moderator:
Patrick Fuller, Managing Account Director
Hubbard One

Track Three – Strategy

9:00-10:00
Developing Metrics for Measuring Your Marketing ROI

Learn how to effectively:

  • Incorporate ROI methodology into your firm’s marketing culture
  • Establish metrics by which to measure results
  • Track, evaluate and benchmark your marketing activities
  • Track results and track success
  • Analyze profitability
  • Assess technology options available to help measure the ROI of marketing – data mining
  • Report marketing value (ROI) to firm leadership via dashboards and other tools to help you earn a seat at the table

Presenters:
Julie P. Meyers, Chief Marketing Officer, Burns
White & Hickton, LLC

David McCann, Communications Manager
Snell & Wilmer LLP

Ellen R. Musante, Director of Client Services
Steptoe & Johnson LLP

Track Four – Public Relations

In Partnership with: LMFP
Sponsored by: Jaffe & Associates

9:00-10:00
A Practicum: A Hands-on Exercise in How to Successfully Develop and Pitch a Story

In this session, seasoned PR professionals will give first-hand examples of how to identify opportunities to highlight your firm’s expertise and position it as a thought leader in target media. They will demonstrate how to source potential stories – from following daily news and developing trends and applying that to your attorneys, to coaching your attorneys to become involved in the process so they come up with their own ideas. Then, they will share best practices for writing an effective pitch resulting in increased media placements; and for pursuing follow-up communications with editors to promote the best kind of coverage sought.

Presenters:
Barbara H. Brown, Director of Marketing & Business Development
Meagher & Geer PLLP

Joshua Schneck, President & Founder
Snow Communications, Inc.

10:00-10:30
Networking and Refreshment Break in the Exhibit Hall

10:30-11:30
General Session: What We Love Most About Our Lawyers – A Client Panel

GCs and company executives will discuss real-life examples of how their lawyers and law firms have wowed them — from amazing client service to creative marketing efforts. Join us to hear best practices as you work to maintain current clients and develop new ones in this ever-competitive legal market.

Presenters:
Eric Hilty, Senior Vice President and Assistant General Counsel
Apartment Investment and Management Company (AIMCO)

Carmel Gill, Corporate Counsel, Legal Department
Level 3 Communications

Jeffrey K. Reeser, Vice President and Secretary
Newmont Mining Corporation

Julie DeCecco, Associate General Counsel, Director of Litigation
Sun Microsystems, Inc.

Moderator:
Michael B. Rynowecer, President and Founder
The BTI Consulting Group

11:30-1:00 – Concurrent Breakout Sessions

Track One – Service Side

 
Sponsored by: LexusNexus

11:30-12:00
Managing Your Professional Reputation: What They Say When You’re Not There

Internal and external customers provide us with clear feedback. They hire us, or they don’t. They return our calls, or they don’t. They refer others, or they don’t. And they work with us, around us or against us. Unfortunately when customers are dissatisfied, they don’t tell us. They vote with their feet. Customers leave and we never know why. Get to the heart of what your internal and external customers need and why they hire or fire you.

  • Establish and maintain powerful customer relationships
  • Know your reputation with customers and prospects
  • Become more knowledgeable about your customers’ needs, likes and dislikes
  • Eliminate behaviors that diminish your success
  • Get more customers. Keep more customers. Make more money.

Presenter:
Shari Harley, Owner
Candor Matters. Ask More. Assume Less.™

12:00-1:00
Law Firm Budgeting Trends – Past, Present and Future

In this session, you will:

  • Review shifting trends over the past 10 years — where money was budgeted and where it was actually invested
  • Identify buying projections for 2010 and beyond
  • Develop creative solutions around budgeting and buying with service providers (including alternative billing solutions, partnering, etc.)

Presenter:
Kim A. Perret, Director of Marketing & Business Development
Hunton & Williams LLP

Nathalie Daum, Director of Marketing
Lewis and Roca LLP

Ramona Cyr, Director of Business Development and Marketing
Luce Forward

Kelly Annis, Client Relations Manager
The Stolar Partnership LLP

Moderator:
Jeffrey Morgan, Principal
Moiré Marketing Partners

Track Two – Business Development

In Partnership with: LSSO
Sponsored by: Sant Corporation

11:30-12:15
Practical Applications and Real-world Tactics for Harnessing the Power of the Internet and Research Databases for Competitive Intelligence

You can create a CI culture as a means to win new clients, cross-sell to existing clients and better evaluate new business opportunities. This session will help you develop systematic and ethical processes for collecting, analyzing and managing CI. You will learn the keys to:

  • Establishing processes for disseminating CI data throughout the firm to aid business development
  • Using CI to better understand your market position and to enhance your competitive advantage
  • Integrating CI into your current business development strategies
  • Advancing beyond a tactical application of CI to a sophisticated, proactive approach which will benefit your strategic planning

Presenters:
Keith McLemore, Director of Legal Information Services
Cooley Godward Kronish LLP

Ellen Taverner, Partner
CMO Marketing Strategies

12:15-1:00
Leveraging Knowledge Management to Increase Efficiency and Improve Your Firm’s Bottom Line

Topics for this session include:

  • Best practices for completely aligning your knowledge management processes with the business processes and goals of the entire firm
  • Collaborating with marketing and business development groups to use knowledge management to impact your industry and practices teams, and clients
  • Examining ways in which knowledge management can improve profitability and impact the bottom line
  • Different technologies firms are using and how information-sharing improves internally as a result

Presenters:
Meredith Williams, Director of Knowledge Management
Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz P.C.

Patrick V. DiDomenico, Chief Knowledge Officer
Gibbons P.C.

Rob Saccone, Vice President & General Manager
XMLAW

Track Three – Client Service

11:30-12:15
Current Best Practices for Creating Substantive and Successful Client Teams

Presenters discuss proven processes for:

  • Leveraging client teams as a way to deepen existing client relationships, enhance your brand and uncover cross selling opportunities
  • Building client teams that align with your clients and are structured for continuity
  • Motivating and incentivizing the relationship partner to take ownership and develop the client service team
  • Leveraging client feedback to enhance relationships and developing more business programs and interview processes for client teams
  • Using the client team toolkit – a comprehensive guide to building a client team that works
  • Providing an ideal opportunity to collect, disseminate and put to good use information regarding the client
  • Laying the ground work for positive and proactive discussions about the client/lawyer relationship and particularly value assessments

Presenters:
Maria Zagalis, Director of Business /Practice Development
Vinson & Elkins

Lise Monette, Chief Marketing Officer
Ogilvy Renault LLP

Andrew Fleming, Senior Partner, Business Law Group
Ogilvy Renault LLP

12:15-1:00
Creating and Sustaining a Successful Client Feedback Program

Collective experience from a law firm managing partner, chief marketing officers and an outside consultant will provide participants with the comprehensive knowledge on how to use client feedback programs to drive law firm success. Topics include:

  • The role of client feedback in the new marketplace
  • Key elements of successful client feedback programs
  • How programs differ for large, mid-size and small firms
  • How to start a new program or fine-tune existing programs
  • Common obstacles to avoid and best practices to implement
    • Who should do interviews
    • Necessary preparation and follow up
    • Logistics
    • Managing the time commitment
  • Using feedback to build client relationships, deliver greater value and spot new business opportunities
  • The reality of client feedback programs – in-house perspective on what works

Presenters:
Doug Hoover, Director, Client Development & Growth
Bowman and Brooke LLP

William Lee Thuston, Managing Partner
Burr & Forman LLP

Kathleen A. Flynn, Chief Marketing Officer, Sedgwick, Detert
Moran & Arnold LLP

Vickie Spang, Chief Marketing Officer
Sheppard Mullin LLP

Nancy Mangan, Senior Consultant and Client Growth Specialist
Wicker Park Group

Track Four – Marketing Technology

11:30-12:15
Trends in Legal CRM and ERM

  • Evaluate the pros and cons of a CRM system versus an ERM system
  • Explore ways in which a CRM system can be used in conjunction with an ERM system, and
  • Identify the CRM pitfalls to watch for which could impact the success of your implementation

Jennifer L. Smuts, Director of Marketing
Connolly Bove Lodge & Hutz LLP

John Veldkamp, Business Development Systems Manager
Latham & Watkins LLP

Susan Brelus, Chief Development Officer
Squire, Sanders & Dempsey LLP

12:15-1:00
The Digital Firm 2015 – The Changing Face of Professional Services Marketing Communications

Sponsored by: Concep

  • What are these new marketing channels and how do they impact marketing professionals in a fee earning environment? Your firm website 2.0, social media and client communications
  • What are some of the barriers to entry (and strategies to counter…) to embrace these channels? Partners, Costs & IT
  • Where is success being found?
  • How to establish a business case for utilizing these channels?
    Set KPIs and demonstrate ROI

Opening Remarks:
Anthony Green, President, Concep

Moderator:
Dwain Thomas, Managing Director, Concep

Panelists:
Susan M. Snyder, Senior Consultant
Hay Group

Jodie Kaminsky, Vice President
J.P. Morgan Asset Management

Royal Simpkins, Firmwide Communications Manager
Sedgwick, Detert, Moran & Arnold LLP

1:00-2:00
Lunch Served in the Exhibit Hall Luncheon Hosted by:		 The National Law Review

2:00-2:15
Your Honor™ Awards Announcements – Part Three

2:15-3:30
M.O.R.E. – Mentoring Opportunities with Real-life Experts

M.O.R.E are high-impact roundtable discussions facilitated by recognized industry thought leaders that allow you to build on the conference breakout session topics, exchange ideas, ask questions and explore the implementation of concepts while they are still fresh in your mind. Join one discussion for the whole session, or circulate among a number of groups.

Just when you thought the conference was ending…
Get MORE

This year’s LMA Annual Conference will close on a high energy note by gathering all attendees together for the popular MORE session (Mentoring Opportunities with Real-life Experts).

After two packed days of conference learning, MORE is your chance to connect in informal roundtable discussions with experts and colleagues who share your interests and challenges.  It’s also a chance to take a deep-dive on particular issues, or discuss topics not covered elsewhere in the conference program.

New additions to this year’s MORE session are several discussion tables focused on business development in important practice areas.  As always, MORE also features discussions devoted to professional development and specific job functions.

You can visit any or all of the following 11 table discussions.  Each table is moderated by thought leaders who will facilitate informal, open-ended discussions.

Effective Events on a Budget
Where can we host 100 clients for cocktails in New York without breaking the bank?  Can you plan an outdoor reception in Chicago in May?  When is the best time of day to hold a CLE program in-house?  Discuss these and many other event-related quandaries with event managers from around the country including Ana Padovani of Loeb & Loeb and Kristin Alexander of Sherman & Howard L.L.C. 

Marketing Through Affinity Groups
Trade Associations, Alumni Programs, Women’s Groups and other organizations have become part of our marketing universe.  But are we using them as effectively as possible?  Meet colleagues who have successfully integrated affinity groups into their overall strategy and have seen successful business development as a result.  Our table leaders include Lisa Simon of Brownstein Hyatt and Russell Lawson of Sands Anderson Marks & Miller, P.C.

Thought Leadership Through PR 
One of the primary objectives of a strategic PR plan is establishing our lawyers as thought leaders in specific practice areas or industries.  But how do marketers and business developers support that overall goal, working with internal and outside PR resources?  Join the discussion with experienced PR professionals including Cheryl Bame of Bame Public Relations, and John Byrne with Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP.

Penetrating the BRIC Wall 
Brazil, Russia, India and China have the fastest growing economies of the developing world.  Goldman Sachs has projected that their combined economies could eclipse those of the world’s current richest countries by 2050.  Many of our peers from firms large and small have already begun targeting these countries for expansion.  This discussion is your chance to learn from these market leaders, including Despina Kartson of Latham and Watkins and Cherie Olland of Jones Day. 

Practice Perspectives:  Cleantech & Renewable Energy
Given the steady drumbeat of U.S. and global policy rhetoric about transitioning to a low-carbon economy, many firms are competing to stake their claims in new energy practices.  Cleantech, climate change, and renewable energy groups are more prevalent than ever before.  But what types of work (and clients) are to be had?  Is this really the “next big thing” or is it the “E-Commerce Practice” of the 1990s?  Discuss these issues and more with our panel of experienced pros, including Sheri Palomaki of Sutherland, Asbill & Brennan and Mary Connolly of Hunton & Williams. 

Practice Perspectives: Cracking the Financial Markets
The recent disruptions to financial markets have been major challenges not only for domestic and international banking institutions, but also large and small companies that need access to capital markets. Amid the turmoil, new financial sector players are emerging to challenge the longstanding players (those that are still standing).  This discussion will focus on how firms are positioning themselves for the recovery of this market and the roles marketers will play as they look for new business opportunities in the securities, M&A and corporate finance sectors. Our MORE leaders will include Aleisha Gravit of Akin Gump Strauss Haurer & Feld LLP and Linda Sparn with Schulte Roth & Zabel.

Future Leaders Roundtable
A special career development discussion for professionals with 5 years or less of experience in legal marketing.  This group will cover the skills necessary for movement into a manager-level position and the challenges faced in a coordinator/specialist role.  Our discussion leaders will include Crista Crane of Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, LLP and Koree Khongphand-Buckman of Hogan and Hartson.

Mezzo Roundtable
A special career development discussion for professionals with 5-10 years of experience in legal marketing.  This group will cover the challenges faced in a manager role and potential career path options including, and not including, a Director or CMO role.  Our discussion leaders will include Diana Kroner of Dickstein Shaprio. 

Team Leadership & Motivation
Marketers and business developers in firms of all sizes are being asked to do more with the same or fewer resources.  Generalists are in demand, but at the same time our profession continues to segment and specialize.  Given these forces, and the increasing recognition by many firms that the marketing and business development function requires a different staffing approach than other firm administrative areas, how can those in leadership roles align their teams for peak performance?   Felice Wagner of Sutherland, Asbill & Brennan LLP and Norm Rubenstein of The Zeughauser Group will moderate this discussion.

Talking the Legal Language and Building Influence with Lawyers
Marketers and business developers counsel their firms’ lawyers to know their clients’ business and speak their clients’ language.  But do we walk our talk with respect to our own clients? This group will take a closer look at how you can learn all the legal and industry language you need to achieve success inside law firms – without actually becoming a lawyer.  Our experienced panel includes David Freeman of the David Freeman Consulting Group and John Hodder of Paul Weiss.

3:30
End of Conference