Law.com Subscribers SAVE 30%

Call 855-808-4530 or email [email protected] to receive your discount on a new subscription.

'Coming to America': PM Forum North America

By Elizabeth Anne
March 01, 2004

Professional organizations and trade associations are great if they achieve the needs of their members. The American Medical Association does this for physicians and the American Bar Association (ABA) does this for lawyers. When I joined the ranks of being a marketing executive in the legal profession, I found my particular needs being met by being an associate member of the ABA Law Practice Management Section and as the marketing industry liaison to the ABA Commission on Women in the Profession. My particular brand of need was to hear from the experts in law, and as far as I was concerned, those are the lawyers ' both from their perspective as those who provide services and as those who are close to the purchasers of their services. I learned a great deal about how lawyers think and what they think about marketing, public relations and business development.

As time went on and I was asked to take a more pronounced role in the Law Practice Management Section, I gravitated to the Women Rainmakers group where I had the opportunity to speak and write on subjects impacting women lawyers and their view of marketing, which as we all know is specialized and different. From that association, I was recruited by the Commission on Women in the Profession to help this group get the word out on the wonderful work that they do. I think that in order for an organization to be successful, it is incumbent on that organization to meet the needs of its membership and also for the membership to feel that they have a “forum” to discuss ideas and be heard. An organization also has to provide information that is useful to its membership as it impacts a profession.

By way of Europe and, more specifically, London, a certain brand of “forum” ' the PM Forum ' has arrived in North America. The PM Forum, the world's largest marketing association serving the professional services industry, has launched the PM Forum North America, bringing together professionals from the world of law, accounting, consulting and real estate.

PM Forum North America will provide professional marketers with educational meetings, networking events, a Web site, listservs and other ancillary benefits. The PM Forum is a dues paying, members association which has grown from a handful of marketers meeting in London into a group of over 3000 members (based mostly in Europe) in only 7 years. The organization's mission is to raise the standards of marketing in the professional services sector and to enhance the internal credibility of marketers through:

  • Peer-group networking. Discuss-ing common issues with one's peer group in non-competing firms is highly valued by members at all levels. PM Forum members are drawn from law, accountancy, real estate consultancy, and other professions.
  • Skill building. The PM Forum provides a range of events and training courses suitable for marketers at all levels and for fee earners with a marketing responsibility. The PM Forum aims to expose managing partners and personnel directors to marketers and marketing thinking, frequently holding joint events with their associations.
  • Knowledge sharing. Good ideas and best practice are shared in the daily news intelligence bulletins, and across an international network of hundreds of PM Forum members.
  • Profile raising. The PM Forum thought leadership panel of some 150 of the leading marketers in the world researches critical issues, drives forward the PM Forum's agenda, and ensures that the views of marketers are heard in the public domain.

PM Forum North America will bring together marketing professionals in law, accounting, consulting and real estate at its events to be held in major cities throughout North America; including Chicago, New York, Toronto and Los Angeles. Professional firms approach the market in a similar way and therefore have common marketing challenges, but this is the first time that U.S.-based marketers have joined together in a single association to share insights and experiences.

PM Forum North America will be led by marketing consultant and Marketing the Law Firm Board of Editors member, Larry Bodine. Bodine, well known in legal marketing circles, will serve as the association's new Regional Director. When asked about the PM Forum, Larry commented: “The need for a professional services association of this magnitude reaching across professional services industries has been evident for some time. PM Forum North American will give marketing professionals the opportunity to not only share insights, but compare best practices. The PM Forum has already demonstrated the value of this approach throughout Europe. I encourage marketers to come out of their professional silos and join the movement.”

Some of the demographics of the PM Forum include:

  • Membership breakdown worldwide ' 40% law; 30% accounting; 20% other industries; 10% marketing consultants.
  • 90% top 100 law firms; all top 20 accounting firms in the U.K.

The target demographic for North American members will be the top marketers at AmLaw 100 law firms, Big 4 and major regional accounting firms, and top 25 consulting firms. To date, 175 marketers have become members, and that is just in the first month of the North America's Forum's existence.

On March 1st, the PM Forum North America Web site went live at http://www.pmfourmna.org/. The new site features:

  • An article bank with 2000-plus online keyworded articles since 1993.
  • News intelligence (e-Clippings) compiled from 600 Web sites scanned continuously for mentions of member firms.
  • Events listings, including two upcoming Webinars: “Getting New Business Using CRM Technology,” with Nancy Manzo of Seattle and Darryl Cross of Strongsville, OH set for April 13th, 2004; and “How Marketing Can Add More Value,” with Steve Blundell, set for March 16th, 2004.
  • A job bank, where members can upload new listings in law, accounting and consulting. Currently, there are jobs listed that pay well into six figures.
  • A resource page ' a collection of useful forms, plans, memos, questionnaires, ideas, graphics, services and job descriptions.
  • The Strategic Marketing Listserv, an exclusive online email discussion group where PM Forum members can debate strategies and exchange successful techniques.
  • A list of leading consultants in North America

The New York Chapter of which I am a member of the organizational committee is up and running. The Committee Chair for 2004 is Jason Dinwoodie, Director of Commun- ications at Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe. Other members of the Committee include Craig Levinson of Brown Raysman, Justin Model of Orrick, Julie Barrett of CB Richard Ellis, Leslie Baker of Grant Thornton, Roy Hoffman of AMEX, Gina DiGennaro of McDermott Will, Dee Markowitz of CB Richard Ellis, Wendy Dill of Ernst & Young and Dawn Iacarella, also of Ernst & Young. As someone who has been in the marketing profession for over 15 years (12 of which have been spent in legal marketing), I can tell you that this is a very enthusiastic group of individuals. The chapter has already had two meetings and are planning to host two events: one in April and one in May. The first event, a kick off to attract members, will be a cocktail party from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Trump World Bar, 845 United Nations Plaza (First Avenue and E. 47th St.), New York. Admission and food are free. At this inaugural meeting, the goal is twofold: membership and an “idea bank.” The idea bank would focus on asking people about their concerns and what they really want to hear about at programs. The committee has come up with some great ideas for programs, but it's always good to ask those who would be paying dues what they are looking for in the way of programming. The second event will be held at Orrick's New York office and the esteemed guest speaker will be Lanny Davis, who served as Special Counsel to President Clinton from 1996 to 1998. After an illustrious career in public service and the private sector, Lanny Davis became a partner at Orrick in October of last year and brought along with him the other members of his unique “Legal Crisis Communications” practice group. He has been featured in articles published in USA Today, Forbes and Fortune magazines, and numerous national and local newspapers. It is a certainty that Lanny Davis will draw a large group of marketing professionals. And it is even more certain that his talk will be exciting, informative and on point.

Now the question will certainly be asked how this organization will be different than what is already out there. Well, for one thing ' and it's an important one thing: The organization is interdisciplinary. It brings together marketers from different industries who will be in a position to share their experiences and impart wisdom that may not otherwise be available to those in an organization that represents only one profession or industry. I believe that the PM Forum North America is an organization whose time has come. Clearly in the past the meetings and programs that have been presented by organizations affiliated with the legal industry, while interesting, have not brought to the table as many other industry professionals with their views and expertise as I believe the legal marketing profession needs to hear about. We've learned a lot from our peers. As I stated previously, I learned from lawyers and some clients how to best market our profession. Now I would like to hear from other industries, and indeed have more of a perspective from the client side. Marketing lawyers is different, but it is not so different that the view from other industries might not be where we should be headed. I believe that in putting together a marketing program, whether it be for a law firm or another professional service entity, there is always a better way of doing it, and just maybe in listening to those involved with the PM Forum, we may actually provide the consumers of legal services with value added marketing initiatives.



Elizabeth Anne “Betiayn” Tursi [email protected]

Professional organizations and trade associations are great if they achieve the needs of their members. The American Medical Association does this for physicians and the American Bar Association (ABA) does this for lawyers. When I joined the ranks of being a marketing executive in the legal profession, I found my particular needs being met by being an associate member of the ABA Law Practice Management Section and as the marketing industry liaison to the ABA Commission on Women in the Profession. My particular brand of need was to hear from the experts in law, and as far as I was concerned, those are the lawyers ' both from their perspective as those who provide services and as those who are close to the purchasers of their services. I learned a great deal about how lawyers think and what they think about marketing, public relations and business development.

As time went on and I was asked to take a more pronounced role in the Law Practice Management Section, I gravitated to the Women Rainmakers group where I had the opportunity to speak and write on subjects impacting women lawyers and their view of marketing, which as we all know is specialized and different. From that association, I was recruited by the Commission on Women in the Profession to help this group get the word out on the wonderful work that they do. I think that in order for an organization to be successful, it is incumbent on that organization to meet the needs of its membership and also for the membership to feel that they have a “forum” to discuss ideas and be heard. An organization also has to provide information that is useful to its membership as it impacts a profession.

By way of Europe and, more specifically, London, a certain brand of “forum” ' the PM Forum ' has arrived in North America. The PM Forum, the world's largest marketing association serving the professional services industry, has launched the PM Forum North America, bringing together professionals from the world of law, accounting, consulting and real estate.

PM Forum North America will provide professional marketers with educational meetings, networking events, a Web site, listservs and other ancillary benefits. The PM Forum is a dues paying, members association which has grown from a handful of marketers meeting in London into a group of over 3000 members (based mostly in Europe) in only 7 years. The organization's mission is to raise the standards of marketing in the professional services sector and to enhance the internal credibility of marketers through:

  • Peer-group networking. Discuss-ing common issues with one's peer group in non-competing firms is highly valued by members at all levels. PM Forum members are drawn from law, accountancy, real estate consultancy, and other professions.
  • Skill building. The PM Forum provides a range of events and training courses suitable for marketers at all levels and for fee earners with a marketing responsibility. The PM Forum aims to expose managing partners and personnel directors to marketers and marketing thinking, frequently holding joint events with their associations.
  • Knowledge sharing. Good ideas and best practice are shared in the daily news intelligence bulletins, and across an international network of hundreds of PM Forum members.
  • Profile raising. The PM Forum thought leadership panel of some 150 of the leading marketers in the world researches critical issues, drives forward the PM Forum's agenda, and ensures that the views of marketers are heard in the public domain.

PM Forum North America will bring together marketing professionals in law, accounting, consulting and real estate at its events to be held in major cities throughout North America; including Chicago, New York, Toronto and Los Angeles. Professional firms approach the market in a similar way and therefore have common marketing challenges, but this is the first time that U.S.-based marketers have joined together in a single association to share insights and experiences.

PM Forum North America will be led by marketing consultant and Marketing the Law Firm Board of Editors member, Larry Bodine. Bodine, well known in legal marketing circles, will serve as the association's new Regional Director. When asked about the PM Forum, Larry commented: “The need for a professional services association of this magnitude reaching across professional services industries has been evident for some time. PM Forum North American will give marketing professionals the opportunity to not only share insights, but compare best practices. The PM Forum has already demonstrated the value of this approach throughout Europe. I encourage marketers to come out of their professional silos and join the movement.”

Some of the demographics of the PM Forum include:

  • Membership breakdown worldwide ' 40% law; 30% accounting; 20% other industries; 10% marketing consultants.
  • 90% top 100 law firms; all top 20 accounting firms in the U.K.

The target demographic for North American members will be the top marketers at AmLaw 100 law firms, Big 4 and major regional accounting firms, and top 25 consulting firms. To date, 175 marketers have become members, and that is just in the first month of the North America's Forum's existence.

On March 1st, the PM Forum North America Web site went live at http://www.pmfourmna.org/. The new site features:

  • An article bank with 2000-plus online keyworded articles since 1993.
  • News intelligence (e-Clippings) compiled from 600 Web sites scanned continuously for mentions of member firms.
  • Events listings, including two upcoming Webinars: “Getting New Business Using CRM Technology,” with Nancy Manzo of Seattle and Darryl Cross of Strongsville, OH set for April 13th, 2004; and “How Marketing Can Add More Value,” with Steve Blundell, set for March 16th, 2004.
  • A job bank, where members can upload new listings in law, accounting and consulting. Currently, there are jobs listed that pay well into six figures.
  • A resource page ' a collection of useful forms, plans, memos, questionnaires, ideas, graphics, services and job descriptions.
  • The Strategic Marketing Listserv, an exclusive online email discussion group where PM Forum members can debate strategies and exchange successful techniques.
  • A list of leading consultants in North America

The New York Chapter of which I am a member of the organizational committee is up and running. The Committee Chair for 2004 is Jason Dinwoodie, Director of Commun- ications at Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe. Other members of the Committee include Craig Levinson of Brown Raysman, Justin Model of Orrick, Julie Barrett of CB Richard Ellis, Leslie Baker of Grant Thornton, Roy Hoffman of AMEX, Gina DiGennaro of McDermott Will, Dee Markowitz of CB Richard Ellis, Wendy Dill of Ernst & Young and Dawn Iacarella, also of Ernst & Young. As someone who has been in the marketing profession for over 15 years (12 of which have been spent in legal marketing), I can tell you that this is a very enthusiastic group of individuals. The chapter has already had two meetings and are planning to host two events: one in April and one in May. The first event, a kick off to attract members, will be a cocktail party from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Trump World Bar, 845 United Nations Plaza (First Avenue and E. 47th St.), New York. Admission and food are free. At this inaugural meeting, the goal is twofold: membership and an “idea bank.” The idea bank would focus on asking people about their concerns and what they really want to hear about at programs. The committee has come up with some great ideas for programs, but it's always good to ask those who would be paying dues what they are looking for in the way of programming. The second event will be held at Orrick's New York office and the esteemed guest speaker will be Lanny Davis, who served as Special Counsel to President Clinton from 1996 to 1998. After an illustrious career in public service and the private sector, Lanny Davis became a partner at Orrick in October of last year and brought along with him the other members of his unique “Legal Crisis Communications” practice group. He has been featured in articles published in USA Today, Forbes and Fortune magazines, and numerous national and local newspapers. It is a certainty that Lanny Davis will draw a large group of marketing professionals. And it is even more certain that his talk will be exciting, informative and on point.

Now the question will certainly be asked how this organization will be different than what is already out there. Well, for one thing ' and it's an important one thing: The organization is interdisciplinary. It brings together marketers from different industries who will be in a position to share their experiences and impart wisdom that may not otherwise be available to those in an organization that represents only one profession or industry. I believe that the PM Forum North America is an organization whose time has come. Clearly in the past the meetings and programs that have been presented by organizations affiliated with the legal industry, while interesting, have not brought to the table as many other industry professionals with their views and expertise as I believe the legal marketing profession needs to hear about. We've learned a lot from our peers. As I stated previously, I learned from lawyers and some clients how to best market our profession. Now I would like to hear from other industries, and indeed have more of a perspective from the client side. Marketing lawyers is different, but it is not so different that the view from other industries might not be where we should be headed. I believe that in putting together a marketing program, whether it be for a law firm or another professional service entity, there is always a better way of doing it, and just maybe in listening to those involved with the PM Forum, we may actually provide the consumers of legal services with value added marketing initiatives.



Elizabeth Anne “Betiayn” Tursi [email protected]

This premium content is locked for Entertainment Law & Finance subscribers only

  • Stay current on the latest information, rulings, regulations, and trends
  • Includes practical, must-have information on copyrights, royalties, AI, and more
  • Tap into expert guidance from top entertainment lawyers and experts

For enterprise-wide or corporate acess, please contact Customer Service at [email protected] or 877-256-2473

Read These Next
Strategy vs. Tactics: Two Sides of a Difficult Coin Image

With each successive large-scale cyber attack, it is slowly becoming clear that ransomware attacks are targeting the critical infrastructure of the most powerful country on the planet. Understanding the strategy, and tactics of our opponents, as well as the strategy and the tactics we implement as a response are vital to victory.

'Huguenot LLC v. Megalith Capital Group Fund I, L.P.': A Tutorial On Contract Liability for Real Estate Purchasers Image

In June 2024, the First Department decided Huguenot LLC v. Megalith Capital Group Fund I, L.P., which resolved a question of liability for a group of condominium apartment buyers and in so doing, touched on a wide range of issues about how contracts can obligate purchasers of real property.

Major Differences In UK, U.S. Copyright Laws Image

This article highlights how copyright law in the United Kingdom differs from U.S. copyright law, and points out differences that may be crucial to entertainment and media businesses familiar with U.S law that are interested in operating in the United Kingdom or under UK law. The article also briefly addresses contrasts in UK and U.S. trademark law.

Fresh Filings Image

Notable recent court filings in entertainment law.

The Article 8 Opt In Image

The Article 8 opt-in election adds an additional layer of complexity to the already labyrinthine rules governing perfection of security interests under the UCC. A lender that is unaware of the nuances created by the opt in (may find its security interest vulnerable to being primed by another party that has taken steps to perfect in a superior manner under the circumstances.