The MLF 50: Highlights

The MLF 50 ' The Top 50 Law Firms in Marketing and Communications appeared in a special September/October issue of MLF. Here are some of the highlights of that issue, including mention of the top five firms.

At the outset, let me say that while I would have liked to get the good counsel of the original advisory group in assisting with the final decision making in compiling the list, as I went through the close to 3-month process of evaluating each firm in order to create the list, it became abundantly clear to me that I needed to be at the helm as to: a) who would be on the list; and b) where each firm would rank on the list. I'm being perfectly honest with my readership because I think it is important to realize that if anyone has an issue with this list, the buck stops with me. I took great care in making the selections for this list, which I believe is reflective of the best marketing and communications programs within law firms.

The firms that made the list were chosen on the basis of their accomplishments and not as much about their staffing or budgets. While these aspects were taken into consideration, the number of staffers and the budgets did not affect the final listing. Some firms actually do quite a bit more with less staff and less money. As a veteran of law firm marketing and communications, I felt extremely confident in including these firms because I know what they are about and I know their people. The valuation of all the firms is reflective of programs that are differentiators in the world of law firms and in many ways mirror Corporate America's marketing programs.

Just to reiterate the criteria for selection that was used to evaluate each firm:

• Marketing Strategy. The formal plan.
• Results. Measurable ROI
• Marketing Department-Staffing. Job descriptions and ratios of staff to lawyers.
• Communications/Public Relations/Media Relations. State objectives, strategies, planning and implementation. Where possible demonstrate integration with marketing programs. Tie results achieved to planned objectives.
• Commitment. Marketing requirements for partners and associates, training programs, percentage of gross revenue as applied to marketing; participation of marketing partner on governing body of firm.
• Advertising and Visual Communications. Approach, implementation and one example of a return on investment.
• Web Site and Firm Blogs. Development, look and feel, leads and clients from visitors and clients, increase in traffic or search engine ranking.
• Client Service Programs. Goal setting, client service teams, client surveys, metrics and ROI.
• Outreach. Community activities, pro bono and diversity programs that utilize marketing strategy and communications.

Not every firm that made the list included all of the criteria enumerated above. At my recommendation, some firms selected one or more of the criteria and focused on those areas of interest in which they stand out above all others. In the research I did for the firms that did not do formal submissions, I looked for firms that stood out in one or more of the criteria.

Bingham McCutchen

Bingham McCutchen came in at number one for a very good reason. They have a plan and an extremely sophisticated approach. Elizabeth G. “Libby” Chambers, the firm's Chief Marketing and Strategy Officer, has created a full-service, professional marketing and communications program that speaks to leadership, commitment, strategy and implementation. Frankly, and with no disrespect, only a couple of firms came close in describing their programs. While Bingham McCutchen's 2004-05 marketing and communications program was highly ambitious, each item was described in a manner that indicates where the firm is going and how it plans to achieve its goals. Bingham McCutchen intends to make their presence known in a variety of ways.

Duane Morris

Duane Morris is being singled out in three areas: leadership in marketing; its utilization of technology to foster business development; and the marketing of its affiliate businesses. Under Edward M. Schechter, the firm's Chief Marketing Officer, Duane Morris has developed a marketing and communications strategy and implemented a plan that has moved the firm from being a regional Philadelphia presence to an international firm. The firm supports its attorneys in the practice of law with a myriad of resources. Trade publications have placed Duane Morris in the upper echelon of firms in terms of utilizing technology.

Goodwin Procter

Goodwin Procter's positioning efforts and marketing strategy begin with, and are based upon, the firm's overall vision, values, objectives and overall strategy. Anne Malloy Tucker, the firm's Chief Marketing Officer, believes that the strength of a firm's marketing initiatives is grounded in the strength of its overall strategic plan. The firm is actively involved in driving and participating in the firm's strategic and business planning efforts.

The firm's strategy begins with the development of an overall firm-wide plan and fully integrated marketing plans for each of its areas of strategic focus as defined through the firm-wide strategic planning process ' private equity, technology companies, intellectual property, financial services, real estate capital markets and products liability. The plans, based upon each practice's annual business plan, include a client development and relationship building component, prospect lists coupled with individual attorney action plans, and tactical components involving public/media relations, industry conferences and events and collateral materials.

Jones Day

Jones Day entered the marketing arena early. Their first marketing manager was appointed in the mid-1980s. By the late 1980s, they had hired a “real” marketing director. By the time Cherie Olland, Global Director of Business Development and Communications, came on the scene in 1991, the firm had made steady forward progress ' not only toward establishing a true marketing function, but also toward establishing pockets of “believers” within the lawyer ranks. That incremental forward motion created the momentum that has led Jones Day to where it is today: One of the most active and experienced marketing organizations of any large firm ' an organization that has seen the firm more than double in size over the course of a decade.

Latham & Watkins

As law firm marketing and communications programs have become more sophisticated and competitive, Latham & Watkins has developed a dynamic structure and strategy throughout its worldwide network of 22 offices. Best described as a “think globally, act locally” approach, led by Chief Marketing Officer, Despina Kartson (based in New York), the Latham global business development (BD) team includes more than 70 staff members. Senior managers head up the major business development BD functions at the global level: Practice Area Development; Client Programs; Creative Services; Public Relations & Internal Communications; Information Systems; Research & Analysis; and U.S. and European Business Development. Local office managers coordinate with the global managers and together form teams that are responsive to the particular needs of an office, practice group, client prospect or project. This inclusive, flexible and non-hierarchal approach ensures that the correct talent and resources are brought to bear ' much in the same manner Latham's attorneys approach their client mandates.

The MLF 50 ' The Top 50 Law Firms in Marketing and Communications appeared in a special September/October issue of MLF. Here are some of the highlights of that issue, including mention of the top five firms.

At the outset, let me say that while I would have liked to get the good counsel of the original advisory group in assisting with the final decision making in compiling the list, as I went through the close to 3-month process of evaluating each firm in order to create the list, it became abundantly clear to me that I needed to be at the helm as to: a) who would be on the list; and b) where each firm would rank on the list. I'm being perfectly honest with my readership because I think it is important to realize that if anyone has an issue with this list, the buck stops with me. I took great care in making the selections for this list, which I believe is reflective of the best marketing and communications programs within law firms.

The firms that made the list were chosen on the basis of their accomplishments and not as much about their staffing or budgets. While these aspects were taken into consideration, the number of staffers and the budgets did not affect the final listing. Some firms actually do quite a bit more with less staff and less money. As a veteran of law firm marketing and communications, I felt extremely confident in including these firms because I know what they are about and I know their people. The valuation of all the firms is reflective of programs that are differentiators in the world of law firms and in many ways mirror Corporate America's marketing programs.

Just to reiterate the criteria for selection that was used to evaluate each firm:

• Marketing Strategy. The formal plan.
• Results. Measurable ROI
• Marketing Department-Staffing. Job descriptions and ratios of staff to lawyers.
• Communications/Public Relations/Media Relations. State objectives, strategies, planning and implementation. Where possible demonstrate integration with marketing programs. Tie results achieved to planned objectives.
• Commitment. Marketing requirements for partners and associates, training programs, percentage of gross revenue as applied to marketing; participation of marketing partner on governing body of firm.
• Advertising and Visual Communications. Approach, implementation and one example of a return on investment.
• Web Site and Firm Blogs. Development, look and feel, leads and clients from visitors and clients, increase in traffic or search engine ranking.
• Client Service Programs. Goal setting, client service teams, client surveys, metrics and ROI.
• Outreach. Community activities, pro bono and diversity programs that utilize marketing strategy and communications.

Not every firm that made the list included all of the criteria enumerated above. At my recommendation, some firms selected one or more of the criteria and focused on those areas of interest in which they stand out above all others. In the research I did for the firms that did not do formal submissions, I looked for firms that stood out in one or more of the criteria.

Bingham McCutchen

Bingham McCutchen came in at number one for a very good reason. They have a plan and an extremely sophisticated approach. Elizabeth G. “Libby” Chambers, the firm's Chief Marketing and Strategy Officer, has created a full-service, professional marketing and communications program that speaks to leadership, commitment, strategy and implementation. Frankly, and with no disrespect, only a couple of firms came close in describing their programs. While Bingham McCutchen's 2004-05 marketing and communications program was highly ambitious, each item was described in a manner that indicates where the firm is going and how it plans to achieve its goals. Bingham McCutchen intends to make their presence known in a variety of ways.

Duane Morris

Duane Morris is being singled out in three areas: leadership in marketing; its utilization of technology to foster business development; and the marketing of its affiliate businesses. Under Edward M. Schechter, the firm's Chief Marketing Officer, Duane Morris has developed a marketing and communications strategy and implemented a plan that has moved the firm from being a regional Philadelphia presence to an international firm. The firm supports its attorneys in the practice of law with a myriad of resources. Trade publications have placed Duane Morris in the upper echelon of firms in terms of utilizing technology.

Goodwin Procter

Goodwin Procter's positioning efforts and marketing strategy begin with, and are based upon, the firm's overall vision, values, objectives and overall strategy. Anne Malloy Tucker, the firm's Chief Marketing Officer, believes that the strength of a firm's marketing initiatives is grounded in the strength of its overall strategic plan. The firm is actively involved in driving and participating in the firm's strategic and business planning efforts.

The firm's strategy begins with the development of an overall firm-wide plan and fully integrated marketing plans for each of its areas of strategic focus as defined through the firm-wide strategic planning process ' private equity, technology companies, intellectual property, financial services, real estate capital markets and products liability. The plans, based upon each practice's annual business plan, include a client development and relationship building component, prospect lists coupled with individual attorney action plans, and tactical components involving public/media relations, industry conferences and events and collateral materials.

Jones Day

Jones Day entered the marketing arena early. Their first marketing manager was appointed in the mid-1980s. By the late 1980s, they had hired a “real” marketing director. By the time Cherie Olland, Global Director of Business Development and Communications, came on the scene in 1991, the firm had made steady forward progress ' not only toward establishing a true marketing function, but also toward establishing pockets of “believers” within the lawyer ranks. That incremental forward motion created the momentum that has led Jones Day to where it is today: One of the most active and experienced marketing organizations of any large firm ' an organization that has seen the firm more than double in size over the course of a decade.

Latham & Watkins

As law firm marketing and communications programs have become more sophisticated and competitive, Latham & Watkins has developed a dynamic structure and strategy throughout its worldwide network of 22 offices. Best described as a “think globally, act locally” approach, led by Chief Marketing Officer, Despina Kartson (based in New York), the Latham global business development (BD) team includes more than 70 staff members. Senior managers head up the major business development BD functions at the global level: Practice Area Development; Client Programs; Creative Services; Public Relations & Internal Communications; Information Systems; Research & Analysis; and U.S. and European Business Development. Local office managers coordinate with the global managers and together form teams that are responsive to the particular needs of an office, practice group, client prospect or project. This inclusive, flexible and non-hierarchal approach ensures that the correct talent and resources are brought to bear ' much in the same manner Latham's attorneys approach their client mandates.