Two Smaller Firms with Marketing on Their Minds

Last month, we highlighted the Top Five firms from The Fifth-Anniversary MLF 50. This month, Numbers Six and Seven from the Top 10 are featured. Fitzpatrick, Cella, Harper & Scinto and Pryor Cashman are profiled here as firms that literally “made a move” and used marketing in ways that increased their exposure and their business.

NUMBER SIX

FITZPATRICK, CELLA, HARPER & SCINTO

When Fitzpatrick, Cella, Harper & Scinto moved its offices, albeit only two blocks away from its original location, the question became, “Is there a business development and marketing opportunity here?” The answer from Director of Business Development and Marketing Linda Ficano: “Absolutely!” Let me say that I am a huge fan of the firm's Web presence, which announces, “We are IP.” It is a bold statement, but given Fitzpatrick's history, it is an accurate statement as well. Now on to what Linda accomplished this year.

Under her direction, an ad publicizing the firm's move to new space ran in the prestigious publications already contracted for ad space as part of the firm's 2009 advertising campaign. The same visual communication used in the ad was also used in the firm announcement to reinforce the message. The firm's new home is state-of-the art and Fitzpatrick is very proud of the new space. Using the image of the building, the designers at Neo Design Group created the announcement to complement other collateral material.

Anyone with a long history in law firm marketing knows how difficult it can be to successfully change a firm's letterhead and business card design. Although most of Fitzpatrick's visual communications material was upgraded a few years prior, with the move it became necessary to reprint business cards and letterhead. Here, then, was an opportunity to showcase not only the new space, but a new look and feel to Fitzpatrick. Linda collected samples of many law firms' business cards and letterheads, and the Chair of the Business Development and Marketing Committee, Brian Slater, met with the Management Committee to get the go-ahead for a redesign. The result is a coordinated and integrated look that captures a modern feel ' again reinforcing its Web presence and new space.

In addition to the move, in March of this year, Fitzpatrick elected Colleen Tracy to become Managing Partner. Shortly after, a representative from Diversity & The Bar magazine asked the firm if it was interested in running an ad in their special Corporate Counsel edition. It was decided that running an ad announcing Colleen's appointment to Managing Partner would highlight the fact that the firm had made great strides in diversity. The ad appeared in the July/August edition of the publication. (As a champion of women in law, I applaud Fitzpatrick for electing Colleen Tracy as Managing Partner. Colleen sits on the Board of the Women in Law Empowerment Forum (WILEF), the organization that I co-founded. In June of this year Colleen was a speaker on WILEF's leadership program.) This type of outreach clearly shows Fitzpatrick's commitment to diversity and in particular women in law.

It's an exciting time at Fitzpatrick and I believe that in “remaking” the firm's visual presence, Fitzpatrick is not only “IP,” but stands to gain countless more “BD” (as in business development) opportunities.

NUMBER SEVEN

PRYOR CASHMAN

Another firm that “made a move” did it with gusto. While the current economic climate has brought on considerable challenges for most firms, it has ushered in new opportunities for Pryor Cashman. The firm has hired additional attorneys and, in July 2009, increased its space to 100,000 square feet of prime, state-of-the art office space in Times Square Tower high above Broadway in New York City. This move from the firm's offices at Park Avenue, where it had been based for 38 years, was motivated by Pryor Cashman's commitment to maintaining lean overhead and avoiding debt. Coincidently, on the day the firm announced its move, Crain's New York Business named Pryor Cashman among the “Best Places to Work” in New York City.

I recently visited Pryor Cashman and met with its Marketing Manager Elizabeth A. Wall. Liz is responsible for all things marketing. She took me on a tour of the firm's new offices, which are breathtaking. High above the city, the offices have panoramic views of New York City (and “on a clear day you can see forever”) including, but not limited to, a view of the famous “New Year's Eve Ball.” Liz introduced me to several people, including the Marketing Partner Philip Hoffman, who works closely with her to implement Pryor Cashman's marketing strategy. The firm's good fortune did not happen overnight. Strategic guidance, tactical leadership, and a solid marketing program have been the keys to success for the 125-attorney firm.

Pryor Cashman, recently recognized by the National Law Journal for demonstrating creative and innovative strategies to stay competitive, is also a tight-knit family where every attorney recognizes that he or she is part of a team working together as one for the benefit of the entire firm. The firm's marketing team has reinforced that sense of camaraderie and loyalty by bringing together attorneys from many different practice areas and showing them how to work in tandem in marketing the many skills and strengths of Pryor Cashman.

The firm's move to 7 Times Square was a major event in its history and the marketing department, which was responsible for letting the world know about the move, developed and launched a multifaceted strategic plan, which commenced months before the July 2009 move and continues to date, to let Pryor Cashman's target audiences, including clients and the media, know about the move. Visual communications included:

1. In May 2009, two months prior to the move, the marketing department included a tagline below all attorney e-mail signatures alerting recipients that, as of July 6, the firm's new home would be at 7 Times Square (with all other contact information remaining the same).

2. In addition to stories about the upcoming move on the firm's Web site (the move was widely reported in the New York legal and business press), Pryor Cashman also added a notice on the home page alerting viewers to the move.

3. Attractive “buck slips,” featuring photos of the firm's new building and the Times Square area, were inserted into invoices and other mailings to clients.

4. The marketing staff used the firm's electronic newsletter, “Pryorities,” as a communication vehicle to announce the news to over 10,000 contacts and designed a catchy and creative eCard announcement to ensure that every firm contact was notified of the change of address.

The marketing department's efforts did not end once the move was complete. Indeed, within days of the firm's move into its attractive new space, all attorneys were encouraged to contact clients and invite them to see it. Attorneys were excited and thrilled to show off the prime location. These mini tours of the space, which continue to date, have led to ideal opportunities to mine for new business and to cross-sell other Practice Areas. Attorneys have used these tours not only to show off the space, but also to introduce clients to other lawyers in the firm who may be of assistance to them.

Pryor Cashman attorneys were not only quoted in scores of articles in print and online, but also appeared on numerous television and cable news programs, with many of the interviews taking place right in the firm's offices or at nearby media outlets, all of which are conveniently located close to the firm's new space.

In 2009, Pryor Cashman implemented a program to further improve client communication while creating an accurate, up-to-date customer contact database for targeted marketing. Its marketing department began working with an outside vendor to create an e-mail distribution system that allows for timely distribution of firm news and information electronically. In announcing the firm's move, this new technology streamlined the process and also allowed for the creation of a creative, eye-catching e-card without incurring the additional cost of hiring an outside designer. The marketing department makes sure that all client alerts and announcements filter through it, thus ensuring that each communication reaches its intended recipient in a timely manner. Using an opt-in/opt out feature, the marketing department is responsible for making sure that designated contacts only receive alerts and announcements on topics that are of interest to them.

Strategies like those described above give Pryor Cashman a decisive edge. The firm continues to practice law the way it was always meant to be, emphasizing strong personal connections, high-level attention to all client matters and utilizing marketing to its best advantage.

Conclusion

While not megafirms by size, both Fitzpatrick, Cella, Harper & Scinto and Pryor Cashman clearly understand how marketing can make a firm appear “bigger and better.” We applaud their efforts.

Elizabeth Anne 'Betiayn' Tursi is Editor-in-Chief of this newsletter.

Last month, we highlighted the Top Five firms from The Fifth-Anniversary MLF 50. This month, Numbers Six and Seven from the Top 10 are featured. Fitzpatrick, Cella, Harper & Scinto and Pryor Cashman are profiled here as firms that literally “made a move” and used marketing in ways that increased their exposure and their business.

NUMBER SIX

FITZPATRICK, CELLA, HARPER & SCINTO

When Fitzpatrick, Cella, Harper & Scinto moved its offices, albeit only two blocks away from its original location, the question became, “Is there a business development and marketing opportunity here?” The answer from Director of Business Development and Marketing Linda Ficano: “Absolutely!” Let me say that I am a huge fan of the firm's Web presence, which announces, “We are IP.” It is a bold statement, but given Fitzpatrick's history, it is an accurate statement as well. Now on to what Linda accomplished this year.

Under her direction, an ad publicizing the firm's move to new space ran in the prestigious publications already contracted for ad space as part of the firm's 2009 advertising campaign. The same visual communication used in the ad was also used in the firm announcement to reinforce the message. The firm's new home is state-of-the art and Fitzpatrick is very proud of the new space. Using the image of the building, the designers at Neo Design Group created the announcement to complement other collateral material.

Anyone with a long history in law firm marketing knows how difficult it can be to successfully change a firm's letterhead and business card design. Although most of Fitzpatrick's visual communications material was upgraded a few years prior, with the move it became necessary to reprint business cards and letterhead. Here, then, was an opportunity to showcase not only the new space, but a new look and feel to Fitzpatrick. Linda collected samples of many law firms' business cards and letterheads, and the Chair of the Business Development and Marketing Committee, Brian Slater, met with the Management Committee to get the go-ahead for a redesign. The result is a coordinated and integrated look that captures a modern feel ' again reinforcing its Web presence and new space.

In addition to the move, in March of this year, Fitzpatrick elected Colleen Tracy to become Managing Partner. Shortly after, a representative from Diversity & The Bar magazine asked the firm if it was interested in running an ad in their special Corporate Counsel edition. It was decided that running an ad announcing Colleen's appointment to Managing Partner would highlight the fact that the firm had made great strides in diversity. The ad appeared in the July/August edition of the publication. (As a champion of women in law, I applaud Fitzpatrick for electing Colleen Tracy as Managing Partner. Colleen sits on the Board of the Women in Law Empowerment Forum (WILEF), the organization that I co-founded. In June of this year Colleen was a speaker on WILEF's leadership program.) This type of outreach clearly shows Fitzpatrick's commitment to diversity and in particular women in law.

It's an exciting time at Fitzpatrick and I believe that in “remaking” the firm's visual presence, Fitzpatrick is not only “IP,” but stands to gain countless more “BD” (as in business development) opportunities.

NUMBER SEVEN

PRYOR CASHMAN

Another firm that “made a move” did it with gusto. While the current economic climate has brought on considerable challenges for most firms, it has ushered in new opportunities for Pryor Cashman. The firm has hired additional attorneys and, in July 2009, increased its space to 100,000 square feet of prime, state-of-the art office space in Times Square Tower high above Broadway in New York City. This move from the firm's offices at Park Avenue, where it had been based for 38 years, was motivated by Pryor Cashman's commitment to maintaining lean overhead and avoiding debt. Coincidently, on the day the firm announced its move, Crain's New York Business named Pryor Cashman among the “Best Places to Work” in New York City.

I recently visited Pryor Cashman and met with its Marketing Manager Elizabeth A. Wall. Liz is responsible for all things marketing. She took me on a tour of the firm's new offices, which are breathtaking. High above the city, the offices have panoramic views of New York City (and “on a clear day you can see forever”) including, but not limited to, a view of the famous “New Year's Eve Ball.” Liz introduced me to several people, including the Marketing Partner Philip Hoffman, who works closely with her to implement Pryor Cashman's marketing strategy. The firm's good fortune did not happen overnight. Strategic guidance, tactical leadership, and a solid marketing program have been the keys to success for the 125-attorney firm.

Pryor Cashman, recently recognized by the National Law Journal for demonstrating creative and innovative strategies to stay competitive, is also a tight-knit family where every attorney recognizes that he or she is part of a team working together as one for the benefit of the entire firm. The firm's marketing team has reinforced that sense of camaraderie and loyalty by bringing together attorneys from many different practice areas and showing them how to work in tandem in marketing the many skills and strengths of Pryor Cashman.

The firm's move to 7 Times Square was a major event in its history and the marketing department, which was responsible for letting the world know about the move, developed and launched a multifaceted strategic plan, which commenced months before the July 2009 move and continues to date, to let Pryor Cashman's target audiences, including clients and the media, know about the move. Visual communications included:

1. In May 2009, two months prior to the move, the marketing department included a tagline below all attorney e-mail signatures alerting recipients that, as of July 6, the firm's new home would be at 7 Times Square (with all other contact information remaining the same).

2. In addition to stories about the upcoming move on the firm's Web site (the move was widely reported in the New York legal and business press), Pryor Cashman also added a notice on the home page alerting viewers to the move.

3. Attractive “buck slips,” featuring photos of the firm's new building and the Times Square area, were inserted into invoices and other mailings to clients.

4. The marketing staff used the firm's electronic newsletter, “Pryorities,” as a communication vehicle to announce the news to over 10,000 contacts and designed a catchy and creative eCard announcement to ensure that every firm contact was notified of the change of address.

The marketing department's efforts did not end once the move was complete. Indeed, within days of the firm's move into its attractive new space, all attorneys were encouraged to contact clients and invite them to see it. Attorneys were excited and thrilled to show off the prime location. These mini tours of the space, which continue to date, have led to ideal opportunities to mine for new business and to cross-sell other Practice Areas. Attorneys have used these tours not only to show off the space, but also to introduce clients to other lawyers in the firm who may be of assistance to them.

Pryor Cashman attorneys were not only quoted in scores of articles in print and online, but also appeared on numerous television and cable news programs, with many of the interviews taking place right in the firm's offices or at nearby media outlets, all of which are conveniently located close to the firm's new space.

In 2009, Pryor Cashman implemented a program to further improve client communication while creating an accurate, up-to-date customer contact database for targeted marketing. Its marketing department began working with an outside vendor to create an e-mail distribution system that allows for timely distribution of firm news and information electronically. In announcing the firm's move, this new technology streamlined the process and also allowed for the creation of a creative, eye-catching e-card without incurring the additional cost of hiring an outside designer. The marketing department makes sure that all client alerts and announcements filter through it, thus ensuring that each communication reaches its intended recipient in a timely manner. Using an opt-in/opt out feature, the marketing department is responsible for making sure that designated contacts only receive alerts and announcements on topics that are of interest to them.

Strategies like those described above give Pryor Cashman a decisive edge. The firm continues to practice law the way it was always meant to be, emphasizing strong personal connections, high-level attention to all client matters and utilizing marketing to its best advantage.

Conclusion

While not megafirms by size, both Fitzpatrick, Cella, Harper & Scinto and Pryor Cashman clearly understand how marketing can make a firm appear “bigger and better.” We applaud their efforts.

Elizabeth Anne 'Betiayn' Tursi is Editor-in-Chief of this newsletter.