Having high standards for your law firm’s equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) is easy. Achieving the results you’re hoping for is hard. There has been more lip service given to this topic than any other in the last decade by law firms and the company leaders who hire them. There […]
The 2018 ILTA Marketing Technology Survey is Ready!
For the first time ever – and because demand is sky-rocketing – ILTA has released its 2018 Marketing Technology Survey to benchmark the state of our industry. You can access the survey here: www.surveymonkey.com/r/ILTAMarketingTechnologySurvey. Law firm marketing technology professionals, processes and tools have been increasing exponentially over recent years, yet there […]
Law Firm Marketing on the Internet: The Perfect Marriage of Law, Business Development and Technology
How does a firm get noticed and compete with the tens of millions of posts on social media today? Where is the best money invested for the greatest return? Receive a 35% discount on the webinar by using the promo code: DMcMurray105702
Fall in love again – this time with your firm’s experience.
According to the Lexis Nexis 2017 Law Firm Marketing and Business Development Survey, the responding firms are currently spending 15% of their 2-5% total marketing budget on technology. And, answering the question, “How will your firm’s investment in [all] categories change in 2017 compared to prior years,” more than 80% (!!!) […]
Live from New Orleans at the 2018 LMA Conference!
We are proud to announce the launch of our new website – contentpilot.com. We always say we are designing for our client firms five years in the future – and yes, we are about 5 years behind launching this, but we promise that today’s website reflects Content Pilot today […]
2018 LMA Annual Conference – New Orleans, LA
Join Content Pilot April 9th – 11th at the 2018 LMA Annual Conference in New Orleans, Louisiana. Be sure to stop by the Content Pilot Booth and say hi!
Mergers Continue at Record Pace, But Firms should still pay attention to the red flags – Guest Post by Bob Denney
Altman Weil MergerLine tracks law firm mergers of virtually any size, and they report that 2017 is a banner year. Those of us who are embedded in the legal industry knew this, but it’s important to have the data supporting all the water-cooler conversations – and happy hours over Pinot […]
Best Practices for Law Firm Websites – an Interview with Deborah McMurray by Aprio Advisors
I was recently interviewed for an article called, “Best Practices for Law Firm Websites.” It was an honor to talk passionately about how law firms can build world-class websites with the Aprio Advisors interviewer. They have posted the article on a rich news portal called, “What’s Next” – The insights […]
Website Best Practices – an Interview with 6 Web and Design Experts – by Nicholas Gaffney
This article first appeared in LAW PRACTICE TODAY on April 14, 2017. A moderated panel by Nicholas Gaffney. Websites have come a long way since the original online brochure. Today’s websites not only offer information about a firm’s people and practices, they’re designed to […]
Expert Insights: Modernizing the Legal Pitch Process – an eBook by HighQ
HighQ recently published an eBook, “Expert Insights: Modernizing the Legal Pitch Process,” for which I wrote a segment. My excerpt is below. Buyers of legal services purchase on two levels – when they are formulating their short list, they are making a technical and intellectual evaluation – jurisdiction, particular expertise, […]
Lawyer’s Guide to Marketing on the Internet, 4th Edition – Ready to Order! By Greg Siskind and Deborah McMurray
Lawyers in firms of all sizes will benefit from the advice, trends and best practices that fill this new book just published by the American Bar Association’s Law Practice Management Section. Use this resource to transform your website, email, social media and overall online strategy. Get closer to target prospects […]
Strategic Experience Databases in Law Firm Mergers – that’s my 2017 prediction
I am always proud to be included in Dave Billinsky’s legal industry predictions for the New Year. His Thoughtful Law Blog is read by anyone who wants to improve the way they manage and run law firms and legal practices. Here is my submission as we look ahead to 2017 […]
Content Pilot Releases the Full Research Study and Report: “How do they Measure Up? 2016 Global 50 Law Firm Websites: Ten Foundational Best Practices”
DALLAS, TEXAS – Content Pilot LLC announced today that it is making public the results of its 6th comprehensive analysis of the websites of the largest law firms in the world, based on Ten Foundational Best Practices. The 2016 AmLaw Global 50 law firms consist of 40 firms “headquartered” in the […]
What lawyers can learn from CBS Sportscasting legend, Verne Lundquist.
I’ve written a lot of posts that start with, “What lawyers (or law firms) can learn from …” Search by that phrase on my blog and you’ll find posts about fabulous and lousy expensive restaurants, unexpectedly terrific hotel experiences, travel, dentistry, vacuum cleaners, brand launches and more. It’s always grounded and […]
Results – 2016 Global 50 Websites: Ten Foundational Best Practices – Executive Summary
Introduction We have finished the 6th analysis of the world’s top law firm websites based on Ten Foundational Best Practices. The first study in 2005 set precedent by identifying the top ten foundational things law firms must do to ensure their websites were satisfying what visitors wanted. It was the […]
Marketing Technology is the new Black – but success in a law firm requires some rules
I just spoke at the sold-out-standing-room-only LMA Tech Midwest (#LMATech) conference in Chicago. It was the first Legal Marketing Association tech conference held in the Midwest, but it followed in the very successful footsteps of its older brother, LMA Tech, which takes place in San Francisco each year. The audience […]
Content Pilot Announces “2016 Global 50 Law Firm Websites: Ten Foundational Best Practices”
Content Pilot announced that it has begun the research for its next study, “Global 50 Law Firm Websites: Ten Foundational Best Practices.” This is the 6th such study, which focuses on identifying and establishing foundational best practices that matter to visitors, and that, based on client interviews, move the needle […]
When millennials become law firm leaders, how will they communicate to clients?
It’s no surprise that millennials like to text. I do, too, and often I prefer it – and the more deliberate emailing – to speaking on the phone. It just depends on what I need to accomplish. My goal of effective communication (i.e., understanding and being understood) always trumps the medium […]
“Don’t Waste a Perfectly Good Crisis”
"Don't waste a perfectly good crisis, " is what I heard from a law firm managing partner whose firm has recently gone through some challenging times. It's not just a great lesson in optimism, it's important for us all to remember as we encounter and confront challenges – and identify […]
Experience Management is not an “initiative” – it’s got to be in your firm’s DNA
Here is a snapshot of how law firms approach the topic of “Experience Management:” It’s someone else’s job – “Put a few people together from IT and marketing and see what you can come up with. Make a recommendation. Don’t bother the lawyers.” Toe in the water – “See if you can […]
Lawyers and CPAs – This January, resolve to make your bios move the needle – Make them 3-D
Doing anything that moves the needle is hard. All the “I resolve to do this and that (eat more kale / break a sweat / cook more / drink less)” business requires so much diligence and determination that, by now, most resolutions are on the cutting room floor. I used […]
2016 Law Firm Predictions are Popular, and I feel optimistic about these
Many bloggers offer predictions for a bright, shiny New Year ahead. I am no exception. In fact, I have been asked by several to include my two-cents in their group of august prognosticators. Here are two of my contributions below. Posted on the Lexis Nexis Business of Law Blog: “Beautiful Minds: […]
Should we even try to be healthy on Thanksgiving???
For the last several years, I have devoted my Wednesday before Thanksgiving blog post to giving thanks (of course) and food (of course). Three years ago, I shared my “Perfect Mashed Potatoes” and another year my “Cornbread Sausage Dressing” – both are sublime and I urge you to try them. However, […]
Lawyers as the “Wounded Healers” – and other reasons they suffer from depression and addiction – Guest Post by Jim Dolan
Working with lawyers more than 30 years has taught me that they are as different as snowflakes or fingerprints. Any attempt to broadly categorize them as this or that is neither helpful in gaining a better understanding, nor fair. After all, I wouldn’t want someone to look at me and […]
Website Case Study: Kaplan Kirsch – Not your typical law firm
Kaplan Kirsch & Rockwell is a 17-lawyer firm with a remarkable story to tell. Operating out of two offices in Denver and Washington, DC, lawyers’ work and clients span the U.S. Kaplan Kirsch handles the legal work for the country’s most visible and important infrastructure, transportation and landmark projects. And, […]
Branding and Website Case Study: Louisiana Litigation Boutique Keogh Cox
Investing in smart strategy isn’t just a big firm luxury. Increasingly, aggressive, ambitious boutique firms with a good story are spending time and money to design plans to make smarter short- and long-term choices. Keogh Cox, with one office in Baton Rouge, LA, is one such firm. With a 45-year […]
“Lean Data” makes more sense for law firms than big data.
Big Data is getting bigger. According to research firm IDC, big data services and technologies will grow at a compounded rate of 27%, exceeding $32 billion by 2017. The greatest challenge is knowing how to make it work for us in a law firm – how can we learn from it, […]
What Lawyers can learn from “A focus group of one” – and dispelling the illusion that you’re right
I’ve taken a hiatus from my blog for a variety of reasons – other than my normal workload, I’m co-authoring a book with Greg Siskind (The Lawyer’s Guide to Marketing on the Internet, 4th Edition, published by the Law Practice Management Section of the American Bar Association), and I fell, […]
What law firms can learn from OpenTable’s new Brand
OpenTable has become ubiquitous among busy professionals who want a personal valet to make reservations for us, check menus for gluten-free options, find out what other like-minded diners had to say about food, service, atmosphere and noise – and to fundamentally make our lives easier. The promise they make is […]
Law firms+data+marketers: the love-hate relationship between marketing and math
The first “marketing and math” presentation I gave was for the now-defunct Marketing Directors’ Institute conference 15 or so years ago. It was, looking back on it, rudimentary – but it was a start. I told the law firm marketing audience to care about client and matter profitability, realization and […]
Survey findings: Trends in Experience Management and Proposals
In November 2014, Content Pilot conducted a survey of senior law firm marketing, business development and proposal executives to identify trends in experience management and proposals. We are hosting a dozen “CP Rounds” Round Table 56 respondents completed the survey – 73% were headquartered in the U.S. and 27% had […]
Good ideas, true creativity and brilliant design – how are they received?
For every dazzling creative idea we have, for every unique and differentiating strategy, we need an audience. People who have open hearts and minds who will see that our approach is precisely what they need just when they need it. It actually happens sometimes, and it’s exhilarating to be on […]
Richard Hsu connects with lawyer (a/k/a) celebrities in a unique way (Hsu Untied)
Writing my first blog post in 2015, I wanted to choose a topic that would have broad appeal. I’ve written about technology/IP/M&A lawyer Richard Hsu several times. The first time was nearly three years ago when I first read his definition of strategy. I’m including it here, because every New […]
5 pieces of year-beginning advice from 5 top legal marketers – a/k/a the “5x5s”
There is a blizzard of year-end advice and year-in-review recaps on blogs, news reports, Twitter and other media. I am fatigued by looking back, so I offer these 5x5s that were presented at the November 7, 2014 LMA Texas Regional Conference by five senior legal marketing and business development authorities. […]
What courage looks like in a law firm.
Jordan Furlong, legal industry consultant and popular blogger, and I have recently been emailing about “courage” and what it means to lawyers and their clients. He just published a penetrating post called “What Leadership Really Means,” that gets to the heart of courage and why it’s so important for lawyers to […]
Law firm innovation – Read the TED takeaways and 10 “Shark Tank” presentations from the 2014 Futures Conference
I am happy to share this “insider’s” view of the 2014 Futures Conference at Suffolk University Law School October 16-17 in Boston. Following Tom Sager’s keynote, three TED-style speakers (Jeff Carr, Abe Geiger and Ron Staudt) each spoke for eight minutes, then 10 facilitated teams of attendees dispersed to classrooms […]
Still buzzing about the 2014 Futures Conference at Suffolk Law School in Boston
If you want a running commentary of the 2014 Futures Conference, search for #COLPM2014 on Twitter. It’s an excellent, real-time, meat-of-the-matter summary of the six TED-style talks, Tom Sager’s keynote, our ten facilitated breakout teams and their “Shark Tank” presentations to our judges. The program was designed around innovative thinking […]
2014 Futures Conference on Legal Innovation will Break the Mold – October 16-17
What happens when you put 150 legal practice innovators together with 10 pioneers and leading-edge thinkers for two days of brainstorming and problem-solving at one of the country’s most innovative law schools? One can only imagine the possibilities! On October 16-17, 2014, The College of Law Practice Management will host […]
What law firms can learn from perfect food and wine pairings at Beausoleil in Baton Rouge
Thanks to a generous and well organized client in Baton Rouge, powerhouse litigation boutique Keogh Cox & Wilson, I was treated to a food and wine extravaganza at Beausoleil Restaurant & Bar. Partners on the Keogh Cox management committee brainstormed with executive chef and owner, Nathan Gresham (also former chef […]
New Website Case Study: Super Regional Firm Winstead (winstead.com)
Here is what 300-lawyer Winstead explains to website visitors, and it’s why a buyer of legal services should take a look a them: “Destination: Wherever you need to go” represents Winstead’s attitude, as well as the vastness of our experience and technical resources that clients rely on. Clients in virtually […]