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 […]
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 […]
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, […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
Create relevant website content that drives search engine and human traffic – Guest Post by Janet Ellen Raasch
“Site Optimization and Online Awareness” is the 8th of the Ten Foundational Best Practices for law firm websites. “Lawyer Biographies” and “Content (Other than Bios)” are 4 and 5, respectively. In 2005, I launched the AmLaw 100 Websites: Ten Foundational Best Practices research because I determined that law firms were […]
New Website Case Study: California firm Downey Brand (downeybrand.com)
For more than 80 years, Downey Brand lawyers have been key figures and played pivotal roles in the growth of Northern California and Northern Nevada. Advancing both public and private interests, Downey Brand clients are frequently at the center of the region’s most strategic and vital activities and investments. While […]
To win more business, don’t underestimate the value of visceral appeal.
For more than two decades we have known that corporate counsel and other buyers of legal services have two levels of decision-making. They make an intellectual decision when creating their short list, evaluating expertise, perceived technical skill, and other features that are important to them – geographical reach, depth, rates […]
A champagne toast to a grand 2014 – and my one piece of New Year advice
Many law firm consultants, prognosticators and pundits have written long blog posts and articles with predictions for law firms in 2014. Given that website visitors don't read (they scan), I prefer tiny bites of information and opinions, as opposed to having to scroll to China. I have several predictions this […]
A big year of awards and enhancements for Content Pilot
As the founder of Content Pilot, I am proud when the company and team I have built does well. Our biggest test of success is how our clients feel about us. Every engagement – regardless of size or client – means the world to us, and our mission is to […]
Ouch! Thinking about designing a law firm mobile app? Read this review first.
If you are thinking it’s a good idea to launch a mobile app for your law firm, first read this review by Jeff Taylor. Jeff is a lawyer in Oklahoma who writes a popular blog called, “The Droid Lawyer.” This is a scathing review of Sidley & Austin’s mobile app […]
Good advice about lawyers’ productivity, but marketers are getting a bad rap
Jack Bostelman wrote a blog post about Wells Fargo's Q3 law firm financial survey and the AmLaw 200 firms' weak showing in 2013. Here are the results in a nutshell: Gross revenue increased 2.5% Expenses also increased 2.5% Total hours billed declined 0.75% and hours per lawyer declined 1.1% Effective […]
Results: 2013 AmLaw 100 Websites: Ten Foundational Best Practices Research – Part I
I just presented the Keynote address at the 2013 LMA Legal Tech Conference in San Francisco, previewing the results of the 2013 AmLaw 100 Websites research findings. Congratulations and thanks to Clare Ota and Adam Stock for organizing a sold-out, superior conference. Sponsored by Content Pilot LLC and supported by […]