"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 […]
2016 LMA Your Honor Awards Winners!
Content Pilot won three Your Honor Awards in the website category at the 2016 LMA International Conference. Congratulations to Kaplan Kirsch, Keogh Cox and Gray Reed! In other news, congratulations to Keith Wewe who served as the LMA International President. He also presided over the largest LMA conference in history! Deborah McMurray also presented “Experience Management: The […]
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 […]
Lawyers: The new measure of success? Where are you on the EP scale?
As a measure of success, EP is the new black. Not just for lawyers, but for marketers, CIOs, financial advisors, anyone working today who wants to get farther faster. It’s kind of a magic bullet. EP stands for “Executive Presence.” In a new Strategy + Business article by Sally Helgesen, […]
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 […]
What law firm laterals need to know – Guest Post by Steve Nelson, The McCormick Group
When it comes to lateral hiring, Steve Nelson is one of the most thoughtful executive search professionals I know. Understanding that the relationship of a lateral partner in a new law firm is, well, a relationship, not a transaction is the first example of his rigor. He knows how often […]
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 […]
Experience management projects and why they fail in law firms.
I have written many posts on this blog about effective experience management as a mission-critical, business imperative for a law firm. Without relevant experience to evaluate, buyers of legal services will not hire you. It’s that simple. That’s how urgent it is. That’s why you should have a mandate around […]
Alice died last week. What law firms can learn . . .
If you want to be moved to the core, watch this 11-minute video that is an Academy Award contender for "Best Short Documentary" this Sunday. "The Lady in Number 6" is the story of Alice Herz-Sommer, a 109-year old holocaust survivor and world's oldest pianist. More than 70 years […]
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 […]
Want lateral hiring success in your law firm? Focus more on fit.
The failure of laterals to integrate well into their new law firms continues in 2014 as it has in the many years preceding it. For those firms that share the disappointing stories, the similarities are remarkable: The lawyer came in expecting senior staff (especially marketing/BD and professional development) and lawyers […]
What law firms can learn from our New Year’s Eve Dining Experience at Betony in New York
For 15 years I boycotted New Year's Eve, grumbling about it being a night for amateurs. Then I started joining favorite and new friends in New York for a several day celebration that included carefully researched restaurants, theater, museums, shopping, plenty of champagne and spontaneous happenings that fit nicely into […]
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 […]
Do you want to work for a man or a woman? New Gallup poll says “a man.”
After seeing Meryl Streep’s always-brilliant performance and her utterly withering glances at her less-than underlings in “The Devil Wears Prada,” I remembered back a few years to an unhappier time in my professional life. The source of my despondency wasn’t entirely a woman to whom I reported, but she played a prominent role. She was […]
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 […]
What law firms can learn from my weird service experience at Del Frisco’s in Dallas
Well, Del Frisco’s has done it again. It’s once more the subject of one of my “What law firms/lawyers can learn . . . ” posts, and not in a good way. My earlier post about the Del Frisco’s in Manhattan is one of the most-read posts of this blog. […]
New Website Case Study: Tennessee firm Chambliss launches new site (chamblisslaw.com)
Chambliss, Bahner & Stophel, P.C. (“Chambliss”) is not your grandmother’s Tennessee law firm, in spite of the fact that it is 126 years old. From a style of doing business standpoint,the 56 lawyers are accessible, approachable, entrepreneurial, scrappy (the opposite of white-shoe), big fun (not boring), innovative and forward-thinking. From […]