FULL ARTICLE HERE: https://www.law.com/dailyreportonline/2023/10/13/legal-marketing-pros-point-to-specialized-training-and-experience-in-business-development-departments/

EXCERPTS …

Legal Marketing Association president Roy Sexton said law firms’ marketing staff often are filled by specialists who are trained in marketing or business development.

Sexton spoke after a Daily Report article on Monday detailed that some law firms are using legal assistants and paralegals to fill gaps in their marketing and business development operations.

The article attracted social media commentary, including those who asserted that law firm staff members are not fungible, particularly in light of the specialized education, training and experience so many possess.

Indeed, Sexton said marketing staff at law firms typically take on tasks that require specialized training and experience, such as in areas of digital marketing or calculation of capacity utilization, similar to law firms’ lawyers often specializing in specific practice areas. …

Sexton said a traditional law firm marketing task — event planning — now requires the marketing staffer to have enough knowledge of practice areas and the legal industry so the event can be targeted to a specific audience.

On the other hand, paralegals and legal assistants specialize in areas for law firms that Sexton said he would not be proficient in.

“I wouldn’t want to be a paralegal,” said Sexton, who is marketing director for the Detroit firm Clark Hill. “We have specialization for a reason.” …

Sexton said Arnall Golden Gregory chief marketing officer Lisa Vicine’s use of non-marketing staff to assist in some areas reflects that need.

“What is a crucial skill for marketing leaders is also to consider what resources and capacity they have available to them in their firms,” Sexton said. “What Lisa has done is an accretive use of the talent available. It’s also a great way to help develop future talent when you understand somebody has an interest in this.”

FULL ARTICLE HERE: https://www.law.com/dailyreportonline/2023/10/13/legal-marketing-pros-point-to-specialized-training-and-experience-in-business-development-departments/