Some law firms treat branding as a visual exercise, a polished logo, a sleek website, the right color palette. Those are all just signifiers. Your real brand is how clients experience your attorneys, how they’re treated, and how well they’re served.
In episode three of Marketing on the Record, hosted by Good2bSocial’s Keith Edwards, Roy Sexton, CMO at Vedder in Chicago, unpacks the gap that keeps firms from building brands that actually resonate.
Key takeaways:
🚩 Look past the visuals: A logo is a flag, not a brand, clients remember how you treat them not your color palette.
🤝 Stop compartmentalizing marketing: Branding isn’t the team that “makes things pretty.” It exists in every client interaction.
📖 Lead with story: The narrative you tell around your firm shapes how clients connect with it.
The firms that stand out understand that their brand is built through experience, not decoration.
Listen to the full episode to rethink what your firm’s brand really means – here.
Had a rollicking prep call with moderator Steven R. Ongenaet of Nexl and fellow panelists Gillian Ward of Reed Smith LLP and Ivan Ivanovitch, MBA of Ambition today. This promises to be a fun and informative discussion.
Join us for “How to succeed in a new marketing or BD leadership role” on August 3 at 11 am central – register here.
Webinar Description
Stepping into a senior marketing or business development role at a law firm is an opportunity that comes with pressure to earn the trust of partners and deliver results quickly.
Join Gillian Ward, Chief Marketing & Business Development Officer at Reed Smith, Roy Sexton, Chief Marketing Officer at Vedder, and Ivan Ivanovitch, Client & Markets Advisor at Ambition, for a discussion on what it takes to thrive in a new marketing or BD leadership role, moderated by Steven Ongenaet, VP of Client Services & EMEA Managing Director at Nexl.
In the session, our speakers will discuss:
What to expect from your first 90 days of a new role and what tends to differ from expectations
How to earn credibility with partners and firm leadership early
Tips for bringing marketing and business development together across offices and teams
How to build and lead a team through the uncertainty of leadership change
Whether you are starting a new leadership role or preparing for your next move, this session will provide practical guidance you can put to work from your first day.
Speakers
Gillian Ward
Chief Marketing & Business Development Officer at Reed Smith
Gillian Ward has over 20 years of experience in professional services and has successfully led global teams of marketing, business development, and communications professionals through large-scale transformations to drive revenue and strengthen the brand of leading international law firms.
As the Global Chief Marketing Officer at AmLaw 50 firms, Gillian has served on the Leadership Team and the Executive Board, where she developed strategic plans and guided their implementation across multiple regions and practice sectors. She has managed teams of more than 100 professionals worldwide, delivering impactful initiatives that accelerate growth in both domestic and international markets.
Gillian’s executive education from Stanford University and Harvard Law School, together with her triple citizenship, provide her with a distinctive global perspective and a strong foundation for innovative leadership. She is passionate about delivering excellence, innovation, and measurable value to clients and stakeholders, while inspiring her teams to embrace creativity and continuous improvement.Less
Roy Sexton
Chief Marketing Officer at Vedder
Roy Sexton is the Chief Marketing Officer at Vedder. He is responsible for developing and implementing the firm’s overall marketing strategy and overseeing all projects and personnel in the marketing department.
Roy brings over 25 years of experience in various industries with nearly 15 years of experience in the legal marketing field at prominent global firms. His career knowledge includes public relations and marketing planning, business development strategy, digital and social media outreach, attorney onboarding and practice development.
Beginning in 2020, he served as an active international board member of the Legal Marketing Association (LMA) and was elected as the organization’s International President from 2023 to 2024.
Roy has also been recognized by a number of legal publications and organizations including Crain’s, INvolve People and Corp! Magazine for his leadership capabilities, particularly as an executive within the LGBTQ+ community. Throughout his career, he has served as a board member for a number of Michigan-based charitable organizations, such as the Mosaic Youth Theatre of Detroit and Ronald McDonald House Charities.Less
Ivan Ivanovitch
Client & Markets Advisor at Ambition
Ian is the Clients & Markets Advisor at Ambition, focusing on executive search engagements, specializing in law firm leadership roles, including C-Suite positions such as Chief Marketing & Business Development Officer, Chief Operating Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Director of Accounting and Finance, and Director of Professional Development.
His understanding of law firms helps him serve as a strategic advisor in the areas of team structure, core competencies and talent search strategy, enabling clients to secure candidates that align with their firm’s unique needs.Less
Steven Ongenaet
VP of Client Services & EMEA Managing Director at Nexl
With a wealth of experience spanning numerous years in business development within the legal sector, Steven leads our Client Services team. He orchestrates the strategic implementation of personalized solutions, ensuring each client receives unparalleled satisfaction. Steven is committed to fostering meaningful and enduring client relationships, consistently exceeding expectations, and meticulously overseeing the seamless and exceptional delivery of our services. His extensive background contributes to a results-driven approach, aiming not only to meet but to surpass client needs, solidifying our commitment to excellence and client success.
P.S. from the other side of my life …
Thank you, Jerry Davich and The Times of Northwest Indiana, for this thoughtful, nuanced, balanced, and, yes, loving piece about fireworks in our neck of the woods. When one person’s joy causes another’s pain, well, fireworks of a different kind inevitably ensue. But I appreciate how you gave voice to concerns, hopefully opening up some empathetic dialogue.
And gratified that some of my musings were incorporated into the column!
“What is really missing here is the nuanced conversation about guidance and guard rails, neighborly consideration, timing, and decibel levels,” Sexton commented.
Truly honored to have been interviewed by my dear pal Deborah Farone for her upcoming book through Practising Law Institute (PLI) – Breaking Ground: How Successful Women Lawyers Build Thriving Practices, to be released January 2026.
(The quote in the graphic – taken from the book – references my, er, obsession with social media. 😅)
About the book: “Breaking Ground: How Successful Women Lawyers Build Thriving Practices is based on more than 60 in-depth interviews with leading women rainmaking lawyers, law firm chairs, business development experts, and academics from across the United States, Europe, Africa and Asia. The book explores how women at the top of their profession cultivate client relationships, develop new business, and build sustainable practices—while navigating the particular challenges of the legal world. Through personal stories, candid advice, and actionable strategies, the book offers a roadmap for lawyers at every stage of their careers who want to grow their practices and build trusted relationships with clients.”
Ever wonder why some marketers thrive in law firms while others crash and burn?
In this episode of Educated Spaghetti: Marketing Ideas That Stick, Lise Anne Schwartz and Roy Sexton, Chief Marketing Officer at Vedder Price, dish up ideas on building consensus for professional services marketing projects. They discuss the biggest mistakes of would-be consensus leaders, why Roy loves the word “pilot,” and his surprising take on creating lasting agreement. Plus, Roy shares his favorite resource and secret sauce for getting people to support a new project.
In this episode:
(00:00) The number one thing holding companies back
(05:05) Childhood experiences that shaped a consensus builder
(10:26) Pilot strategy that turns law firm skeptics into advocates
(17:41) When to proceed without consensus (and how to do it safely)
(23:54) Why trying to leave a legacy guarantees you won’t
(32:06) Roy’s secret sauce: listen more than you talk
About the Host
Lise Anne Schwartz is an experienced brand strategist and writer known for creating authentic, original work that audiences remember. With 20 years in professional services marketing, she brings a unique blend of perspectives as a former lawyer, journalist, copywriter, and pastry chef. Her strong focus on storytelling and user-driven communications, combined with skills in surfacing key insights from stakeholder and audience interviews, makes her exceptional at bringing complex ideas to life. Having conducted over 100 buyer interviews and earned degrees from Northwestern University and Columbia Law School, Lise Anne regularly writes on professional marketing topics.
About Right Hat
Right Hat is a marketing and design partner driven by curiosity, courage, and optimism to help clients take their communications to new heights. Specializing in communicating the value of complex, intangible offerings like professional services, education, and tech solutions, they serve as brand strategists, website designers, creators of sales tools, and extensions of in-house teams. Through deep industry knowledge and determination to push past the ordinary, Right Hat combines design, content, and digital strategies to bring powerful brands to life with fresh ideas that help clients stand out in crowded markets.
Roop Raj 💕 – thank you for the gracious shout out at the 4:29 mark, but more importantly thank you for your candor – that’s the leadership we all need. Compassionate, pragmatic, empathetic, calming. Grateful for your message.
Joe Giovannoli was joined by Roy Sexton, Director of Marketing at Clark Hill, and Jack Prince, Business Profitability Consultant at CRI Simple Numbers, for an insightful discussion on data-driven marketing budget decisions for law firms.
In our latest recap, we dive into the essential tips shared during the session, focusing on how to craft a marketing budget that ensures impactful and measurable results.
The conversation focused on key performance metrics, effective allocation of marketing spend, and aligning those investments with firm goals.
Marketers need to own their journey and be proactive in demonstrating ROI to firm leadership. This may involve collecting your own data and metrics to show the impact of marketing initiatives.
Benchmarking marketing budgets and spending against industry standards and peer firms can help make the case for increased investment. Reaching out to marketing peers can provide valuable data points.
Aligning marketing goals and spending with the firm’s overall growth strategy is crucial. Understanding the firm’s plans for adding attorneys or expanding practice areas can inform the marketing approach.
Developing a multi-year marketing strategy with a mix of branding, calls-to-action, and experimental initiatives can help demonstrate a thoughtful, data-driven approach to leadership.
“It’s a problem when people are forced to seem or be positive in situations where it’s not natural or when there’s a problem that legitimately needs to be addressed that can’t be addressed if you don’t deal with the fact that there is distress or need,” University of Michigan Ann Arbor psychologist Dr. Stephanie Preston explains in a recent interview with Inc. “Toxic Positivity Will Make You Miserable: What Is It, and Are You Guilty of Spreading It?”
On this episode, Roy and Dr. Preston unpack the business lessons professionals might gain from her extensive work in cognition and cognitive neuroscience – how leaders can create healthy, high performing cultures that enhance retention through fulfillment and authentic engagement.
Dr. Preston is a professor of Psychology in the Cognition and Cognitive Neuroscience Area at the University of Michigan and is currently a co-ombuds for the faculty at Michigan. She has a master’s degree and a PhD in behavioral neuroscience from the University of California at Berkeley, where she studied how animals make decisions about storing their food. She was a postdoctoral fellow at the Department of Neurology at the University of Iowa College of Medicine, where she studied human empathy and altruism, financial decision making, and hoarding behavior. Dr. Preston’s research is highly interdisciplinary and uses a variety of methods to investigate how the brain and body evolved in social and caregiving species to make complex decisions through simpler mechanisms that humans share with other species. She specializes in studying how emotions impact decisions in the face of distress and need, in decisions about material goods, and in related applied issues in consumerism, critical thinking, altruistic donation, and sustainability.
“…We should avoid setting up a false choice that pits business development against community development; we need both. The private sector creates jobs that grow the tax base to fund improved services, just as amenities like transit and parks lead to more vibrant communities that attract and retain talent. …We need it all — but the best way to raise the revenue needed to pay for it all is through private sector growth — and that requires a long-term economic development strategy that incentivizes business to locate here and doesn’t change each legislative session.” Detroit Regional Partnership President & CEO Maureen Donohue Krauss observes in a recent opinion piece penned for Crain’s Detroit Business “Economic development shouldn’t be an ‘either-or’ proposition.”
On this episode, Roy and Maureen talk about her successful career in economic development, the lessons she’s learned along the way, the crucial work of developing one’s network and personal brand, and how to still have some fun along the way!
Maureen serves as the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Detroit Regional Partnership, a leading regional economic development nonprofit serving the Detroit 11-county region. Krauss is an accomplished economic development officer with a demonstrated history of leadership in economic development, nonprofit, and government and extensive experience guiding international companies to successful location decisions and growth in the United States.
Legal marketing can be tough, but does it have to be? Want to uncover the secrets to thriving in this challenging field? Curious about successful legal marketing strategies?
Thrilled to have been interviewed recently by Ashley Robinson, Owner of Green Cardigan Marketing. In this interview we discuss tips on how to shine in the legal marketing field.
Watch the full interview where Ashley and I dive into the dos and don’ts of legal marketing!
And thank you, Ashley Mejido, for all your lovely support here!
Roy Sexton, Director of Marketing at Clark Hill, has been named one of Michigan’s 2024 Most Valuable Professionals by Corp! Magazine. The recognition highlights Sexton’s significant contributions to his firm and the broader business community in Michigan.
With over 25 years of experience in marketing, communications, business development, and strategic planning, Sexton leads Clark Hill’s marketing, branding, and communications efforts. His work emphasizes collaboration with a skilled team to deliver exceptional service to clients. “We recruit and develop talented individuals and empower them to contribute to our rich diversity of legal and industry experience,” Sexton stated.
Sexton was named one of INvolve People’s 2023 Top 100 OUTstanding LGBTQ+ Executives internationally. He was listed in Crain’s Detroit Notable LGBTQ in Business in 2021 and Notable Leaders in Marketing in 2023, and he was a Michigan Lawyers Weekly Unsung Legal Hero in 2018.
Sexton’s leadership extends to his role as the 2023 International President of the Legal Marketing Association (LMA), a position he has used to prioritize diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). “I’m proud of how DEI has become so fully integrated into my professional efforts in this world. As international president of the Legal Marketing Association (LMA) in 2023 and as immediate past president this year, we have kept inclusion front and center,” Sexton said. Under his guidance, the LMA has launched member resource groups and enhanced its inclusive talent pipeline.
His efforts at Clark Hill have also led to notable recognitions, including Mansfield Certification for DEI efforts and awards from the Managing Partners’ Forum for marketing campaigns focused on values, diversity, and inclusion. Sexton’s team has been instrumental in advancing the firm’s digital and social media presence, producing strategically organized content for clients and prospects.
Sexton is also active outside his professional responsibilities. He serves on the board of Mosaic Youth Theatre of Detroit and is a published author of two books. Additionally, he hosts the monthly Expert Webcast series “All the World’s YOUR Stage: Authentic Culture Drives Authentic Growth,” where he discusses inclusion, allyship, authenticity, and branding with nationally recognized executives.
Reflecting on his career, Sexton emphasized the importance of thoughtful communication and collaboration. “Always take the pause. This is advice my wonderful boss, our Clark Hill Chief Marketing and Business Development Officer Susan Ahern, has imparted on me regularly,” he commented. He also shared personal wisdom from his late mother: “Tell people what they mean to you in the moment when it will mean something to them.”
