Thank you, Madelyne Lawry and Ingham County Bar Association, for sharing this. Alexandra France and I were/are so grateful for the opportunity. ✨ And thank you, Charley Lawler, for suggesting this!
“With the rise of social media, knowing how to use it can be a vitally important tool. We had two experts from Clark Hill, Roy Sexton and Alexandra France, give an excellent presentation on its use and how to create a lasting presence on social platforms.”
I may have posted about this recognition a few times. But we are rightly proud! (Sorry. Not sorry.) As you might remember that, in June at The International Management Excellence Awards, the Managing Partners’ Forum named Clark Hill as the winner of the Best Marketing Campaign award for our new #SimplySmarter brand. Read more: https://www.clarkhill.com/news-events/news/managing-partners-forum-selects-clark-hill-for-best-marketing-campaign-award/
Here are screen grabs of the published summary of the various awards together with comments from the judging panel.
The judges noted (page 15) that “Clark Hill was a clear winner in this category, with its Simply Smarter rebrand and market engagement campaign standing head and shoulders above the rest. This campaign showed clear strategic understanding and deployment of brand as the identity and DNA of the firm’s people”.
Thank you, Drew Dinkelacker and Marketing Accelerator, for this opportunity. It was a delight working with you. Your prep, production, coaching, and hosting are top drawer!
View here: https://marketingaccelerator.com/2022/06/21/major-rebrand-reflections
Drew writes: “Every once in a while in a marketing leader’s life, a major rebrand occurs. On today’s episode of The Marketing Accelerator Podcast – featuring three insights in about three minutes – Roy Sexton, Director of Marketing at Clark Hill Law, is fresh off a rebrand launch, so I hit him up for the inside scoop. #roysexton #drewdinkelacker #rebrand #rebranding”
Excerpt (from yours truly): “What we [Clark Hill Law] learned from the surveying we did was that people wanted to tell their stories about their experience in the firm. This aligned with what we were hearing people expect around culture change, diversity, equity, inclusion, mental health, and so we put pieces together that allowed our folks across geography, across race, sexuality, gender, to tell their stories of their experience in the firm. This benefitted us because our clients want to know what kind of people they’re working with, and also the talent who will come work at the firm wants to know this is a good and welcoming environment. And that just enriched what was a very strong and clean and sophisticated brand with that humanity that was much needed.”
Thank you, Simon P Marshall, Charlotte Takács, and Pinnacle for including my thoughts in this fab report “How Winners Win.”
You can get your copy here: https://www.pinnacle-oa.com/pitch-management-report-2022/
EXCERPT: “Human interest is key to understanding the buyer, yet as Roy Sexton of Clark Hill Law believes, the journey is a two-way process. Buyers are increasingly interested in the firm’s culture and each person’s passion for individual causes. Putting himself in the client’s shoes, Sexton expands on this sentiment, ‘I see what your pitch materials look like, but what kind of people are you and do you care about the environment and your community, diversity and equity? They want to know that you’re decent human beings, on top of the fact that you’re a good lawyer. You should provide an authentic performance and tell people that you’re doing things that show your passions.’”
Charlotte writes, “Leading U.S. law firms are looking at pitching in an increasingly wider context and use automation and analytics to free up time to understand the buyer journey and bring more personality to pitches. Months of work is paying off today as we release Pinnacle’s review of ‘How Winners Win’ in North American law firms. It’s different. It’s inspiring. It’s insightful. It’s a glimpse into what firms, who are ahead of the curve do. Reading it, will be 20 minutes well (very well) spent.
“As always, getting ahead is only possible with a community wanting to do bigger and better – with people who will lead from the front, empower others through the benefit of knowledge and see the value of sharing. … Read, share, pass on to a colleague with as much love as I do and if you can spare 15 minutes to let me know what you thought about it, please drop me an email on charlotte.takacs@pinnacle-oa.com!”
Thank you, Paula Tsurutani and Association of Legal Administrators (ALA), for including my humble thoughts in this important piece on the essential need for solid internal #communications. Honored to be here alongside luminaries and friends like Jaffe’s Terry Isner, Davis Wright Tremaine LLP’s Sean Gibson, Builden Partners’ Jocelyn Brumbaugh, Blank Rome LLP’s Frank Spadafino.
Read here: https://www.legalmanagement.org/2022/may/features/are-your-internal-communications-up-to-par
EXCERPT: “It was always important for us to facilitate and step back so our leaders’ and colleagues’ voices could be heard — both to inform and to unify,” says Roy E. Sexton, Director of Marketing at Clark Hill Law. “Our chief executive officer John Hensien started a monthly newsletter; our chief human resources officer Kathleen Sullivan worked with her team and the marketing team to increase storytelling about diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) concerns; and our chief operating officer Phil Ross started a weekly update to provide guidance on the evolving standards and mandates to keep everyone engaged and informed.”
Hearing from top management helped drive more cohesion, revealed a greater sense of humanity and led to increased institutional awareness and pride about the firm’s people and work.
As more employees work remotely or reduce their face time in offices, using a strategic mix of internal communications tools can help raise morale, connect people and projects, and launch efforts that can elevate social impact initiatives or new business opportunities. …
Sexton agrees. “Collaborating with marketing, leveraging great internal stories, whether on a firm intranet or on social media, can create mutual lift.” …
Increasingly, the line between internal and external communication has blurred, especially with the rise of social media and podcasting. Clark Hill saw an explosive growth in podcasts, which mutually advanced employee engagement and business development.
“Everything we are pushing out externally also benefits the internal,” says Sexton. “We released 80 podcast episodes across an array of subjects, and our hosts used these opportunities to engage with Clark Hill colleagues, clients and prospects. When clients see a rich culture, they want to work with us. And talent wants to come work here.”
Thank you, Luis Gonzalez and Whiteboard Geeks, for having me as a guest on your “Digital Marketing Master” podcast!
“Marketing Dynamics: Lawyers and Marketers in Unison … In this episode of the Digital Marketing Master podcast, Roy Sexton speaks acutely on the interactions between lawyers and legal marketing teams on the forefront of his work at Clark Hill Law.”
Thank you, Richard Levick and LEVICK, for this opportunity. I enjoyed our conversation mightily. (We’ll always have elevators. 😉)
“Legal Marketing Association – LMA International President-Elect, Roy Sexton, who leads Clark Hill Law’s marketing, branding and communications efforts speaks with host Richard Levick of LEVICK about law firm marketing, the challenges and evolution of the profession and his own story in a deeply personal and joyous program which has as many laughs as important marketing lessons. Listen here…”
Thank you, Tim Kenney and Pinnacle! I thoroughly enjoyed our chat, and I am so honored by this piece: https://www.pinnacle-oa.com/the-inspiration-to-do-more-than-just-law-roy-sexton/https://www.pinnacle-oa.com/the-inspiration-to-do-more-than-just-law-roy-sexton/
Grateful for the opportunity to discuss organizations I love like Clark Hill Law, Legal Marketing Association – LMA International, Ronald McDonald House Charities Ann Arbor, and Mosaic Youth Theatre of Detroit. And I want to frame this intro you wrote! 🙌
“When I picture the sort of person who would be heading up marketing for a law firm like Clark Hill, Roy Sexton wasn’t who I had in mind. But I’ll be totally honest: I’m glad.
“After nearly 20 years of experience in marketing, communications, and business development Roy has risen to the top of his game and now sits as President-Elect of the LMA for 2022. An impressive feat for sure, but what really draws me in is his character.
“Roy is a warm, charming iconoclast, pushing his lawyers to bring more to the table than, well, just law. There’s an air about him that he deliberately chooses to be different, almost as if he’s smiled in the face of corporate law and said ‘let’s try this another way, shall we?’
“We spoke about his team, his philosophy, and why a master’s degree in theatre beats an MBA.”
Quotable moment: “Attorneys, please don’t treat your marketing team like they are Kinko’s. Give them the chance to strategically collaborate with you and to explore new channels and approaches that will put you in your best light.”
View here: youtu.be/nDETen-Xbuw
Thank you, State Bar of Michigan and wonderful Mark Rossman for inviting me to be a presenter at the 2022 Business Law Symposium.
It was such an honor to be included and to offer my legal marketing and branding thoughts alongside such fabulous souls as Sabo PR’s Mary Ann Sabo, 2nGage’s Tyler Cady, Dinsmore & Shohl’s R.J. Cronkhite, and Sikora Law LLC’s Lindsay Sikora. Thank you to our fantastic moderator Fishman Stewart PLLC’s Maxwell Goss for organizing all of our ideas and to Rossman, P.C.’s Anthony Bowen for keeping all of the trains moving and clocks ticking.
Thank you, Ronald McDonald House Charities Ann Arbor, Lauren Budhu, Kim Kelly, Julaine DeMink LeDuc, and team. This means the world to me. Proud to support this incredible mission ❤️. #KeepingFamiliesClose
Original post: https://www.facebook.com/RMHCAnnArbor/photos/a.115264581827478/5919021801451698/?type=3
“Roy Sexton has been on the RMHC Ann Arbor board since September 2017 and has served as a liaison to the executive committee and as marketing committee chair.
“His niece Gabby as an infant had a series of asthma-related health problems, and the RMHC Detroit House was there for her mom at an incredibly challenging time. ‘I can’t imagine what life must have been like for them during those early challenging days when Lori stayed at the House – and it always pains me that I wasn’t yet around to show my support,’ Roy said. ‘When I project forward, I think about those families now under similar circumstances, and it motivates me to do whatever I can to spread the word on RMHCAA’s incredible work, to drive revenue to support our mission, and to show our fantastic staff the love and respect they richly deserve.’
“Every December for his birthday, he does a Facebook fundraiser and five years later, it’s going strong. Last year, he raised over $4,000, and this year to celebrate year five, the goal was $5,000. ‘I am so heartened by all the stories I receive from friends who were impacted by RMHC around the country, experiences I never knew they had had, all positive.’ Learn more: https://rmhcannarbor.org/ #KeepingFamiliesClose #BoardSpotlight”
Photo by Scott Lawrence / Headshots by Scott Lawrence
Thank you, Madelyne Lawry and Charley Lawler and Ingham County Bar Association! Alex France and I had an absolute ball presenting today! #lmamkt
Event description: “Clark Hill marketing pros Roy Sexton and Alexandra France will share their professional and personal perspective on how to authentically connect with others and maximize the power of social and digital media. This landscape is ever-evolving and over the past 18 months using these channels to connect with clients, prospects, and colleagues has become more important than ever. They will share their own victories (and horror stories) in this space, and offer tips on how to efficiently and effectively establish a lasting digital presence.”
Reel Roy Reviews 