Sneak peek … our LMA Southeast Region fam asked me to send a video (since I can’t be there in person) offering my thoughts on “harmony” … the beautiful Legal Marketing Association #LMASE23 conference theme.
Here’s my response. Rainbow sequins and all. And, yes, there’s a song. Have you MET me?! This time Harry Nilsson’s “Swee’pea’s Lullaby” from the 1980 movie musical Popeye.
I’m a genx fanboy … what can I say? But the lyrics seemed fitting.✨
At the the LMA Midwest Conference, Pitchly’s Director of Partnerships, Vik Nair, led a panel called, “You Bought It, Now What?” all about the next steps marketers need to take after they select technology.
“With such a strong lineup of thought leaders on the panel, incredible takeaways were inevitable, and Vik wanted to make sure that anyone who couldn’t attend didn’t miss out.”
Panelists:
EXCERPT: “To ensure ongoing technology adoption, creative and consistent communication is key. The panelists recommended strategies such as success stories, statistics showcasing the software’s impact, interviews with super-users, and executive advocacy. These methods not only inform and educate staff but also inspire and motivate them to make the most of the technology.
“Roy E. Sexton emphasized the need for open and transparent communication to build trust and enthusiasm among the team.”
“A Quiet Thing” by Kander and Ebb, from a musical called “Flora the Red Menace” (Liza Minnelli’s Broadway debut), is a song that has been special to me for 25 years. My mom loved it, and I sang it in my very first one-man cabaret show at Wabash College. LOOOOONG ago. Think “Just Jack!” with fewer production values.
This was captured at our recent LMA Midwest Region Conference – #LMAMW23 – by co-chair Joanna Beckett. I’m so grateful to have this clip. I know it’s a bit unusual to offer opening remarks that include a show tune at a business meeting … but have you met me? This is a song that always resonates with me in moments of reflection. I’ve just got a few months left in my Legal Marketing Association – LMA International presidency, so I’m a bit in my feels … as the kids say.
As I noted right before I broke into song in broad daylight, I never had voice lessons. I didn’t sing in high school choir. But when I was in college, I suddenly found myself craving all the music my parents Don and Susie Sexton listened to when I was growing up: Barbra Streisand, Sammy Davis, Lena Horne, Doris Day. And I would go to the Walmart or Target in Crawfordsville, Indiana (we only had two stores … lol) and grab any CDs I could find. Columbia House helped too! I may still owe them for some of those discs, come to think of it. And I’d pop the shiny objects into my Discman that plugged into a tape deck in my swanky 1986 Buick Century and sing WAY out loud as I drove. Those artists “taught” me how to sing.
A few years later, I was cast as one of the leads in The Fantasticks. My mother, who DID have formal vocal training, told me years later that she was terrified over what was about to unfold. She said that once I opened my mouth and let out a warble, she knew I was going to be ok.
And I think I love singing for the very reason that it’s always been mine. No one forcing rules or expectations on me. Just doing it the way that feels natural to me. It refills my well and brings me joy. Not sure if it does the same for the audience, but that doesn’t stop me. Everyone needs something like that in their lives.
So thank you to LMA Midwest Region President Jennifer Gessner Shankleton for letting me share the stage with her this week and to co-chairs Lexie Blaner and Joanna for the EXCEPTIONAL work on this sold out event. It meant a lot to come full circle to the region where I started my LMA life for my last public appearance as the international president. As I joked from the stage, I think I’ve only made about 3.5 public appearances in this role as I mostly just want to stay in my basement!
Additional clips courtesy Sarah Ryan 💕
In this town we call home
Everyone hail to the pumpkin song
In this town, don’t we love it now?
Everybody’s waiting for the next surprise
—“This is Halloween,” from The Nightmare Before Christmas
October: a time of crispness in the air, crunchy red leaves underfoot, scrumptious cider and doughnuts, college homecoming football games, pumpkin spice everything — and Halloween.
I was that kid whose parents crafted bespoke costumes I had to explain to everyone my age. Imagine showing up at school dressed like Clark Kent (pic #1) Charlie Chaplin, Jacques Cousteau or Schneider (pic #2) from “One Day at a Time.” Yep, that was me. Everyone else had those awful plastic superhero masks that cut into your face, and I was dressed like obscure Hollywood actors and undersea explorers.
I suspect that is why this month holds so darn much nostalgia for me. And why this playlist might be the one I’ve been most excited to create. Enjoy these jamming “Happy Haunts” on Apple Music and Spotify!
October also means we are knee-deep in our incredible lineup of regional conferences. Two down (and SOLD OUT), four to go! Way to go, Southwest and Midwest Regions for knocking your events out of the park. The momentum is mighty for our remaining offerings.
Do NOT miss out on the fellowship, education, and fun ahead — click here to register for Northeast (October 19-20), Mid-Atlantic(October 26), Southeast (November 8-10), and West (November 13-14)!
As a sidenote, a few people have asked me if I am planning to attend XYZ regional conference. The answer? Nope. I did attend the LMA Midwest Region conference, but the truth is we have an incredible international board, beautifully geographically distributed. They all will be appearing — many even speaking — at their home region conferences. In my opinion, the celebratory focus needs to be on our incredible regions and all they do.
(Plus, I do have a day job, hubby and cute puppies who need me. 😉)
October 2-3 in the Windy City was grand. I joined my pal and LMA Midwest Region Prez Jennifer Shankleton on the mainstage to welcome everyone — no, no drag queens or disco showtunes THIS time! But there was a low-key musical surprise [CLICK TO VIEW “A Quiet Thing”] — right before phenom keynote Rich Bracken wowed us all.
This post from member Casey Harrison about the Southwest Conference (September 13-15) is a great reminder of why we do what we do. Give it a quick read, and I think you will smile. The Southwest Region kicked off our regional conference season in incredible style. SOLD OUT event, vibrant and so engaging. Whether you were there in person or saw the fantastic array of posts on social media, I think you will agree.
Let’s get ALL of these conferences sold out and end this year like the fireworks finale at Disneyland! Kudos to our regional presidents, regional boards, conference chairs and conference planning committees for their exceptional work and their dedication to the mission. You all inspire!
And thank you to HQ’s Ashley Stenger and her colleagues Ashley Nunzio and Eric Himsel for their hustle, heart and grace, burning the midnight oil behind the scenes to support it all so beautifully.
We work in demanding environments and this TED video resonated. For me, there were some a-ha moments of reflection regarding how I conduct myself as a leader at work and at LMA. I suspect you will feel similarly and hope you find this as helpful as I did. This video frames how we treat each other impacts the bottom line and how our well-being drives our behavior, all in one smart three-minute clip. And yes, there’s data to back it up.
A lot of heart, hard work and brilliance has gone into our regional events. We are so grateful to our volunteer leaders for everything they are doing. I’m excited to see the social media posts that will follow — truly a party that never ends!
Finally, I want to acknowledge the passing of industry legend Burkey Belser. In terms of design and positioning, he challenged the status quo and, quite frankly, rocked the legal world in the way we thought about advertising and imagery. You no doubt saw countless posts from leading lights who were influenced by him and whose careers he positively impacted. We must always honor those who came before us, as we are privileged to stand on the shoulders of giants.
I’ll share this link to one such post — the way Deborah McMurray framed her tribute spoke to me professionally and personally. She writes, “A visionary, pioneer, icon and iconoclast, he was a mentor to many legal marketers, including me. The positioning strategist that I am today is because I got to work with him, watching not what he did, but how he thought.” And that’s what true community is about.
(Don’t miss the P.S. below for the “suit” reference!)
Love you,
Roy
President, 2023 LMA International Board of Directors
Roy E. Sexton
Director of Marketing
Clark Hill
A few weeks back, I went a-wandering to grab lunch at this Indian food truck I’ve spied a few times — Paradise Street Eats & Biryani. I love Indian food and, given my recent bout of COVID and the rampant increase of cases, I’ll be eating outside for a while until it snows. And then I’ll be in my basement.
Anywho…I walked back to the office on a different path and passed a store, Hot Sam’s Detroit.
This suit was on a clearance rack out front. It spoke to me. Love the color. Love a bargain. Love… being impulsive. I grabbed it and walked inside. I was in AWE of this place. Every bit of clothing was pure joy. I’ll likely go back, a lot.
I walked up to one of the dapper gentlemen running the store, and said, “How much is this?” Happy with the price, I said, “I’ll take it.” As I waited to check out, we made some small talk. And here’s where my exuberance failed me.
I said, “This is such a cute store!” “Cute store,” he replied with a tone that suggested that wasn’t a desirable adjective.
“Oh, I’m my mother’s son. That’s a high compliment for us!” Now feeling like I stepped in it, I added (unhelpfully), “How long have you been here?”
He replied drily, “Since 1921.”
Now I’m feeling the flop sweat on my brow and kicked into overexplaining mode. “Well, I was just trying the Indian food truck.” He added, “It’s really good.” I replied, “So I don’t normally come down this way. And I’m from Indiana originally. But I’ve lived here for 25 years. I do live in Ann Arbor though. But I come to Detroit a couple days a week.”
At this point, he was getting pretty amused at this nut buying the suit in his store. He handed me his card. It read: “Tony Stovall, CEO/Co-Owner, Hot Sam’s Detroit.”
He added with grace and good humor, “Check us out on social media. And learn about who we are and what we do.”
I said, “I sure will!” and took my Indian food and beautiful new suit, exclaiming, “I’ll be back.”
And then I did what he asked and realized how sometimes we know absolutely nothing. Sometimes we should pause and listen and learn to appreciate the history and good work around us. Similarly, I’ll leave you to it to learn more. But DO take a moment and check out their website: https://hotsamsdetroit.com/.
Elegance personified. Community engagement. Leadership. Authenticity.
Ain’t nothing “cute” about that. That’s pure fire. And I’m proud to be a transplanted Detroiter — even if I do say well-meaning stupid things sometimes!
File under: well-meaning things we say/do that land with a thud!
Y’all have heard enough from me this year! I’m a menace on social media, I know. So, this month I asked a cohort of LMA leaders and friends to answer this question: “What LMA accomplishment/experience has meant the most to you this year so far?”
Here are the responses — I hope you smile as much as I did while reading these.
This is a remarkable community and that’s because of YOU! (And, yes, here’s another playlist, this time focused on the amazing women in music who have long energized my soul. Women who inspire, challenge, slay, shine…on Apple and Spotify. Enjoy!)
“The opportunity to co-chair the CMO Summit at the annual conference with Justin Portaz and Brie Leung was the highlight of my LMA year. We welcomed more than 50 first-chair professionals for a day-long session that focused not only on the business aspects of our roles, but also covered leadership and wellness — areas that affect our entire team. … Thanks again for the opportunity to take on that important role for our organization and your conference.” —Ashraf Lakhani
“Roy, this year, I’ve been deeply impressed by (and thankful for) the way our board and conference committee have been united in our vision of holding a top-notch regional conference in Nashville this November!” —Laura Hudson
“Taking on a leadership role with LMA fosters new networking relationships, as well as rekindles old ones. LMA creates community, and I cherish our community!” —Walter McCorkle
“Everyone always says their favorite thing about LMA is the people and I couldn’t agree more. It feels like this has been the year of meaningful connections! As we come out of the pandemic, I’ve seen our members show up for each other like never before, whether it’s lending a hand professionally or forming new friendships. Here at LMA Midwest, it’s been amazing to see our content calendar filled to the brim and I can’t wait to bring our #MidwestMojo to Chicago for our Regional Conference in October! … P.S. Thank you for encouraging all of us to be ourselves — LMA has felt like a more welcoming place with you at the helm!” —Lauren McNee
“All of the conversations started around the globe about the need and want for LMA education, networking, membership and overall involvement on four new continents where we don’t even have a region in yet (Africa, Australia, Asia and South America). And most of these conversations were started because individuals either heard about LMA or joined and received such amazing benefits that they want to share the wealth and knowledge! The fact that nonmembers are reaching out to us, directly asking for LMA to expand within their regions on the other side of the world, is amazing. 😊” —Ashley Stenger
“I have really enjoyed being the board liaison for the LMA Southeast (LMASE) Conference Committee this year. This group of volunteers has really taken ownership of the event and I can’t wait to see it come to fruition!” —Raven Hicks
“The 2023 annual event unquestionably stood out as the highlight of my year. It was invaluable, from the in-person connections to the exceptional quality of the sessions — not to mention the remarkable location. It was an experience that truly encapsulated everything I value in LMA, wrapped up in a year-defining occasion.” —Beth Cuzzone
“I joined Constangy as the CMO in August of 2022. Since then, we’ve built out a fantastic team here, a true dream team. All of the new team members we’ve hired since I joined have been through a referral via LMA connections. I could not be more grateful to work with amazing colleagues, sent to us straight through LMA friends!” —Jennifer Scotton
“Having joined a new firm this year, I was delighted to open up LMA membership to our team members. It’s been really gratifying to watch them dive into their LMA experiences in all sorts of ways — some have assumed leadership roles at local and national levels; others are devouring all of the AI info and insights conversations. Still others have become active participants on LMA Connect. While their experiences are unique, they are all finding value and community within the organization. Best I could hope for!” —Trish Lilley
“A personal highlight was helping to shape an annual conference that I believe reflected the best of LMA — camaraderie, education, mentorship, strategic thinking and a healthy dose of glitter — and now using that experience to go all in for another world-class event in 2024!” —Amber Bollman
“I am counting down the days until I get to see my LMA friends again at the LMASE Regional Conference in Nashville this November. As a young legal marketer, experiencing LMA conferences is what first inspired me into getting involved in [the association].” —Danielle Smith
“This year we made a change to the Plaintiff Firm Shared Interest Group (SIG) and updated the name [Business to Consumer Practices SIG] to be more inclusive of all consumer practices. This includes practices like personal injury, trusts and estates, family law, employment etc. Our intention was to bring more people together who need to focus their efforts not only on business development, but also marketing to many audiences through social, intake, advertising, digital and content. It is my hope that we can continue to grow the SIG and support more law firms.” —Sarah Ryan
“While my time on the international board has certainly included numerous accomplishments and victories, I think the biggest one that I would focus on is our transition back to normal, or whatever normal is, with in-person education and networking events. Those events have always been the lifeblood of the association and it’s great to have them back!” —Andy Laver
“It’s been especially wonderful to see so many new faces at LMA programs this year. We are inspiring the next generation of marketing leaders and elevating our association’s credibility in the process.” —Jacob Eidinger
“Having coffee with Caitlin Balsimo, market development specialist at K&L Gates, was my LMA highlight of the year. After numerous Zoom calls and emails since we were matched up as mentor-mentee in January of 2020, we met face-to-face when she was in Minneapolis this summer!” —Sally Schmidt
“Incredible collaboration! I’ve been truly wowed at how many of our members and LMA leaders have locked arms to collaborate and lead thoughtful and inspiring conversations. It has been some of the best content and thought leadership I’ve ever seen!” —Julie Holton
“Involvement in LMA this past year reminded me that those of us in legal marketing are part of a supportive community that cares for and lends a hand to one another. This camaraderie certainly shone through at the LMA 2023 Annual Conference, in terms of the in-between-the-sessions conversations that took place. (Questions arose between members such as ‘How do you deal with a difficult work situation?’ or ‘How do you multi-task when you are too tired to do it?’) Yet this was also clearly shown at our recent New York Summer Soiree, as so many members of the LMA Northeast (LMANE) community were so authentically joyful when they connected.” —Deborah Farone
“Working with my co-chairs Alé Simmons and Susan Slifer to plan the LMA QuickStart® pre-con in Hollywood, FL, and visiting the Michigan Local Steering Committee for a walking tour of Detroit!” —Jason Klika
“This is my third year participating as a mentor in the Southwest Region’s LMANext Program. I love sharing my perspective with my mentees and learning new nuggets of wisdom from the program’s facilitator, Holly Barocio.” —Ashley Black
“Helping program content for the Chicago Local Steering Committee has been a wonderful source of learning and connection for me in ’23. … Along with many LMA 2023 Annual Conference Advisory Committee moments, working with my local [group] has definitely made me feel more at home professionally in Chicago.” — Joseph Edmonds
“My experience serving as a mentor during the LMA 2023 Annual Conference meant so much to me. I loved getting to know Rachel Klopp and Michelle Hernandez and sharing thoughts and ideas on how best to maximize time during the conference — and then enjoying being together to partake in all of the fun and education it had to offer!” —Jessica Haarsgaard
“What has made this year great for me: We continue to grow as an organization — in numbers with increased membership and in resources provided to our members. At a time when other associations are contracting, we continue to meet the moment and build for the future. We have continued a pattern of carrying forward goals from previous years, building upon them in a smart, measured approach. [This] has allowed us to maintain focus and keep resources allocated to areas critical for the advancement of the organization. What I am most looking forward to: The recommendations from the multiple working groups that will shape a comprehensive LMA events and education strategy. This will result in a number of benefits, including streamlining the delivery of related services (reducing burden from volunteer leaders), further mitigating risk and reduce exposure on large-scale events, and providing an even more consistent member and volunteer experience across the organization.” —Amy Verhulst
“So far this year, I’m most proud of beginning the work to reinvigorate active volunteer leadership coming out of the past few years. I’m incredibly excited for my year as president of the LMANE board and looking forward to working with the talented legal marketing professionals in the northeast!” —Robyn Addis
“Roy, the trust that you and the team placed in Ashraf, Brie and me to create something for the CMOs at #LMA23 was valuable and special. What I hope was achieved in that setting would be reflected in the following: Working with trusted friends and peers (Ashraf Lakhani and Brie Leung) to create space where authentic leadership and humanity can flourish, or at least bubble up to the surface, in a supportive environment to further permeate our industry and elevate our people. … Thanks for your incredible and joyful leadership. It matters, a lot.” —Justin Portaz
“Working with Bobbie Conklin to develop a new PreCon track on career development was by far the greatest highlight for me. Not only did I get to work with and learn from a brilliant legal marketer, I met a dear friend along the way.” —EJ Stern
“I joined the law industry this year as a Marketing Director and the LMA single handedly got me through. Not one week went by where I didn’t learn something or get a question answered or supported by one of your members. I seriously can’t join other communications based organizations at this point because none of them offer what you do. Thank you for making this a solid experience that has really encouraged me to choose law marketing as a career. Very grateful for all you do. … I mean it. I am so impressed and grateful. One of the most informative memberships out there.” —Jen Roy
“I became an LMA member in 1992. When I moved to law after 10 years with the Big Four I was in a bit of culture shock, and my LMA colleagues gave me comfort and support that I wasn’t alone (or crazy) in some of the ‘differences’ I was experiencing. My LMA colleagues gave me long lasting friendships, they freely shared their wisdom, ideas, and creativity and were critical to my successes as a legal marketer. I am forever grateful!” —Kathleen Flynn
“What has made LMA great for me in 2023? I had the honor to co-chair the PR and communications pre-conference session at the LMA 2023 Annual Conference in Hollywood, FL, in the spring. I found great joy and satisfaction in bringing together communications professionals from around the United States for insightful and meaningful conversations around the most pressing issues confronting our roles and responsibilities in leading law firm communication programs. I am grateful I get to contribute to a dynamic organization and collaborate with people I like and trust.” —Cheryl Bame
“This year, I was very excited to see that the LMA has made significant steps forward in celebrating diversity and adding even more diverse professionals to its leadership ranks!” —Dave Poston
“Roy, is it too much to say that your opening number at #LMA23 gave me LIFE?!?” —Laura Gassner Otting
And then I got this one: “LMA has a long way to go to get positive reactions from my team.” —Dave Bruns
I debated about including that last one, but you know what? All feedback is important feedback. I appreciate Dave and his candor. He cares. And that’s a wonderful thing.
I’ve been grateful for the opportunity this year to lead, and we welcome thoughts — good, bad, indifferent — about how we can continue to help LMA thrive and grow.
Don’t hesitate to reach out with any specificity that will enable actionable change.
Thank you to our leaders and volunteers who bring positivity, grace and hard work to this community. You are appreciated and loved. This community is only what we choose to make it, and you have made it grand indeed!
Love you,
Roy
President, 2023 LMA International Board of Directors
Roy E. Sexton
Director of Marketing
Clark Hill