Passle CMO Series Podcast

What does it really take to become a Rainmaker? Rising to the level of managing partner requires not only legal expertise and experience but, also, the ability to generate revenue and drive the firm’s growth. Building credibility through thought leadership plays a crucial role in this process, creating a direct link between valuable insights and financial success. In this episode of the CMO Series Rainmakers, Tom Elgar, Co-founder of Passle, is joined by Rohan Massey, Managing Partner at Ropes & Gray in London. Rohan, who leads the firm’s Data, Privacy, and Cybersecurity practice, is nearly a year into his role as Managing Partner. He has built a reputation as a thought leader, leveraging insight-driven content to drive success. Listen in to explore how thought leadership has become a key component of Rohan’s success, its impact on his career progression, and how he’s professionalised the approach to thought leadership at Ropes & Gray. Rohan and Tom discuss: The moment thought leadership became a key part of Rohan’s strategy for success Rohan’s approach to writing thought leadership, and the process he follows The importance of building an internal profile versus an external profile on the path to Managing Partner  The role of thought leadership in driving revenue generation for a law firm How to professionalise thought leadership and weave that culture into the fabric of the firm  The importance of ‘finding your voice’ when creating thought leadership and tips to guide your team  The one habit that has had the greatest impact on Rohan’s success with thought leadership and how others can adopt it

With podcast listening at a record high, there’s a significant opportunity for law firms to reach their target audience. In episode 166 of the CMO Series Podcast, we dive into the world of podcasting and learn how an effective podcast strategy can support your marketing and business development efforts. Recorded live in London, Will Eke is joined by Kate Fairweather, Director of Business Development and Marketing at Curtis, Mallet-Prevost, Colt & Mosle LLP, to discuss the power of podcasts and why law firms should include podcasting in their strategy.  We explore Curtis’s podcast and how it’s supporting their recruitment efforts with the potential to drive business growth within the firm. We’ll also hear more about Kate’s podcast journey, her award-winning ‘Dogs with Jobs’ series which won the Podcast of the Year 2022, and why she’s championing podcasting in legal marketing.  Kate and Will cover:  Kate’s background in podcasting and broadcasting and what drives her passion Why law firms should consider podcasting to reach their market The vision and aims of the On Tour with Curtis podcast Kate has managed and hosted  The progress of the podcast and the results that Curtis is seeing Curtis's podcast strategy and new podcast plans for the future Advice to other law firms looking to integrate podcasting into their marketing and business development strategies

In today’s episode of the CMO Series Podcast, we explore how essential business development is for law firms to build lasting client relationships and how to build a BD-minded firm. Charles Cousins sits down with Louise Henkel, Director of Business Development and Marketing at Hill Ward Henderson, to discuss the success of their BD training program which Louise has led for the last six years. We’ll explore the impact the BD training program has had both internally and externally, in addition to how Louise has navigated through the challenges she has encountered and the future of BD at Hill Ward Henderson. Louise and Charles cover: Louise’s background prior to working at Hill Ward Henderson and how that shaped her business development approach What the BD training program entails and how it has evolved in the last six years The importance of proactive business development in legal marketing and how attorneys have come to trust and embrace BD coaching The impact the BD training program has had at Hill Ward Henderson, internally and externally, and the success stories of the training program The challenges during the early stage of the BD training program and how those were overcome The future of BD at Hill Ward Henderson and the initiatives for 2025 Advice for other BD and marketing leaders looking to implement a successful BD training program

Welcome to the first episode of CMO Series Rainmakers, where we explore how the legal industry’s most influential leaders have leveraged thought leadership to build their brands, drive business growth, and strengthen client relationships. In each episode, our esteemed guests reveal how they create and harness their unique insights to shape their firms’ success, influence the market, and, ultimately, drive revenue. In this debut episode, Connor Kinnear sits down with Jeffrey Greenbaum, Managing Partner of Frankfurt Kurnit Klein & Selz, for an insightful conversation recorded live in New York. Jeff shares how his strategic approach to thought leadership helped FKKS’s blog achieve over 720,000 views. Jeff dives into his strategies for maintaining a consistent and impactful thought leadership presence, how he’s integrated business development into his daily routine, and the successes he’s seen from a well-executed thought leadership strategy.

In this episode of the CMO Series Podcast, we focus on the evolution of the legal and marketing landscapes and how to successfully use brand identity to drive business development to help firms effectively showcase their lawyers' expertise. Charles Cousins sits down with Sarah Mitchell, former National Director of Marketing, Communications, and Digital Strategy at a leading Canadian law firm. Sarah shares key insights for how CMOs should prepare for the coming year, and the next 10 years and reviews the last decade in legal marketing. Sarah and Charles cover: The marketing strategies and projects Sarah has delivered over the last 10 years The biggest changes in the industry over the last decade, and the ways law firms can be prepared to adapt for the next 10 years The evolution of technology and AI and the ways firms can leverage the tools available to differentiate themselves in the market The various strategies that will be pertinent moving forward The biggest barriers to success for legal marketing for the next 10 years Advice for marketing leaders looking to stay ahead of the curve in 2025 and beyond

In today’s episode of the CMO Series Podcast, we explored the different ways to drive BD success in any market through building meaningful client relationships, and the range of tools and tactics that can be adapted based on the region and market. Charles Cousins sits down with William McLaughlin, the Director of Marketing at McNees Wallace & Nurick, to discuss his experiences of BD and marketing in Southeast Asia, and how they compare to his work in the US. William shares his key strategies for driving BD success and ways to nurture client relationships across diverse markets. William and Charles cover: William’s experience in Southeast Asia and how it shaped his BD and marketing approaches at McNees The differences and similarities between marketing and BD in Southeast Asia and the US  How William uses his key marketing and BD strategies from Thailand and adapts them for the US market at McNees The process of building meaningful connections and tools that help win business  The most effective ways to link internal systems for measurable ROI Advice for others looking to drive their BD success

In today's fast-moving digital world, having a well-organized MarTech stack helps marketers streamline their work, use data to create personalized campaigns, and achieve efficient, measurable results across various channels. In this episode of the CMO Series, Yasmin Zand talks with Jaclyn Braga, Director of Marketing and Business Development at Morse, and Jenny Hills, Marketing Operations Manager at Axinn, about the importance of MarTech for law firms. They discuss key tools and the challenges and opportunities that adopting these technologies opens up. Jaclyn, Jenny and Yasmin Cover: Martech stacks and the tools their teams find most useful The roadblocks faced in adopting new tech, and how to overcome them How has Martech evolved in the legal industry, and which tools had the biggest impact in smaller mid-size firms AI’s role in Martech stack, and its influence on team strategy How to advocate for Martech upgrades and get buy-in from leadership How to measure success when it comes to Martech strategy Advice for others looking to optimize their efforts using Martech

In this episode of the CMO Series Podcast, we explore the unique challenges and opportunities that arise when bringing outside experience into the role of Chief Marketing Officer - particularly within the legal industry. Alistair Bone sits down with Brendan Delaney, Chief Brand Experience Officer at BAL, to discuss how his background in brand experience and marketing has shaped his approach to legal marketing. Brendan shares the insights he’s gained from transitioning into the CMO role within a law firm, the challenges he’s encountered along the way, and the innovative strategies he’s used to drive success.  Brendan and Ali cover:  Brendan’s background and his journey to the Chief Brand Experience Officer role at BAL How Brendan has leveraged his experience from other industries to innovate within the legal sector Examples of fresh ideas Brendan has introduced at BAL and the value they’ve brought to the firm The key differences between legal marketing and marketing in other industries What law firms should consider when bringing someone from outside the legal industry onto their leadership team The benefits of hiring someone with experience outside the legal sector Advice for professionals transitioning into senior marketing roles from outside the legal industry

In an industry where clients value the expertise of your professionals, content is a powerful tool to engage, nurture, and convert clients and prospects. In this episode of the CMO Series Digital Masterclass, Sam Page sits down with Scott Rubenstein, Chief Client Officer of RubyLaw, to explore the critical role of content in law firm marketing, how it drives success, and where firms can enhance their strategies for better results. Scott and Sam discuss: Why content is so important in legal marketing What the RubyLaw platform is and how it supports law firms The role content plays in the online presence of today's law firms Key statistics and usage data that demonstrate the importance of content The biggest challenges with succeeding with content The biggest wins on the table right now for law firms Advice for legal marketers looking to take a more effective approach to content

Law firms are an important part of the local communities they serve. In today’s episode of the CMO Series Podcast, Charles Cousins is lucky enough to sit down with Erika Galarneau, Marketing and Business Development Manager at Cades Schutte - Hawaii's largest law firm. Together they delve into a specific campaign that uncovers the importance of incorporating local culture into your marketing efforts. Erika and Charles Cover: The role local culture plays in a firm's marketing efforts and why it should be something marketers have on their radar Erika’s career journey and how she arrived at her current role Example of incorporating local culture into campaigns and initiatives  The impact of bringing local culture to that campaign Guidelines or points that others should follow to ensure that they are bringing their own local culture into their marketing efforts Advice for others who may not have as clear a culture as Hawaii Tips for those looking at their current campaigns and thinking about bringing their local culture to them