Marketing Is a Vital Skill for All Lawyers

The beginning of a new year always provides an opportunity for retrospection, change and new initiatives. Such is the case at Law Practice magazine where several small but significant changes are occurring as we start our new editorial calendar year.

First, we need to extend many thanks and gratitude to Courtney Ward-Reichard who has led the editorial board for the past two years. During this time, Courtney helped guide us through the transition from a paper publication to an all-digital format with a calm, poise and gracefulness that we can all strive to achieve. We look forward to working with Courtney in her new role as the content officer for the Law Practice Division.

With the beginning of the new year, it’s a time of transition in our editorial team. I am honored to begin my tenure as editor-in-chief of Law Practice for the next two years. I am a partner at McCarter & English in Hartford, Connecticut, and have spent 27 years in both in-house and private practice representing corporate clients in intellectual property matters.

During my time on the Law Practice Board, I’ve served in a number of capacities including issue editor and vice-chair. I truly love working with authors in helping them share their insights with the legal community. Law Practice is an important resource and gives an opportunity to provide our readers with compelling thought leadership in practice management. I am grateful for the trust and support of the Law Practice Division in giving me an opportunity to serve in this role.

Since it is January, you may be wondering why the marketing issue is coming out now, rather than during the normal schedule in the spring. We changed things this year to align our publications with the new date of the ABA TECHSHOW taking place in April 2025. So, stay tuned; the issue team is working hard on the TECHSHOW issue for March.

Marketing is one of those skill sets that is not taught in law school but can be pivotal in making an attorney’s career. Though it is not often considered a marketing tool and in some cases is looked at with dread, our lead article by Deb Feder titled “Four Ways Small Talk Really Can Be Big Talk” discusses the importance of small talk in developing relationships and in gaining trust in others that pays off in business development and networking environments. In addition to explaining why small talk is important, Feder provides skill development exercises that we can all use to improve the way we interact and engage people we meet. 

Next up we have an article titled “A Remarkable Attorney Bio Starts with Positioning” by Dion Algeri and Robert Alger that focuses on the importance of attorney biographies and how narrowing your focus provides ways for an attorney to maximize impact in attracting clients. However, a good bio will not be seen if the law firm’s website does not draw potential clients in and focus them on what is important. After discussing how to prepare a good high impact bio, the authors provide guidance on structuring law firm web pages for maximum benefit.

How we present ourselves during networking events and meetings can make an impression with those in the room. Meranda M. Vieyra’s article “Build a Better Personal Brand Through Better Body Language” walks us through those, often unconscious, mannerisms that we all have. Vieyra walks us through the messages our bodies convey and how to create the impressions we desire.

Law school is a great training ground for developing the analytical and problem-solving traits needed for solving our clients’ issues. Stephen E. Seckler’s article “Think Like a Lawyer, But Stop Acting Like One” discusses how these personality traits, which make us great advocates, can be detrimental to developing the personal relationships that are critical to attracting and growing our client base. Seckler also reminds us of the importance of resilience and overcoming the fear of failure in business development.

Developing business in 2025 requires a mix of strategies including both in-person and digital. LinkedIn has become a key asset for many attorneys in defining their online messaging. If your LinkedIn practice needs some improvement, Allison Johs’s article “Rethink Your LinkedIn Strategy for 2025” can help you revamp how you use this important tool.

Identity theft can impact anyone. For attorneys there is an added layer of stress due to the ethical requirements for which we need to abide. Michael Eisenberg provides us with an article “What to Do If Your Social Media Is Hacked” that walks you through the steps needed to recover both your online accounts and reputation in the event this unfortunate issue arises for you.

We hope these articles will help raise your awareness and improve your marketing skills so you can achieve your business development and practice goals.