Comments on: How General Counsel Evaluates and Hires Law Firms: Marketing Partner Forum Recap

By: Alternate Fee Agreements Meet Process Improvement

Alternate Fee Agreements Meet Process Improvement — Sat, 05 Jun 2010 20:46:01 +0000

[...] a founding member of LSSO and Director of Marketing at Goulston Storrs, speaking on a panel at the 2010 Marketing Partner Forum gave a number of examples how process improvement can be applied to administrative tasks in [...]

By: virtualmarketingofficer

virtualmarketingofficer — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 18:35:29 +0000

Thanks for your comments, Saqib. Businesses all over the globe appreciate when their service providers take the time to know their business and build a relevant relationship. Good luck with your work.

By: virtualmarketingofficer

virtualmarketingofficer — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 15:43:32 +0000

I think it also helps to be genuinely interested in the industry! Too often I see a fake attempt at interest. Like, it would be pretty hard for me to represent a ditch digging company. I’m just not that enthused about backhoes and dump trucks! Conversely I could get very excited representing a communications enterprise, or better still a winery! Good excuse for sampling.

By: virtualmarketingofficer

virtualmarketingofficer — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 15:40:20 +0000

Thanks Jim! Glad to see you on the VMO. I believe the most important take away from the panel was the need to follow up if you don’t get the work. All three panelists said that in many cases they end up hiring the losing firms for a subsequent matter, later on, if they take the time to follow up and build a relationship!

By: James A. Reed

James A. Reed — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 14:16:07 +0000

Jane–Very helpful. Thank you for sharing with those of us who did not attend. Comments track with your advice and guidance over the years.

By: Russell Lawson

Russell Lawson — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 17:45:10 +0000

A great contribution, Jayne. The consistency of general counsel preferring to hire lawyers who understand their business is powerful. Regardless of budgets, economic and political environment and personal characteristics, the understanding of a business is a fundamental value to too few lawyers deliver. It is the foundation on which they set their case experience, though. Give me any lawyer whose reputation hangs on a particular set of issues and experience, and I bet I’ll find an understanding of a specific industry or business gained over time. The communications profession has the same requirement. CEOs value a marketing or PR practitioner with specific and detailed knowledge of their business and industry. See http://tinyurl.com/yznsvrq.

By: Saqib Awan

Saqib Awan — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 09:19:16 +0000

This is a great post. Although it is US centric but there are always common practices across the globe. While working for a global law firm in Saudi Arabia I have experienced many of the issues pointed above and hope that law firms soon overcome these and realize the long-lasting effects of taking the initiatives. Now that I am GC of one of the financial services firms, sitting on the other side of the table, I will have the opportunity to observe, guide and seek.

By: Susan Letterman White

Susan Letterman White — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 15:25:53 +0000

This is an excellent post, which I will be sharing with my clients.

By: Adrian Dayton (@adriandayton)

Adrian Dayton (@adriandayton) — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 14:45:31 +0000

Jane,

Outstanding job on this post. This was really the most important panel at the entire #MPF event, and this is an impressive compilation of the best nuggets from that event. Here is what GC’s have to say, now the big question is- will attorneys listen?

Great meeting you in Florida, and I really like your blog- good stuff!

By: Melanie Green

Melanie Green — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 14:05:32 +0000

Great recap Jane! Was a very good panel this year and touched on so many issues of the day. Thanks for capturing it all in one place. Now…its time for us to take note and make changes in our firms where it impacts the client relationships most!