LMAF interviews peek into the lives and minds of some of the most compelling figures in the legal industry. Interviewees answer three questions from each of three categories--savvy, salty, and personal--to reveal unique insights and talents driving our field.
Platform
Matt Plavnick launched Axis Marketing Strategies after 14 years inside law firms. Now, he’s lifting up the profession by teaching marketers skills to lead the lawyers they serve--and lawyers how to follow.
A familiar face in the Legal Marketing Association, Matt is passionate about sparking connection, always encouraging marketers and lawyers to engage their audiences with grace and humor.
Savvy
What's the most interesting or surprising thing you see emerging in legal marketing or the business of law? Definitely AI. I'm struck by the number of lawyers and firms engaging even though they’d rather let others lead the way. Clients are driving even reluctant lawyers to use AI. BTI Consulting recently published a thoughtful look into how this is working.
What have you seen recently from a law firm or service provider that made you say “Oh wow, that’s good.”? Three things come to mind. 1) Literally anything from GrowthPlay. 2) The playful social media coming out of Fractional Law Firm CMO. Case in point, here’s the tea. 3) Axinn’s new brand. The DC-based firm chose warm colors and an arty yet more traditional font to invite visitors in. The result creates unexpected comfort--almost coziness--from an elite boutique, without sacrificing gravitas. I love it.
What tool(s) of the trade do you most love using or most rely on in your day-to-day? OneNote for keeping all my scattered ideas and lists--I make a lot of lists!--organized. And my Waterman rollerball pen, a gift from my best BD collaborator ever. The minutes I spend journaling are some of the most valuable in my day. There's a rewarding creative connection in the act of exploring questions or ideas by hand. It's slow and invites deliberate thinking in a way that's easy to overlook in the frantic digital pace of our world. I especially love to journal on airplanes. The pen and page become expansive despite the short-term confinement of a flight.
Salty
What words or phrase do you wish would go away from legal marketing or the business of law forever? “On behalf of.” It's just silly. “For” is simpler and more efficient. Clients won’t think less of us, and we can’t really bill more for using three words instead of one. If "for" is enough for Mal Wheeler, it can be enough for the rest of us. Let it go.
What legal marketing or law firm trend bothers you right now? Why? This is more of a tendency than a trend. Too many law firms still hold out the successes of the founders or senior partners to new generations and say "Just do what we/they did." Even before the pandemic, that wasn't working, for a multitude of reasons. And I think it's gotten harder since.
Law firms shout "Entrepreneurship!" as a panacea for whatever ails you. I'd like to see firms make a stronger shift to an incubator atmosphere, where would-be entrepreneurs find not only resources, but a willingness to experiment and try new things together. Just because firms "embrace entrepreneurship" doesn't mean they've created a culture that both inspires and supports the next generations. In fact, it often means the opposite: that management will leave you alone to "be entrepreneurial"--and sink or swim. Time and again we see that fail.
What’s the worst advice you've ever received? To over-ask and let (or make) the other party say no. I think it’s actually very damaging. FWIW, though, the very same person gave me the best advice ever. See below. Just goes to show we all have good moments and bad.
Personal
What advice would you give to folks just entering the legal industry? It may be surprising, but law firms are creative playgrounds. Law firms don’t run like other businesses. Most law firms don’t even run like other law firms! Lawyers appreciate working with smart, creative people. As a result, the industry offers tons of space to define your value and tap into your creative energy. Trust in what you have to offer, learn to spot where you can help, and then take a calculated risk and offer a product or service that moves the market forward. If you inspire trust and confidence in others, it will carry you where you need to go—even when you aren’t sure what the answers are. (News flash: the lawyers don't have all the answers, either!)
What's the best advice you've ever received? To share the things I'm most excited about--and afraid of. You've got to put your hopes and dreams out there so the universe and your network can help. I needed someone to teach me that. I used to keep my deepest ambitions covered up. People wouldn't know how they could help me. And humans love to help. I lived a long time in fear of sharing what I wanted most from the world. It's amazing how much closer I've come to realizing my goals since I began sharing them.
Name your favorite health or hygiene tool. My interstitial toothbrush. IYKYK.
Click here for photos and interview highlights.
