The below is a summary of an article that appeared in ALM's Law Firm Disrupted column on May 29, 2026, featuring three prominent LMA leaders: Tom Helm, Jenna Schiappacasse, and Adam Severson:
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The conversations that energized the hallways and sessions at the LMA Annual Conference in New Orleans have made their way into the national press, and for good reason. What legal marketing and business development leaders were discussing at LMA26 wasn't incremental change. It was a fundamental reimagining of what the marketing function inside a law firm is supposed to do, and who it is supposed to be.
Those themes are now front and center in Dan Packel's latest Law Firm Disrupted column for ALM, "From Brand Stewards to Revenue Generation Gurus," which examines how the evolution of law firm marketing departments helps explain how firms are now operating with a level of sophistication that matches the broader business world. LMA is proud to continue serving as a connector and ongoing resource for these conversations, helping members stay at the forefront of the business of law.
The column captures what many in the LMA community already know firsthand: marketing and BD leaders at law firms are no longer brand stewards. They are pricing strategists, client development architects and genuine growth drivers. Once tasked primarily with operational execution, including managing RFPs, coordinating sponsorships, preparing partners for pitch meetings and keeping the trains running on time, today's chief marketing and business development officers are expected to own measurable outcomes and speak in pipeline terms.
"A lot of it was very operations-heavy, making sure things get done, get done well and get done on deadline,” said Adam Severson, chief marketing and business development officer at Baker Donelson.
The shift goes well beyond titles. The most forward-thinking firms have restructured their marketing and BD functions around real revenue accountability, integrating brand communications, data analytics, partner development and pricing strategy into a single, cohesive growth mandate. Firms that haven't made that shift are leaving money on the table. Marketing leaders are now architects of firm-wide strategy, with higher stakes and a direct seat at the leadership table.
"Firms are expecting marketing leadership to speak in pipeline terms… really demonstrate measurable contributions to growth,” shared Tom Helm, co-chair of the LMA 2026 Annual Conference Advisory Committee and chief marketing officer at Smith, Gambrell & Russell.
Technology, and AI in particular, is accelerating this evolution. From drafting press releases and generating thought leadership ideas to identifying at-risk clients and targeting new business opportunities, smart tools are reshaping what a lean marketing team can accomplish. The growing integration of marketing, BD and client service is compressing the distance between brand awareness and revenue, and firms that invest in that infrastructure are pulling ahead.
"There's no firm that can evade the need for smart technology and smart data and knowledge management hygiene practices and the ability to make decisions quicker and with more important intelligence on hand,” advised Jenna Schiappacasse, co-chair of the LMA 2026 Annual Conference Advisory Committee and managing director of business development and marketing at Winston & Strawn.
These themes, including client intelligence, revenue accountability, cross-functional growth mandates and business transformation, were unmistakably present at LMA26 and continue to shape conversations across the LMA community and beyond. Smaller firms, too, are poised to benefit. With nimble teams, strong internal culture and access to the same emerging technologies as their Big Law peers, they are increasingly well-positioned to compete.
The Law Firm Disrupted column puts it plainly. The legal CMO's role has changed, and the firms that recognize that shift, and invest accordingly, are the ones writing the next chapter of what it means to lead in this profession.
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