LMANext 2026 Program

March 2026 - November 2026

The LMA Southwest Region is excited to launch the LMANext 2026 Program, a professional development program designed to support newly minted legal marketers through structured training and meaningful mentorship.

Running from March 2026 through November 2026, LMANext combines mentorship with practical, real-world learning. Participants will engage in regular one-on-one meetings between mentors and mentees and attend four live, interactive webinars led by Holly Barocio (GrowthPlay) and Michael Blachly (Troutman Pepper Locke). Each session is designed to deliver actionable insights and strategies that can be implemented immediately.

Mentees will be thoughtfully matched with seasoned legal marketing executives to foster professional growth and connection.

Program Cost:
$100 for LMA members
$150 for non-LMA members

Are you ready to connect and grow? Register here.

Interested in giving back as a mentor? Professionals with five or more years of legal marketing experience are invited to participate and help shape the next generation of industry leaders. To register, please email lmasouthwest@legalmarketing.org.

Interested but still have questions? Feel free to email kaitlin.hart@wbd-us.com for more information.

FAQs

What is the time commitment expected from mentees and mentors?

The LMANext 2026 Program runs from March through November 2026 and is intentionally designed to be impactful while remaining manageable for busy professionals.
The program includes:

• Four one-hour educational webinars 
• Ongoing one-on-one meetings between mentors and mentees

Mentees are expected to attend all four webinars and can anticipate approximately 1–2 hours of active participation per month.

Mentors will have access to the webinars and are welcome to attend, though attendance is not required. Mentors can expect to dedicate approximately one hour per month to LMANext commitments.


Is there a qualification process for mentees?

Requirements:
To participate as a mentee, you must:

• Be officially enrolled in the LMANext Program to participate in both the mentorship and training components; and 
• Work within the Southwest Region (Arizona, Colorado, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas and Utah).

Participation Expectations:
Mentees are asked to:

• Meet with your mentor at least every other month (up to four meetings during the program), unless both parties choose to meet more frequently; 
• Set up meetings with your mentors and prepare agendas or discussion points in advance to maximize value of each session; 
• Respond to evaluation requests and program surveys; and 
• Attend LMASW Region programs with mentors when possible.

Our ideal mentee has fewer than seven years of marketing/communications experience or is newer to the legal marketing industry; however, this is not a strict requirement.


What are the qualifications of mentors?

Eligibility Requirements:
Mentors must:

• Work in the Southwest Region (Arizona, Colorado, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah); 
• Be a law firm in-house marketing professional, consultant or vendor; 
• Provide a biography and background information for mentoring materials and selection purposes; and 
• Provide updates to the LMANext Chair, Kaitlin Hart, as requested (evaluations, interim reports, surveys, etc.).

Experience Profile:
Mentors typically have:

• 5+ years of professional legal marketing experience or 8+ years of broader marketing expertise 
• Mentors are often at the manager, director, or CMO level, though this is not required.
  
  

Participation Expectations:
Mentors will:

• Share experiences, provide advice, and offer practical, teachable insights; 
• Meet with their mentee regularly throughout the duration of the program (at least three times between March and November); 
• Attend LMA Local Group programs with their mentee when possible; 
• Have the opportunity to audit program sessions to ensure alignment with best practices discussed in mentoring conversations.

Formal program obligations conclude in November 2026; however, mentor/mentee pairs are welcome to continue their relationship beyond that time.


How will you pair mentors and mentees?

Pairings are thoughtfully based on:

• Area of legal marketing specialization (e.g., business development, public relations, pricing, department management, etc.); and
• Geographic considerations, when possible, to accommodate preferences for similar locations.

Our goal is to create meaningful, compatible matches that foster productive and valuable professional relationships.


How will programming be delivered?

All programming will be delivered either via webinar or live, in-person sessions depending on participant locations. An updated program calendar with webinar dates and live event details will be released soon.


Is there a deadline to register? 

Yes, please register by Friday, March 20th. 

For questions or concerns about your event registration, please contact lmasouthwest@legalmarketing.org