Southwest - Virtual: Summer Boot Camp Series 2026

Southwest - Virtual: Summer Boot Camp Series 2026

Join us for a virtual summer boot camp series.

You can register for all four sessions for a package price or register a la carte. We hope to see you for our online Boot Camp this summer! 

Sessions: 

Session 2: CRM Use and Implementation within Law Firms: What’s Working and What’s Not Working

Session 2 of the summer boot camp series is a candid panel discussion on CRM use and implementation within law firms. The panel brings together three experienced speakers, each working with a different CRM platform, to share what’s working (and what’s not) inside law firms.

The conversation will focus on some of the biggest challenges legal marketers face: gaining attorney buy-in and how to move beyond implementation to meaningful, day-to-day use. Panelists will share real-world strategies for encouraging adoption, integrating CRM into attorney workflows, and using relationship intelligence to support business development and cross-selling efforts.

Whether your firm is evaluating a CRM, in the early stages of rollout, or looking to increase engagement, this session will offer practical insights you can apply immediately.

Our Speakers: 

Jaclyn Braga
Director of Marketing & Business Development, Morse

Jaclyn Braga is the director of marketing and business development at Morse, a Boston-area law firm focused on corporate, IP, litigation, employment, privacy, and tax law. Along with her small, award-winning team, Jaclyn identifies, develops, and leads all marketing and business development initiatives for the firm, including strategic planning, attorney development, web presence, content creation, event planning, social media, and client nurturing. She has worked in legal marketing for over 18 years and particularly enjoys working on creative initiatives that help set her attorneys and her firm apart from the competition.

A member of LMA since 2008, Jaclyn has previously served as co-chair of the 2015 LMA Northeast/New England regional conference and currently serves as co-chair of the LMA Boston Solo/Small Team SIG. She was also a 2025 LMA annual conference advisory committee member. In 2024, Jaclyn received an “Excellence in the Law” award for legal marketing from Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly.

Outside the office, you’ll find Jaclyn hitting the heavy bag at Title Boxing, kicking up her heels on the dance floor, or working on a craft project while her rescue cat, Chief Martin Brody, looks on.

Jonathan Gavenda
Founder and CEO, EpiGrowth

As EpiGrowth’s CEO and founder, Jonathan Gavenda brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to his clients and team. With over 16 years of leading CRM implementations, he leverages his experience working with Fortune 500 companies and Silicon Valley tech firms to benefit his team’s projects today.

During Jonathan’s earlier years of consulting, he led a practice team of Salesforce consultants guiding them in system design best practices and client management skills. As a solution architect himself, three of his clients went public with a successful IPO. The firm that employed him was also acquired during his tenure.

After starting EpiGrowth solo in 2017, Jonathan organically grew the delivery team to nearly 40 people as demand for their expert services increased. He built a small, nimble team of smart, seasoned consultants and developers who have already had similar successes to his earlier career. With a relationship approach to delivery, they can cut out the red tape found in many large firms and focus on what they love to do.

Jonathan holds a Bachelor of Science (BS) from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) and Master of Science (MS) in Bioinformatics from Georgia Institute of Technology. Originally from Chicago, he spent a decade in the Bay Area, before settling down in Los Angeles with his partner and their dog.

Paris Lou
Manager, Marketing operations at Fasken

Paris Lou is a manager of marketing operations at Fasken, where she focuses on turning CRM and marketing operations into scalable, data-driven engines that drive measurable client engagement and business growth. Working at the intersection of strategy and execution, she translates business needs into practical systems, workflows, and processes that teams adopt and use in their day-to-day work.

She is a strong advocate for viewing CRM as not just a database, but as a strategic foundation for delivering consistent, client-centric experiences. Recently, she played a key role in leading and supporting a firm-wide migration from a 20+ year legacy CRM system to Nexl, modernizing how over half a million contacts are managed. This transformation has already driven more than 60% lawyer adoption and is enabling more proactive, insight-driven business development across the firm.

With a background in management information systems, Paris brings a systems-thinking approach to operational challenges, specializing in bridging the gap between business and IT. She is particularly passionate about clean, well-structured data and its role in enabling reliable analytics, scalable processes, and long-term efficiency. Her work consistently focuses on helping organizations operate more effectively by leveraging data to drive smarter decisions and stronger client relationships.

Interested in only this session? Please register here.

Session 3: Measuring and Communicating Marketing ROI: Practical Takeaways You Can Start Now

How do you prove the value of marketing in a way that resonates with firm leadership, especially lawyers? Proving marketing ROI in a law firm requires more than good data, it requires delivering insights in a way that aligns with how lawyers think and how firms make decisions. This session offers a practical, well-rounded approach to tracking, framing, and communicating marketing results to influence leadership and drive investment. 

Elise Holtzman, a former practicing attorney and founder and CEO of The Lawyer’s Edge, brings the lawyer’s lens, offering guidance on positioning marketing results in a way that resonates with legal decision-makers. Adam Severson, an in-house chief marketing and business development officer at Baker Donelson, delivers the marketer’s lens on how to track the right metrics, connect activities to revenue, and present results in a clear, business-focused narrative. Together, they bridge the gap between what marketers measure and what firm leadership values, equipping attendees with a more complete framework for demonstrating impact. 

You'll how to align ROI metrics with the priorities and decision-making style of lawyers, along with practical ways to track marketing performance and tie it to revenue outcomes, including a template you can customize to use at your firm. You'll also learn strategies for presenting results with clarity, credibility, and influence.

Our Speakers:

Elise Holtzman 
Founder and CEO, The Lawyer’s Edge

Elise Holtzman is a former practicing lawyer, executive coach and consultant, keynote speaker, and the CEO of The Lawyer’s Edge, where for more than 17 years she and her team have worked with law firms to grow thriving businesses by helping lawyers become better business developers and leaders.

She is the creator of the Lawyers Making Rain program for law firms and the Ignite Women’s Business Development Accelerator for women partners and counsel.

Elise speaks frequently for law firms, bar associations, and other legal organizations, and is the host of The Lawyer’s Edge podcast, which has published more than 200 episodes. She also writes articles for publications such as Law.com and Law360.

Elise’s volunteer activities over the years have included board positions for bar associations and alumni groups, including the Columbia Law School Association and the New Jersey Women Lawyers Association. She is currently a member of the Legal Marketing Association’s Northeast Regional Board.

Elise earned a BA in Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania and her JD from Columbia Law School where she was a senior editor of the Columbia Law Review. Prior to founding The Lawyer’s Edge, Elise practiced law in New York City with Fried Frank and Morgan Lewis. She is passionate about helping lawyers grow and thrive, both personally and professionally.

Adam Severson
Chief Marketing and Business Development Officer, Baker Donelson

Adam Severson has more than 25 years of experience guiding law firms in their strategic direction and execution of business development and marketing initiatives. As chief marketing and business development officer for Baker Donelson, Adam collaborates with the firm's lawyers and professional staff to maintain a client focus, increase marketplace awareness, and facilitate cross-office and cross-practice collaboration. He is active in LMA, is a former president of the LMA, and was inducted into the LMA Hall of Fame in 2020.

Adam speaks internationally on law firm strategy, marketing and business development, technology, and competitive intelligence. He is a Fellow in the College of Law Practice Management, an honorary organization that recognizes distinguished law practice management professionals. Adam was also recognized by the Nashville Business Journal as CMO of the Year across all industries.

Interested in only this session? Please register here.

Session 4: Standing Out: Presence. Perception. Influence.

Explore how to strengthen your professional impact through three key areas: executive presence, emotional intelligence, and personal branding. Participants will learn how to communicate with confidence and credibility, identify and strengthen true self, and intentionally shape how they are perceived in the workplace. Together, these skills help professionals lead more effectively, influence others, and align their personal values with their professional reputation.

Our Speakers:

Toni Wells
Affiliate Partner, Coston Consulting

Toni Wells is a seasoned marketing and business development leader with 22 years of experience in the legal industry. She specializes in helping lawyers and law firms accelerate revenue growth through targeted business development strategies, client relationship expansion, and personal brand elevation. As a coach and consultant, Toni works directly with high-performing lawyers to identify growth opportunities, strengthen their market presence, and build sustainable books of business. Toni also advises organizations on integrating business development with strategic initiatives, including DEI-driven efforts that support client development goals. She holds a master’s degree in marketing from Johns Hopkins University and a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Maryland at College Park and she is an ICF-accredited coach (ACC).

Diana Lauritson
Associate Director of Business Development, Baker McKenzie 

Diana Lauritson is associate director of business development for the North America Tax Practice at Baker McKenzie. With more than a decade of experience in legal marketing and business development at Am Law 50 and 100 firms, and a 20+ year career spanning communications, nonprofit leadership, and professional services, she has built her practice at the intersection of practice group strategy, client development, DEI, and go-to-market strategy.

An active LMA member, Diana currently serves on the LMA International Board as secretary.

Beyond her firm role, Diana is the founder and host of Breaking Rank, a podcast exploring unconventional leadership and personal branding through conversations with leaders both inside and outside the legal industry. 

Diana holds a Master of Science in Negotiation and Dispute Resolution from Creighton University School of Law, a Master of Business Administration from Florida Institute of Technology, and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, Legal Studies, and Spanish from Creighton University. She has also completed executive education programs at Harvard Business School online and the London School of Economics.

Willie Sleight
Senior Manager, Business Development & Communications, Jones Day

William Sleight is a senior business development manager at Jones Day. With more than a decade of experience in the legal industry, he supports all U.S. East Coast offices as well as Mexico City, partnering with office and firm leadership to shape high level business development strategy and drive impactful client engagement. Before joining Jones Day, William served as a solo marketer for a boutique labor and employment firm in Boston, gaining hands on experience across the full spectrum of legal marketing. 

An active LMA member since 2012, he most recently served as Treasurer of the LMA Northeast Regional Board and has held multiple leadership and volunteer roles. William earned his BS in communications from Ithaca College.

Interested in only this session? Please register here.

Location: 
Virtual - A Zoom link will be sent to you.

Cost for the next three sessions:
Members: $67.50
Non-members: $112.50

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