Staying Competitive in Shrinking Market Among Topics of ABA Legal Marketing Conference in Philadelphia

CHICAGO, Oct. 26, 2009 — As America’s lawyers compete for business in this tough economy, the need for marketing is more essential than ever. What can lawyers do to stand out from the crowd? Participants of the nation’s most comprehensive law firm marketing education program, the 2nd Biannual American Bar Association Law Firm Marketing Strategies Conference, will answer that question when they meet in Philadelphia at the Four Seasons Hotel on Nov. 12-13.

At the two-day program, sponsored by the ABA Law Practice Management Section, lawyers, marketers and executives will hear from experts on how to differentiate themselves and their firms. Presenters will include David Lat, founding editor of legal blog Above the Law, speaking on image control, and John Osborn, president and CEO of BBDO, sharing best practices for strategic branding.

“As an attorney focused on business development for the past 15 years, I always felt frustrated with the lack of strong educational programming on marketing,” said Micah Buchdahl, section chair. “Most conferences dedicated to law firm marketing are generally overrun — or simply run — by vendors.  However, the 2009 ABA conference, once again, focuses on successful lawyers doing the teaching.”

The conference will also feature a unique two-part program, “Ranking the Raters; Rating the Rankers: A Forum on Methodologies, Benefits and Value,” during the conference lunch sessions. Representatives from the leading lawyer rating services—Avvo, Best Lawyers, Lawdragon, Martindale Hubble and Super Lawyers— will explain their rating methodologies, and a panel of in-house counsel will then provide a critique of the methodologies and rank the services.

Additional conference highlights include nearly 20 sessions on must-know topics:

• How to Lose a Client in 10 Days
• What GCs Think of Lawyer Rating Companies
• Law Firm Marketing in a Recession
• Strategic Branding and Niche Marketing
• Law Marketing & Advertising Ethics Update
• ABA Women Rainmakers Panel: Generating Business—Different Styles, Different Approaches
• The RFP Process from an In-house Perspective
• Utilizing the Internet for Marketing
• Lead Generation and Qualification
• Client Satisfaction Interviews
• Origination Credit and Business Development

For a full schedule and information about the conference, go to www.lawpractice.org/marketingconference.

The ABA Law Practice Management Section is a professional membership organization providing resources for lawyers and other legal professionals in the core areas of the business of practicing law — marketing, management, technology and finance — through its award-winning magazine, webzine, educational CLE programs, Web site and publishing division.

With nearly 400,000 members, the American Bar Association is the largest voluntary professional membership organization in the world.  As the national voice of the legal profession, the ABA works to improve the administration of justice, promotes programs that assist lawyers and judges in their work, accredits law schools, provides continuing legal education, and works to build public understanding around the world of the importance of the rule of law.

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Editor’s Note: Accredited reporters are welcome to attend the conference for free. To obtain ABA press credentials, contact Lynne Van Buskirk, ABA Division for Media Relations and Communication Services, at 312/988-6136 or by e-mail at vanbuskl@staff.abanet.org.  For credential guidelines visit http://www.abanet.org/media/credentials.html.