Market Leaders Podcast

Join Hannah Smith in this episode of the Market Leaders Podcast as she welcomes Jessica Grayson, Chief Growth Officer at Stradley Ronon, for a discussion on the evolving role of lateral hiring in law firm growth. Jessica shares why successful lateral acquisitions begin long before a partner joins the firm and how firms can create a stronger foundation for long-term success. She discusses the impor...

In this special episode of the Market Leaders Podcast , Jackie Kappas interviews David Ackert—author of The Short List and co-founder and CEO of PipelinePlus—for an honest conversation about authenticity, connection, and the real work behind business development. David shares why The Short List resonates so widely and explains how focusing on the people who matter most can transform both career gr...

In this episode of the Market Leaders Podcast, host David Ackert sits down with Kate Stoddard, Chief Marketing Officer at Kelley Drye, to explore the pervasive issue of siloing within law firms and how to overcome it. Drawing on her 15 years of experience at Kelley Drye, Kate shares insights into the firm's business development strategy and the innovative approaches they've taken to foster cohesio...

In this episode of the Market Leaders Podcast, host David Ackert interviews Sian Story, General Counsel at Vendavo, about her unique career journey. Sian shares how she started in tax law in the UK and eventually moved to Silicon Valley, where she worked at Osborne Clarke advising U.S. companies on European law. Unlike most in-house counsel, she took on a dual role that combined legal work with bu...

In this episode of the Market Leaders Podcast, host David Ackert interviews Guest Chris Pullen, Head of Business Development at Kennedys. Chris shares his extensive experience spanning over thirty years in law, including a significant period at Ernst & Young. They discuss the perceived encroachment of the big four accounting firms into the legal market and explore why this hasn't materialized...

In this episode of the Market Leaders Podcast, host David Ackert and guest Mira Dewji, Chief Inclusion and Diversity Officer at Seyfarth, have an insightful discussion about Mira’s journey from being an associate lawyer to becoming a leader in diversity and inclusion (DEI). Together, they explore the importance of moving beyond optics-driven DEI initiatives toward creating genuine, inclusive workp...

In this episode of the Market Leader’s Podcast, host David Ackert engages in an insightful conversation with Courtney Beauzile, the head of Marketing, business development, and communications at Robins Kaplan. Courtney shares her journey from sales to legal marketing, detailing her extensive experience in team building. At Robins Kaplan, she has undertaken a comprehensive listening tour to align h...

Join host David Ackert as he explores business development in the digital age with guest Adrian Lürssen. Adrian is Co-Founder and VP Strategic Development at JD Supra, a leading online publishing and targeted content distributor, empowering professionals to showcase their expertise, gain media attention, and establish authority in their respective fields.  In this episode, David and Adrian explore...

Join David Ackert in this episode of the Market Leader’s Podcast as he welcomes special guests Robin D. Davidson, Head of Business Development and Communications at Boies Schiller, and Matt Plavnick, Director of Client Development at Wheeler Trigg O'Donnell. They engage in a conversation centered around the concept of "constructive pushback" in legal business development and the challenges it pres...

In this episode of The Market Leaders Podcast, host David Ackert sits down with John Byrne, Chief Marketing Officer at Gould Ratner and incoming President-elect of LMA. They explore upcoming themes and objectives for the Legal Marketing Association as they approach their fortieth anniversary in 2025.  Highlights include:  Reflections on the evolution of the legal marketing profession and the chall...

In this episode of The Market Leaders Podcast, host David Ackert chats with Kevin Iredell, the new 2024 Legal Marketing Association President and Chief Marketing and Business Development Officer at Lowenstein Sandler. They delve into Kevin's game plan as LMA President, his sharp business approach at his firm, and strategies for post-pandemic growth. Highlights include: Kevin's LMA presidency prior...

On this episode of The Market Leaders Podcast, join host David Ackert and special guest Roy Sexton, Director of Marketing at Clark Hill Law, for a conversation that looks back at the industry trends that defined 2023, Roy’s tenure as the President of the Legal Marketing Association, and where the legal marketing industry is heading in 2024 and beyond.   Tune in to hear about:  -       Building com...

In this episode of the Market Leader’s Podcast, Justin Portaz, Chief Marketing and Business Development Officer at Jenner & Block LLP discusses authentic leadership and its influence on firm culture. Tune in to hear about: -      The impact of authentic leadership style -      Why genuine human connections are becoming increasingly important in an ever-accelerating digitized economy -      The...

In this episode of the Market Leaders Podcast, David Ackert welcomes special guest Diane Paoletta, Director of Marketing at Phillips Nizer. Diane has had a dynamic career, spearheading marketing and business development efforts at multiple professional services firms – from accounting to consulting to legal. David and Diane explore the similarities and differences in applying business development...

In this episode of the Market Leader’s Podcast, David Ackert welcomes Samantha McKenna, founder of #samsales, for an insightful conversation centered around creating, leveraging, and maintaining relationships in a hyper-personalized way – by showing them that you truly know them.  Samantha and David discuss a wide range of topics around this centralized issue, including:   The hyper personalized a...

In this episode of the Market Leader’s Podcast, join David Ackert and special guest Roberto Pont, Chief Strategy and Operations Officer at McInnes Cooper, as they engage in an enlightening conversation regarding innovation within law firms, specifically the use of technology and financial forecasting models, the rise of AI, and how to overcome the challenges inherent to law firms – and in working...

In this episode of the Market Leader’s Podcast, join David Ackert and special guest Roberto Pont, Chief Strategy and Operations Officer at McInnes Cooper, as they engage in an enlightening conversation regarding innovation within law firms, specifically the use of technology and financial forecasting models, the rise of AI, and how to overcome the challenges inherent to law firms – and in working...

In this episode of the Market Leader’s Podcast, join host David Ackert as he sits down with Koree Khongphand-Buckman, Chief Marketing and Business Development Officer at Foley & Lardner LLP, to explore the world of data-driven marketing and business development in the legal industry. Together, they dive into the challenges law firms face when implementing a data-driven approach and how Foley &...

In this episode of the Market Leader’s Podcast, David Ackert, with guest Vivian Coco, Head of Marketing, Communications, and Client Relations at Licks Attorneys of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, discuss a variety of factors associated with satisfying DEI requirements across cultures, countries, and regions.   Tune in to hear more about: DEI as a concept and its evolution across varied regions Particular...

In this podcast episode, David Ackert interviews Mark Hunter, Principal at Glen Maple Group, about the importance of client experience in professional services firms, particularly in the legal industry. Mark shares his background in CRM solutions and his current work with Glen Maple Group, which provides marketing and communication services to professional services firms on a fractional basis. The...

In this episode, join David Ackert as he engages in a captivating conversation with Mitchell Reno, Principal Director of Client Experience at Rehmann, shedding light on the ever-evolving landscape of Client Experience in professional services firms. With over two decades of Sales, Marketing, and CX expertise at Rehmann, one of the top professional advisory firms in the US, Mitch shares invaluable...

In this episode of the Market Leaders Podcast, David Ackert, with guest Lisa Vicine, Chief Marketing Officer at Arnall, Golden, Gregory LLP, unpack the keys to recruiting, developing and retaining an effective marketing and business development team. Tune in to hear about: How Lisa rebuilt the foundation of her marketing and business development department at AGG The ways she protects, engages, an...

A rising tide raises all boats. In this episode of the Market Leaders Podcast, David Ackert, with guests Morgan Lewis' Chief Business Development Officer Amanda Bruno and Director of Business Development Coaching and Training Debra Hare, unpack how this sentiment is at the core of the firm’s BD ethos. They explore how the firm's collaborative culture is a key contributor to its success in preparin...

In this episode, David Ackert chats with Scott Love, President of The Attorney Search Group and a leading authority in legal recruiting, about three critical firm growth strategies: encouraging lawyers to expand their books of business through their referral network, through prospecting, and through lateral recruiting. Scott shares his expertise on how firms can overcome impediments to progress by...

Join David Ackert in this episode of the Market Leaders podcast as he speaks with Mike Mellor, the Chief Marketing and Business Development Officer at Pryor Cashman LLP. Mike's extensive experience in professional services marketing informs his insights on the importance of industry-focused go-to-market strategies, client-centric language, and tactical execution involving market analysis and creat...