The quarterly publication of the International Legal Technology Association
Issue link: https://epubs.iltanet.org/i/139453
case studies Technology and Marketing: The Perfect Marriage by Laurie Hause of McKenzie Lake Lawyers When I tell someone I am the director of technology and marketing at a law firm, the initial reaction is surprise. After learning such departments even exist in the legal profession, the next comment is along the lines of, "That's interesting. Isn't one role focused on compliance and the other on creativity?" The answer is yes and no. Thirteen years ago, when I was promoted to this unique dual role, some might have thought it a strange combination. But for small to medium-size firms, the convergence of both disciplines provides a creative solution for the holistic understanding and blending of technology elements with promotional tools. The question of whether this trend will find a foothold in larger firms is still to be seen. The Way We Were Memories of 1960s-style vision boards, 1970s print advertisements and static HTML websites of the '90s are fading, as they are no longer the key elements in promoting and supporting a firm's services. In the 1990s, law firms began to look at websites as core 32 Peer to Peer communication and marketing vehicles. As an IT manager during that time, I found myself responsible for updating the functionality and design of our website. To do so, I needed to gain a more in-depth understanding of the firm's business goals and objectives. Fortunately, I had been taking night school courses in marketing at the University of Western Ontario and had an ongoing drive to broaden my business skills. The timing of the firm's immediate needs and my expanding skills sparked the genesis of my transition to the dual role of director of IT and marketing. While the evolution of this role came about over a few years and with much education and training, it resulted in me being an active, decision-making participant on the firm's marketing committee. In managing both the marketing and technology needs, it became apparent there was an imbalance between the two areas. The IT team continued to expand, but I remained the sole marketer until the summer of 2010. This staffing model is commonplace in many small to midsize firms; in fact, many have no full-time marketing professionals. Without full-time marketing staff driving strategy and daily