For anyone following any legal marketing stream on Twitter (#LMA13, for instance), you’ll know that we not only have our scoffers, but we have our haters.

And, honestly, looking at the spam in my filters, who can blame them.

There are a lot of bad promotional people out there targeting lawyers with their wares. But they are not necessarily “legal marketers.”

One thing I have learned from my nearly 15 years as a legal marketer is that not all legal marketers are created equally.

We all don’t do the same thing. We don’t all have the same skill set and experience. And we all don’t work for the same client base.

I work in-house for corporate lawyers. I am diligent that the marketing and business development we do complies with the legal ethics of the states in which we practice.

I know many legal marketing consultants who have worked in-house, and have struck out on their own. Once again, working with corporate lawyers, and well within the boundaries of the legal ethics in which the lawyers operate.

There are other legal marketers who work with consumer lawyers, which is a completely different beast than corporate law. B to C v. B to B.

And, like any industry, there are ne’er–do–wells who are trying to capitalize on an unsophisticated market. They see lawyers as a quick and easy target (Psst. Hey, buddy. Wanna buy a plaque?). Much like there are ne’er-do-well attorneys trying to capitalize on an unsophisticated consumer.

Those fly-by-night marketers do not represent what we do. They are not what I do. Just like ambulance-chasing lawyers are not who we represent.

My job is to help the lawyers in many areas of their business. The 5 Ps of marketing, for short.

LMA Annual Conference

Legal marketers, in general, are about business. The business of law. For some of us, that means businesses of $50 million in revenue and up. For others, at the top of the market, we’re looking at multi-billion dollar a year global operations.

It takes a sophisticated marketer to earn the respect of corporate law. To be given the keys to not only drive the strategic plan, but to create it. A seat at the table. And, better yet, a VOICE at the table.

Heaven knows it takes a thick skin and a strong personality to go toe-to-toe with many of our partners.

And while we have a few haters and scoffers, considering the booming of our profession, we have many more supporters and champions.

So, yeah, I’m Heather Morse. Legal Marketer.