Thursday 5th June
Bringing together the leading professional services marketers with the technologies helping to keep them at the forefront of the industry.
CMO Series Live 2025 – A Recap
On June 5th, over 200 leading marketing and business development professionals gathered in New York for the third instalment of CMO Series Live, the second year in a row that the event has taken place stateside.
It was a day filled with new connections, insightful conversations, and tangible takeaways. The agenda delved into the latest developments in the legal marketing landscape, and the top innovations that are becoming the driving force and future of professional services marketing.
The energy in the room was second to none, as Chiefs and Directors of leading law firms connected with one another, and with the technology providers helping to keep them ahead of the curve.
The speakers all brought their expertise to the stage, arming the audience with a plethora of learnings to take away.
If you missed it, you can browse the session summaries. Full video recaps will be made available soon.
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Speakers
Agenda
8:30 am
Registration, welcome refreshments and networking
STREAM ONE
STREAM TWO
10:00 am
STREAM ONE
Case Study
How to Build a Strong Market Presence, with a Strong Website
Margie Hinckley, Chief Marketing & Business Development Officer of the Americas, A&O Shearman
In today’s fiercely competitive market, building a strong market presence starts with building a strong digital foundation. In this session, Margie will share the story of how the newly merged global firm created and launched a powerful new website with a strong brand identity – whilst retaining the command of two historic global brands.
She will reveal how strategic planning, cross-team collaboration, and a sharp focus on client needs helped turn a complex project into a major brand-building success.
The audience will gain insight into the challenges and opportunities of merging two legacy brands into one cohesive, modern digital presence.
Margie will discuss how the firm’s website strategy was designed not just for launch, but for long-term market impact — supporting thought leadership, client engagement, and brand authority from day one. Whether you are rebranding, merging, or simply ready to level up your firm’s digital presence, this session will offer valuable lessons on how to execute a major web project that truly moves the needle.
Key takeaways:
- How to manage complexity and drive alignment across a large, global organization during a major website launch
- Why a content-driven approach is key to building brand authority and client engagement
- How to ensure your website is built for both immediate impact and long-term market strength
STREAM TWO
Case Study
A Brand Journey: Aligning What Matters to Your People and Your Clients
Julie Chodos, Chief Marketing & Business Development Officer, Axinn
Annie Westover, Chief Operating Officer, Axinn
Fresh off the back of a full rebrand, Axinn’s Julie and Annie will share how to lead a rebrand that is not just a design refresh, but a strategic move for growth.
This session will arm the audience with top tips on how to prepare for a rebrand, what to expect, and most importantly – how to bring your people and clients on the journey with you. With exclusive insights into how Julie and Annie approached the whole process from start to end, and what they learned from the experience, the audience will learn what it takes to align a brand with its true self.
Key takeaways include:
- How to get started: Key steps in the rebranding process
- Why rebranding is essential for your firm’s growth and image
- Navigating decisions and overcoming challenges during a rebrand
- How to bring the firm along with you, securing the all-important partner buy-in and gain internal support
10:50 am
STREAM ONE
Case study
Driving Results: Using Data to Achieve Measurable Business Outcomes
Elizabeth Gooch, Chief Business Development & Marketing Officer, McDermott Will & Emery
When growth is the goal, data is your best friend. By mapping client journeys and building loyalty through engagement strategies and effective use of data, firms stand to see measurable results, but it’s much easier said than done.
During this session, Elizabeth will discuss how data and client feedback are essential in shaping marketing strategies and measuring success, highlighting the importance of aligning marketing efforts with tangible business outcomes, whilst arming the audience with key advice on how to build effective data programs themselves.
Key takeaways include:
- Learning the best place to start and joining the dots of what you already know
- Recognizing how inspiration can come from inside and outside the industry
- Identifying the content that clients engage with most and knowing how to capitalise on that
- Best practice advice for engaging partners to give you data
STREAM TWO
Case study
Beyond the Prompt: Differentiating Legal Practice with AI
Sarah Alt, Chief Process & AI Officer, Michael Best
Imagine receiving a letter from a client with two simple sentences: “We encourage you to use AI in serving us ethically and responsibly. We expect you to adjust your fees accordingly.”
Generative AI offers remarkable and intriguing opportunities for law firms to revolutionize the traditional pillars of marketing: transforming attorney branding and client communications, introducing innovative pricing strategies, enhancing work with data-driven insights, and setting your firm apart in a world where everyone has access to the same technology.
This is the new reality for law firms, and it’s time to decide: Will you eat your lunch or let others take it from you?
Key Takeaways:
- Responsible use of AI in practicing law and operating a firm
- Innovative pricing strategies that incorporate the use of AI
- How to differentiate your firm when we all have access to the same LLMs to get the job done
11:40 am
STREAM ONE
Panel
The ChangeMaker Playbook: Top Takeaways for Marketing Success
Kelly MacKinnon, Chief Marketing & Business Development Officer, Gibson Dunn
Justin Edmondson, Chief Marketing and Business Development Officer, Duane Morris
Kathryn Tschumper, Chief Marketing Officer, Hogan Lovells
Stepping into the role of Chief Marketing Officer for the first time brings both opportunity and unpredictability. In this fireside chat, Kelly, Kathryn and Justin share a candid look share a candid look at their journeys navigating the leap into senior leadership. From aligning with firm leadership to building trust across departments, they will reflect on the realities that challenged their assumptions and the strategies that have helped them succeed.
The discussion will dive into what surprised them most about the role, the pivots they had to make early on, and the lessons they’d carry into future leadership opportunities. With honesty and practical insight, the speakers will explore how their perspectives evolved, what they might do differently next time, and how CMOs can position themselves as change agents in even the most traditional environments.
Key Takeaways:
- Embracing uncertainty is key—expectations and realities often diverge in leadership roles
- Building influence starts with listening—trust and credibility must be earned early
- Strategic clarity and alignment with firm leadership are essential for long-term success
STREAM TWO
Case study
Turning Resistance into Results: Managing Up and Achieving Change
Koree Khongphand-Buckman, Chief Marketing & Business Development Officer, Foley & Lardner
Whether it’s implementing new technologies, shifting business development strategies, or encouraging lawyers to think differently about client engagement, resistance is often the default response.
In this fireside chat, Koree shares real-world lessons from leading successful change initiatives in environments that weren’t always ready for it. The focus? Managing up – building the trust, influence, and resilience needed to move senior stakeholders from passive approval to active support.
You’ll learn how to build personal capital with leadership, hold partners accountable for progress, and approach resistance not as a roadblock, but as a signal for more strategic engagement.
Key takeaways:
- Discover proven techniques for managing up in a law firm environment
- Learn strategies for building influence through credibility, empathy, and consistency
- Approaches to holding stakeholders accountable—without damaging relationships
- Tools for adapting your change strategy to different personalities and power structures
Leave with a mindset shift: how resistance can become a lever for more effective change.
12:30 pm
Lunch & networking
1:50 pm
Panel
How Law Firm Leaders Use Thought Leadership to Drive Firm Growth
Carl Kennedy, Partner and Co-Chair, Financial Markets and Regulation, Katten
Jeff Greenbaum, Managing Partner, Frankfurt Kurnit Klein & Selz
Meredith Williams-Range, Chief Legal Operating Officer, Gibson Dunn
Simon Malko, Managing Partner, Morris, Manning & Martin
In a competitive and fast-evolving legal market, thought leadership is no longer optional — it’s a critical driver of firm growth. In this panel session, Jeff, Simon and Meredith will discuss how they have built consistent, high-impact online presences that fuel business development and strengthen client relationships. All three have successfully leveraged thought leadership, and lead by example to empower their lawyers to create timely, relevant insights that keep their firms front of mind with clients and prospects.
They will share practical strategies for embedding thought leadership into firm culture, ensuring busy lawyers contribute consistently, and connecting content efforts directly to measurable growth outcomes. They’ll also explore the leadership mindset needed to sustain a strong content program over the long term.
This session will offer actionable insights for firm leaders who want to drive visibility, differentiate their expertise, and build lasting competitive advantage through thought leadership.
Key Takeaways:
- How to create a culture where lawyers consistently contribute impactful thought leadership content
- Discover new ways to align content creation with business development goals to drive measurable firm growth
- Proven strategies for sustaining a strong and engaging online presence over time
2:40 pm
case study
Harnessing AI to Cross-Sell
Connor Kinnear, Chief Marketing Officer, Passle
Law firm’s greatest strength is their ability to cross-sell, yet trust and understanding remain the biggest barriers to unlocking that potential at scale. AI offers a chance to overcome those barriers. In this session we look at how AI can be applied to the challenge of cross-selling, and what that means for legal marketers.
In this session, you’ll learn:
- What general counsel want from your firm, and how cross-selling fits
- What managing partners aren’t telling you about cross selling
- The key barriers to cross selling and how they can be overcome
- How AI can leverage existing content and author information to unlock cross-selling
3:15 pm
Break & networking
3:50 pm
Masterclass
The Hidden Revenue Stream: Driving Firm Growth Through Cross-Selling
David Kaufman, Director of Global Strategies, Nixon Peabody
David McClune, Chief Marketing & Business Development Officer, Davis Polk & Wardwell
Mariana Loose, Chief Marketing Officer, Alston & Bird
Exceptional client growth doesn’t happen by accident—it’s the result of clear strategy, internal alignment, and a deep understanding of what clients actually need. That’s where client teams, cross-selling, and internal education come in. But in a profession built around individual expertise, how do you get lawyers to sell beyond their own practice?
In this session, David and Mariana will break down how law firms can use client relationships to drive business development, shift from practice-based to industry-focused strategies, and encourage collaboration across teams. They’ll share what it takes to build trust internally, manage competing interests, and turn satisfied clients into long-term, multi-service partners.
Key takeaways include:
- How to build client teams that actually work
- Shifting mindsets: from “do good work” to “offer clarity and peace of mind”
- Best practices for cross-selling in large firms
- How to educate lawyers on what’s possible—and what’s already being done
4:40 pm
Panel
The AI Revolution and What it Means for CMOs
Jen Leonard, Founder & Principal, Creative Lawyers
Bridget Mary McCormack, President and CEO, American Arbitration Association
Jim Metzger, Chief Financial Officer, Reed Smith
Darth Vaughn, Associate General Counsel & Managing Director, Policy and Legal Operations, Ford Motor Company
AI is already reshaping how law firms operate—but for CMOs, the real challenge is knowing how to adapt.
What do clients expect? How should firms talk about AI in pitches and campaigns? And how do you balance bold innovation with internal resistance?
In this session, industry leaders from law firms, clients, and legal services will explore how AI is shifting the landscape for legal marketing and business development. You’ll hear directly from those driving change: the client pushing transformation at Ford Motor Company, the CEO redefining how law firms engage with the AAA, and CFOs navigating the politics, pressure, and potential of AI inside major firms.
Key takeaways include:
- What clients like Ford expect from law firms using AI
- Messaging strategies when clients are split on AI adoption
- How to think about brand in a world where AI may level the playing field
- Where to invest—and what to avoid—when building your tech stack
- How to navigate internal politics and generational divides on innovation
- The impact of shrinking associate models on marketing and firm identity
5:25 pm
Closing comments
5:30 pm
Evening drinks reception
Agenda is subject to change
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