The expectations placed on law firm marketing and business development teams continue to evolve at a rapid pace. Today’s CMBDO is not just overseeing branding or pitch materials and leading revenue strategy, client experience, data intelligence and cross practice collaboration, but is also responsible for staff development.

The most effective marketing departments are not waiting for annual reviews to identify skill gaps. They are building staff learning plans tied to firm priorities, upcoming campaigns and individual career paths. The good news is that there is no shortage of high- quality programming available.

Just as important, these events do more than build skills. They give business development and marketing professionals real time insight into trends, new technologies and tools that are shaping how firms compete. For communications teams, they offer a close up look into how media coverage is shifting, what reporters are prioritizing and how editorial expectations are evolving.

Below is a breakdown of specific upcoming events and direct links to help you build a smarter training plan.

Upcoming and Ongoing Opportunities

1. The largest gathering in the industry, the Legal Marketing Association (LMA) Annual Conference 2026, taking place April 20 to 22, 2026 in New Orleans. With sessions targeting mostly mid-level and senior marketing department staff and a tailored CMO experience, this event delivers three days of programming across business development, client experience, technology and communications.  https://conference.legalmarketing.org/
2. For business development, growth and legal sales senior staff, prioritize the two-day LSSO RainDance Conference 2026 in Chicago in June, which is focused on client service and revenue generation. This is one of the few events built specifically for legal sales professionals and those responsible for growth strategy. https://legalsales.org/lsso-raindance-conference-2026   LSSO also has webinars and podcasts throughout the year.
3. If your team is involved in pricing, encourage it to stay connected to the Legal Value Network, which offers both webinars and its annual conference. These programs are especially useful for teams working more closely with clients on pricing and value conversations.  https://www.legalvaluenetwork.com/lvneventsandwebinars

• In addition to the CMO tract at the LMA conference, there is the one-day Passle CMO Series Live New York 2026. This event is designed specifically for senior leaders responsible for firm growth and positioning and encourages candid peer discussion.  https://blog.passle.net/post/102m2ll/tickets-are-live-for-cmo-series-live-new-york-2026

• Do not overlook the programming offered through regional and local LMA chapters. These events are often more practical and immediately applicable and allow teams to build strong peer networks. For example, communications teams should attend programs like: https://www.legalmarketing.org/Event-Details/northeast-what-legal-media-is-watching-and-why-it-matters-to-your-firm This type of session gives PR professionals direct insight into how journalists evaluate stories, what topics are gaining traction and how coverage priorities are shifting. It is one of the most direct ways to stay aligned with the media landscape. You should also encourage your team to regularly monitor: https://www.legalmarketing.org/events

• Communications teams are left out of broader marketing training plans. Make sure your PR professionals are attending media focused sessions and industry panels. Events like the LMA Northeast media program and similar sessions give communications teams exposure to reporters, editors and media strategists. That access helps them understand not just what gets covered but why, which improves pitching, messaging and overall visibility. Organizations like Legal Firm Marketing Professionals (LFMP) offer ongoing virtual programming and peer discussions for public relations professionals that can be integrated into regular team development.  https://www.lfmp.org/  National and local chapters of PRSA (https://www.prsa.org/) can also be counted on for public relations webinars.

• Dozens of other consultants and vendors routinely offer webinars and training sessions, including Poston Communications which hosts its Poston Playbook Q&As and Webinar series. Be sure to tap your vendors and industry contacts for such opportunities.

Encourage your team to actively watch for webinars and virtual roundtables. These sessions are an easy way to stay current on trends, tools and best practices between larger conferences.

Require knowledge sharing across the team

Every conference or webinar should benefit more than just the attendee. Build in expectations that participants will report at back at regular marketing department meetings with key takeaways and practical recommendations.

Encourage them to share not only what they learned but what they observed about industry direction, competitor activity and emerging tools. This turns individual attendance into institutional knowledge.

Track outcomes and measure impact

Training should be treated like any other strategic investment. Track participation, connect learning to performance and measure outcomes such as improved pitch success, stronger media placements or increased client engagement.