In times of budget pressure, law firms are challenged to do more with less—especially when it comes to lawyer development. A study released in 2023 by ALM and The Tilt Institute titled “The Expanding Role of Professional Development in Law Firms” notes that firms spend on average between .8% and .9% of annual gross revenue on training and development. While traditional legal training or CLEs are crucial, attorneys today need much more—and most of it is not taught in law school.

This is where the marketing department and its outside vendors can deliver significant value. By partnering with the firm’s professional development or talent team, marketing and communications professionals can provide cost-effective in-house training on nonlegal skills that are critical to a lawyer’s success in today’s client-driven market. From leadership training to LinkedIn coaching and guidance on public speaking, networking and personal branding, marketers bring subject-matter expertise that complements legal training and enhances client-facing readiness.

Social Media Training: Elevating Lawyers’ Digital Presence and Personal Brand

Social media—particularly LinkedIn—has become a crucial channel for legal professionals, yet many lawyers still approach it with skepticism or uncertainty. They may worry about saying the wrong thing, struggle to find their voice or simply not know where to start.

How Marketing Adds Value

Marketing departments can demystify social media for lawyers and help them build digital habits that enhance visibility and client connection. For example, White & Case’s social media team runs global training sessions to upskill the firm’s people on the use of its employee advocacy tool to grow their personal brand. Through the program, which is open to lawyers and business services professionals, the firm was able to sign up nearly 100 active users in the first six months, with an average of 6,000posts made by the firm’s partnership per quarter. This free, valuable reach augments the firm’s broader social media approach to reach audiences of relevance.

Effective training at many firms emphasizing social media often includes:

• Profile optimization. Lawyers are guided to create clear, compelling LinkedIn profiles that reflect their areas of focus, strengths and industry knowledge—all speaking to current events and evolving client needs. From a polished headshot to keyword- rich summaries, marketers help ensure profiles are not just complete but client-facing as well.
• Content planning and posting strategy. Marketers coach lawyers on what kinds of content to post (firm news, client alerts, third-party articles, personal insights), how often to post and how to repurpose existing material.
• Engagement and network growth. Lawyers learn how to use LinkedIn to stay connected with former clients, alumni, referral sources and industry peers—turning passive followers into potential leads. Business development professionals show how engagement (liking, commenting, sharing) can amplify reach audiences with minimal effort.
• Ethics and compliance guidelines. Many lawyers hold back from posting due to concerns around confidentiality or professional conduct rules. Marketing teams clarify what’s permissible and help establish internal guidelines to manage risk.

To support and elevate Baker & Hostetler’s attorneys’ presence on LinkedIn, the firm’s digital marketing team launched the “LinkedIn for Lawyers” program in November 2023, reports digital marketing manager Rita Hechmer. “This initiative included two virtual training sessions titled “LinkedIn for Lawyers—Visibility, Reputation, Retention,” offering practical guidance on optimizing personal profiles, engaging effectively and aligning with the firm’s broader LinkedIn strategy. Following the sessions, a comprehensive LinkedIn toolkit—including FAQs, brand assets and best practices—was made available via the firm’s intranet. The digital marketing team continues to offer personalized LinkedIn training for both new hires and seasoned partners, many of whom have sought deeper, hands-on support. To further assist with content sharing, we provide the “Morning Momentum,” a daily digest summarizing firm content shared the previous day. Designed for quick scanning, it helps attorneys identify and share relevant updates with their networks—answering the common question, ‘What should I post?’”

The Payoff

Lawyers who are active on LinkedIn often build stronger personal brands, generate inbound inquiries and reinforce the firm’s market position. Plus, the platform’s visibility tools make it easy for the world to see what a lawyer is known for—turning reputation into results.

Conference Preparation: Making Events Count

Attending an industry conference or client seminar can be a high-impact experience—or a missed opportunity. Without preparation, lawyers may attend a few panels, collect a few QR codes or business cards, and move on. With the right training, however, these events become platforms for strategic visibility, lead generation and professional credibility.

“At Nelson Mullins, we believe that the ROI from attending conferences hinges on thorough preparation, strategic outreach and disciplined follow-up. That’s why we invest significant time in training our lawyers to research, plan meetings and engage boldly before, during and after every event,” offered Jonathan Gardner, Nelson Mullins Riley &Scarborough’s managing director of business development and client services.

How Marketing Adds Value

Marketing teams can provide conference coaching before, during and after the event that helps lawyers:

• Set goals and target outcomes. Lawyers are encouraged to identify specific objectives before attending an event, whether it’s meeting certain clients or reconnecting with former colleagues—not to mention learning about trends in a specific sector or meeting new folks.
• Craft their elevator pitch. Many lawyers struggle to succinctly explain what they do and who they help. Marketing training can help them develop a memorable “30-second pitch” that resonates with potential clients and peers.
• Learn to “work the room.” Marketers offer practical tips for networking: sample questions that can help to initiate conversations, proper cadence of listening versus speaking, and enter group settings and move on gracefully. They also teach strategies for maximizing limited time at receptions or breakout sessions, as well as visiting press rooms or setting up interviews while at the event
• Leverage speaking engagements. For lawyers presenting at a conference, marketing support can include slide design, messaging alignment and speaker coaching. Even panelists benefit from guidance on how to contribute strategically and stay on-message.
• Follow up after the event. A strong follow-up strategy is where event value is truly unlocked. Marketing teams can help lawyers draft follow-up emails, connect with new contacts on LinkedIn, identify leads worth nurturing and publicize the presentation topic via media relations or other channels.

The Payoff

Well-prepared lawyers come away from conferences with more than CLE credits—they return with leads, media mentions, deeper industry knowledge and stronger connections. Marketing-led training ensures these touchpoints support firm growth, not just individual attendance.

Media Training: Building Confident, Credible Spokespeople

When journalists seek expert commentary on breaking legal or regulatory issues, firms that can quickly provide confident, quotable lawyers are at an advantage. But most lawyers aren’t trained to speak to the press—and those who aren’t prepared can unintentionally damage their credibility or the firm’s reputation.

This is where structured media training becomes essential. Robin Ireland, the director of communications at Ballard Spahr since 2009, has a stable of former reporters on her public relations team who routinely not only provide talking points but also work with lawyers on their interviewing skills and strategies in advance of meetings. Some might be surprised, but the best law firm leaders are never afraid to take message points, journalist backgrounders, media relations tips and more—for every interview they participate in.

How Marketing Adds Value

Marketing and communications professionals understand how the media works, what journalists want and how to position firm messages effectively. They can train lawyers to:

• Speak in nonlegalese soundbites. Lawyers are taught how to distill complex issues into concise, memorable statements that nonlawyers (and journalists) can understand.
• Control the narrative. Training includes how to stay “on message,” avoid tangents and steer conversations back to key themes. Every speaker should be armed with “messages” about saving side topics for later interviews.
• Handle difficult questions. Through mock interviews, lawyers learn how to navigate tough or unexpected questions with poise and professionalism. Training gives the tools to bridge or redirect when needed but to never leave a question unanswered.
• Understand the interview context. Marketing teams explain how different formats (live TV, podcasts, phone interviews, email responses) require different preparation, tone and pacing.
• Balance transparency and caution. Lawyers are guided on how to maintain credibility while honoring confidentiality and avoiding speculative or inflammatory comments.

The Payoff

Media-trained lawyers elevate both their personal profiles and the firm’s visibility. They become trusted sources for journalists, which can lead to recurring opportunities for commentary. This visibility also enhances credibility with clients, who increasingly expect to see their outside counsel engaged in public discourse.

Integrating Training into Lawyer Development Programs

The key to success is not just offering training but embedding it into the rhythm of lawyer development. Here are a few best practices:

• Make it part of onboarding and advancement. Introduce training in social media, conferences and media engagement as part of the associate and partner development track. Normalize these skills as core—not ancillary.
• Offer one-on-one coaching. Group workshops are helpful, but one-on-one coaching yields the most behavioral change. Whether preparing for an upcoming interview or conference, lawyers benefit from individualized support.
• Reinforce through real opportunities. Tie training to actual events—a speaking engagement or conference opportunity, a press interview or a LinkedIn content push—to build confidence through action.
• Track success and celebrate wins. Show the value of the training by tracking press coverage, engagement rates or new leads – and share these wins with firm leadership to build buy-in. Debriefs following events and interviews are crucial to evaluating training and next steps.

Law firm marketing is no longer just about making the firm look good or producing the next brochure or pitch; it’s about making lawyers equipped, confident and capable of engaging the outside world effectively.

Social media visibility, conference readiness and media training may once have been considered extras, but today they’re essential to building the next generation of rainmakers, influencers and trusted advisers.

When marketing teams step into this developmental role, everyone benefits:

• Lawyers gain skills that differentiate them in a crowded field.
• Firms amplify their reach through stronger external voices.
• Clients see lawyers who are thoughtful, clear and connected.

In a world where reputation and relationships drive results, marketing-led training is not an add-on—it’s a core business investment.

Beth Huffman, a vice president at Poston Communications, has more than 40 years of experience in communications, media and marketing. Following two decades as a reporter, she spent the next two decades helping major law firms—including as the head of marketing for one Am Law 100 firm and head of communications at another—as well as legal organizations and their global clients to create strategic narratives that elevated their reputations and work.

Reprinted with permission from the June 6, 2025 edition of The Legal Intelligencer © 2025 ALM Media Properties, LLC. All rights reserved. Further duplication without permission is prohibited, contact 877-257-3382 or reprints@alm.com.