It's The Lawyer's first ever Marketing Leadership Summit which is being held today and tomorrow just West of London.  When I first started working with law firms about 4 or 5 years ago, the Marketing and Business Development teams were often still seen as a "cost" that added little value.

But things are changing and more and more senior marketing and business development people are being brought into the strategic running of the firms with which they work.  I have no doubt that this is coinciding with the change in buying behaviours.  Organisations are buying differently because so much of the research and due diligence can now be done online.  This means that a large proportion of the purchasing decision can be made without even speaking to a potential law firm.  So firms need to adapt and they need really good marketing and business development professionals to help them do that.

I'm delighted to be chairing one of the panels at the event with a superb line up with knowledge and experience from both sides of the lawyer / marketing divide and indeed a couple of people who have crossed over.  The panel includes:

• Nathan Butcher, Partner, Head of Clients & Markets, DAC Beachcroft 
• Nick Jones, Director, Client/Market Engagement, Forensic & Integrity Services, EY
• Amanda Wadey, Head of Practice Development – Commercial Disputes, RPC
• Richard Foley, Global Senior Partner, Pinsent Masons

The title is How to win at marketing in a partner-led business?

I am sure there will be some great insights coming out of the discussion and I'll try and to grab the key nuggets and put them into a post early next week.