The 12th LMA CMO Forum in New York brought together five top legal marketing leaders to share how strategy, AI, and culture are redefining marketing's role. Here’s what stood out to me —and what it means for the future of legal business development.

Where Strategy, Innovation, and Technology Intersect: Highlights from the 12th LMA CMO Forum

The 12th CMO Forum, hosted by the LMA New York Local Group, brought together a panel of five top legal marketing leaders to explore how innovation, technology, and strategic leadership reshape law firm growth. 

The panel was Kevin Iredell (CMBDO, Hughes Hubbard & Reed), Michael Coston (Founder, Coston Consulting), Oz Benamram (Founder, SKILLS.law), Amanda Loesch (CMO, Day Pitney), and Shade Vaughn (CMBDO, Akin). The discussion was grounded in practical advice and valuable discussion. 

A common theme: today’s CMOs are not just marketers—they’re connectors, translators, and change agents. Oz Benamram described CMOs as the storytellers of the firm, guiding lawyers and leadership toward better decisions through the lens of client needs and competitive insight. Amanda Loesch highlighted how AI and automation don’t replace roles—they free up time for the work that drives impact and establishes strong relationships. In the last two years her team has successfully integrated CRM, email marketing, thought leadership, and website platforms to build a cohesive, insight-driven ecosystem. An amazing achievement.

Cross-functional intelligence is becoming a critical advantage. As Shade Vaughn explained, combining tools like Salesforce, LinkedIn, and behavioral analytics helps firms understand who they know, who they’re engaging—and who they’re missing. This resonated with me because that is precisely where effective cross-selling strategies and timely thought leadership can deepen client relationships.

Kevin Iredell emphasized aligning clear KPIs from the outset to keep all projects focused and accountable. At the same time, Michael Coston reminded the group that innovation depends on culture—"you’re only as great as your culture allows you to be."

The closing message? Adaptation is no longer optional when it comes to AI. As Oz Benamram said, “If your firm isn’t learning AI, you might want to consider working at another firm.” The firms that will lead are the ones that move fast, listen well, and weave innovation into the fabric of how they serve clients.