Charles: Hello and welcome to the Passle CMO Series Podcast, where we talk all things professional services, marketing, and business development. Making a big impact in a model law firm requires strong leadership and high-performing teams that can adapt and innovate. 

On today's CMO Podcast, we are joined by Courtney Beauzile from Head of Marketing and Business Development and Communications at Robins Kaplan. With her extensive experience in AMLaw 100 firms, Courtney brings a unique perspective on driving transformation and growth at a successful AMLaw 200 firm. Since joining Robins Kaplan two years ago, Courtney has built a dynamic BD team and developed marketing strategy designed for today's fast moving, changing legal landscape.  

In this episode, Courtney shares some practical insights on building and leading agile teams, aligning marketing and business development with firm goals, leveraging technology, and making a meaningful impact in a mid-size law firm. 

Charlie: This episode is brought to you by CrossPitch AI, the new cross-selling tool from Passle. Cross-selling should be the easiest way for law firms to grow, but most firms struggle. Why? Lack of awareness, lack of trust, and frankly, fear of selling. CrossPitch AI fixes that. It breaks down silos, helps professionals connect and delivers timely, relevant insights to the right people inside the firm and out. There's no heavy rollouts. Just switch it on and try it today. Head to crosspitch.ai to book your demo and make cross-selling happen. Now, back to the podcast.

Charles: Welcome to the podcast, Courtney. 

Courtney: Thank you for having me. I'm excited to be here. 

Charles: Well, it's great to catch up. We've known each other for a few years now, from your previous role. So it's good to catch up and hear your insights from being at Robins Kaplan at the sort of head of the ship leading the marketing, business development and communications. 

Courtney: Yeah, it's been an exciting two years. I will say that. It's gone by so quickly. I mean, but they say time flies when you're having fun.

Charles: Yeah. So, maybe that's a good place for us to start. Can you walk us through your career journey today and maybe what attracted you to the role at Robins Kaplan two years ago? 

Courtney: Sure. Happy to share my career journey with you. So like many people in this field, this wasn't my path was not necessarily linear. I actually started in sales. I did door to door sales actually in Chicago. So knocking on doors, selling T One Circuits which is basically internet and phone services to small and medi sized businesses. I was driving 150 miles a day just to - 

Charles: Wow.

Courtney: Meet people face to face. And so, you know, I didn't know what was next for me, but I definitely learned a lot from that experience that I use today. It taught me how to build relationships, how to take rejection, how to keep going, and, you know, grit, honestly. 

Charles: Yeah. 

Courtney: So I actually fell into law firms following my sales journey, and I was a CRM data steward. So I started introducing a CRM to anyone that would listen. Then I moved over into public relations and eventually into a business development role. And so I think the first five years of really building foundational skills at - within a large law firm. So, I've worked at several different AMLaw 100s and over time I was able to build a team. And I honed in on the business development side, built an agile function for global business development team. 65 folks had the opportunity to drive initiatives, introduce new markets, new practices, got involved in strategic research, and lateral integration. 

You name it, I have literally done it. So when the opportunity at Robins Kaplan came up, it felt like the right moment to take everything that I've learned from the PR to the sales and the business development, and bring it all together in one role. So, you know, what really attracted me to this firm was the opportunity to be closer to the business, the strategy. So a broader mandate and the opportunity to build something from the inside out. 

Charles: Yeah. That sounds like a fun journey. I imagine it was tough grind out on the streets of Chicago trying to sell your internet.

Courtney: If you know how cold it is in Chicago, I did it in the winter. It was not fun. But like I said, that experience definitely has helped me today. 

Charles: Yeah. And, that sort of shift from an AMLaw 100 firm to an AMLaw 200, it's probably quite a big shift, and particularly your role beforehand, you were very much BD focused. And now you're sort of looking after everything, BD, marketing, comms, PR. How did you adjust your leadership style and approach to that role?

Courtney: Yeah, it's definitely a shift, but it didn't change my leadership style. I tend to lead by example and I lean into that even more now. My philosophy and leadership style is really rooted in clarity, collaboration and accountability. I'm a visionary. I like to inspire people and I've done that. I try to empower my team to run with things and then create the space for ideas to rise, really. I think great ideas can come from anywhere. And so in a more agile environment like this, you can really be a catalyst for change, if you're willing to lead boldly and bring others along with you.

So, you know, I think at  AMLaw 200, there are fewer layers between idea and execution. So that creates a huge opportunity to move faster, make a more visible impact, and honestly it also raises the bar. You know, in fact, the stakes are higher because every dollar, every initiative and every decision carries more weight.

Charles: And I've spoken to several people that have made that sort of shift from the bigger firms to the, I guess, more regional firms. And I think that's a really nice way of - and I haven't heard it described that way before, the idea that it's a lot less layers between idea to execution. But yeah, I know I worked with you in your previous firm and you do have to jump through a lot of hoops and it's a big machine. And I imagine in a smaller, more nimble firm, you can have more of an impact and you see what gets done more immediately. And so I imagine that's, yeah, a bit of a change in gears.

Courtney: Yeah. And that's not to say that everything is quicker. Some things absolutely need time, research, conversations, etc you know, setting expectations. So there's some things that take a little bit more. 

Charles: Yeah. So going back to when you first joined Robins Kaplan, two years ago, what were the biggest priorities? What did you tackle early on as your sort of quick or early wins? 

Courtney: Yeah. Well, my first priority was listening. Right. In fact, I'd say that I put my door to door hat back on. 

Charles: Yeah. 

Courtney: And, you know, I listened deeply and learned fast. So in my first 60 days, I met with as many partners as possible to really understand what success looked like from their perspective. You know, I really wanted to know where I could add immediate value. So, once I had a clear understanding of that, as well as the firm's priorities, you know, I went into action to restructure the team, auditing technology,  identifying sort of talent gaps - where we could leverage and uncover talent within our current team. And then identifying areas where I needed to recruit, and introduce some fresh, new ideas , and innovative processes. 

So, one of our biggest early wins was the overhaul of our website. You know, in that sort of technology audit, I identified we had 10 months to update our website. And so it was, you know, from start to finish, identifying the right vendor to work with and setting the expectations on what that would look like, was a huge success for our team and it was, it was really exciting to celebrate the success of that. Our website has gone on to win five awards now. And we've significantly improved the performance, the navigation, the SEO, and it's really helped to elevate the firm's and our attorney's digital presence. 

Charles: Brill. So it sounds like you were working on lots of different projects, but actually the fundamental thing that you mentioned at the top was coming in and listening. Listening and learning. So spending that initial period, did you say two months just chatting to the right folk, honing in on your door-to-door sales, skills from back in the day and really just getting the lay of the land.

Courtney: Yep. Yep. 

Charles: And, just bringing it back to what we were discussing on the podcast around building those high performing teams for a modern law firm, you've built a strong, speedy team now. What key qualities or structures have helped you align that team to really support the firm's goals and what Robin Kaplan is trying to achieve?

Courtney: Yeah, well, I think first and foremost, structure and clarity is everything, right? 

Charles: Mm-hmm. 

Courtney: Making sure that everyone on the team knows what they're responsible for and how it ties back to the firm's overarching goals. But even beyond that is empowerment, right? I make sure that the team understands the 'why’ behind what we do, and give them permission to be proactive, to bring new ideas and to push boundaries, right? You know, oftentimes there's a saying in law firms and it's kind of cliche, well, we've always done it that way, right? And so, I think teams need permission to say “Let's think about another way, Is there a better way?” Right? And coming with those solutions. So we take a hands-on approach with our attorneys.

We're not just sitting back. I have shared with my team, I want us to be proactive. I want us to be embedded in our practices and in our offices, and showing up with ideas, right? With the data, with the competitive intelligence and bringing some solutions. And so, adding to that, you know, really making sure we had the diverse mix of talent on the team. You know, half of my team don't come from law firms and so that creative ability has certainly had its advantages on some of our campaigns on the marketing side. And then on the business development side,I've got  team members who are former attorneys, right? So that's been helpful, but then also who come from other AMLaw 100 firms. So that diverse mix of talent has been critical in us making strides forward. 

Charles: So, you mentioned there you had a real mix of different personalities and different experiences in the team. That sort of diverse team, was that intentional or did that just happen organically?

Courtney: Oh, that's very intentional. In my experience, I've had the opportunity to hire people throughout my career, and I never was looking to check certain boxes that you typically see on the application. I think there are soft skills that are inherent naturally in individuals. So, you know, someone who may have worked their way through college and worked in a restaurant. They have a level of client service that I may not be able to teach someone else. Right, and so I think being open-minded about where talent comes from is hugely important in leadership. You know, in some regards I can teach you how to do this job, but there are some things that - intangibles that I can't teach you.

So, I celebrate diverse backgrounds and experiences, and I think we can all learn something from each other. So that's been really exciting as well. 

Charles: Yeah. I made a note of that, ‘open-minded where talent comes from’. And that actually, in my role now, the guys that hired me took a bit of a punt because before this, I was an athlete, so I didn't have any experience in professional services.

But those guys sort of looked at me and said, well, actually he's got some of the traits that will be useful in this role. We just need to show him how to do it. So, thanks for Adam and Tom. Shout out to the guys at Passel for hiring me five years ago. 

Courtney: Transferable skills are hugely important. So the competitive nature of sports, I can surely understand why that would be necessary in your role. 

Charles: Yeah. So looking forward, what projects or strategies are you most excited about that you could really, you know, move the needle for the firm? 

Courtney: Well, technology is evolving so fast. 

Charles: Mm-hmm. 

Courtney: I feel like every time I blink, there's something new. There's a new tool, there's a new AI application. So with that being said, we're leaning into that. Right, we are looking and using AI to support content creation, competitive intelligence and exploring AI agents to improve internal efficiencies. 

Tools are only as powerful as a strategy behind them. So I wanna enhance some of our current systems with leveraging the right tools and incorporating AI. Not replacing human connection, but really enhancing it. So whether it's automation, data analytics, or AI driven insights. The goal is really always the same to help our attorneys and BD professionals stay closer to their contacts.

So I'm really excited about projects that help us work smarter, scale faster without losing that personal touch. You know, I am an avid for process improvement, so that will never go away. There will always be process improvement involved in anything that I'm doing. So smarter, smarter systems, smarter collaboration, and you know, making sure that we're not just collecting content text, but really deepening those relationships that drive growth.

Charles: Yeah. Yeah. And I think you hit the nail on the head as well with saying that anything you do or any technologies you bring in have really gotta align with your strategy, and they've all gotta come in and link to that because you don't wanna just be going out getting loads of different things because they're shiny. It's really gotta link with what you're trying to achieve. So I think that that makes sense. 

Courtney: Yeah. Shiny tool syndrome. I've heard it. 

Charles: Yeah. So I've got one more question, but before we jump into the final question, I did wanna do a quick fire round where I'm just gonna answer, ask you a few questions so folks can get to know you a bit better.

Courtney: Okay. 

Charles: So my first question is what are you currently listening to? This could be music, podcasts, audiobook. 

Courtney: Oh. I have several tabs open in this area. So, I love a good podcast. ‘The Diary of A CEO’, Steven Bartlett, I'm sure you've heard of it. ‘Aspire’, Emma Grede, like her as well. ‘Planet Money’, I love a good podcast, especially on a commute.

Charles: Yeah. 

Courtney: So yeah, I'd say those are probably the three things I'm listening to right now. 

Charles: Yeah. Okay. So you're a podcast person. What's the best piece of advice you've ever received? 

Courtney: Lead from where you are. 

Charles: Lead from where you are. Okay. 

Courtney: Yeah, I got that early on when I was probably a specialist, right? It was a period of transition and everyone was waiting on someone to do something. And I just said, I'll do it.

Charles: Yeah

Courtney: Lead from where you are. Don't wait for someone to ask you to do it regardless of your title. Just do it. 

Charles: Yeah. Fantastic. What's a book or resource you recommend anyone in your field to read or check out?

Courtney: Not quite a business book, but I am also currently reading ‘Let Them’ by Mel Robbins and I think it definitely relates to what we deal with day to day. 

Charles: What's the key themes of that book? 

Courtney: Let people be and do what they want to do. 

Charles: Yeah. Okay, cool. What's your favorite way to unwind after a busy day?

Courtney: I think it depends on the season. This summer I have been trying my hand at yoga. 

Charles: Oh, namaste.

Courtney: Yes. it's been really, really good as a way to relax and unwind. I also bought a weight vest and I try to get my 10,000 steps in a day. 

Charles: For real. And then if it was the winter, would it be something slightly different?

Courtney: Probably a podcast. 

Charles: Yeah. Where is your favorite place to visit and why? 

Courtney: Chicago. 

Charles: Yeah.

Courtney: So I don't know, well, I did talk about Chicago. So I'm from Chicago and so that is while I am based here in New York with my family, Chicago is home for me. So my whole family's in Chicago, so I get my cup filled when I go home to Chicago.

Charles:  Oh, fantastic. So we're gonna jump back into the questions now, and I had one last question just to wrap up the podcast, and it's how we end all of our podcasts. It's basically asking for one piece of practical advice that you could share with marketing leaders who want to make a big impact in a midsize firm.

Courtney: Build teams that reflect the future. Bring in people with diverse skills, perspectives, and a collaborative mindset. The problems we're solving today require more than just marketers. We need strategists, technologists, storytellers, and relationship builders at the table. 

Charles: Brilliant. I think that's a fantastic way to end the podcast. So Courtney, thanks again for coming on, sharing some of your expertise and some of the things you've picked up in your career today.

Courtney: Thank you for having me. This was fun.