Name: Stacey Hall
Position: Area Development Manager at Holland & Knight; LMA Southwest Region Board Member - Director, Advocacy
Family: Steve (Husband) and children, Maximilian (11) and Jillian (8)
Hometown: Plano, TX
Education: M.A. Forensic Psychology – John Jay College of Criminal Justice NYC
What was your very first job, how old were you and what was the biggest takeaway from the experience?
At 15, my first paid job was working for the marketing department at Collin Creek Mall in Plano, TX. I assisted the Marketing Director with the special events the mall used to hold at that time. For one particular event – a big spectacular with Ray Charles – I had to visit each store in the mall and collect items (samples, gift cards, coupons etc.) for swag bags to give the mall patrons who stopped by the show. Getting the store manager’s attention at the first few stores was a challenge, as I was initially ignored by the salespeople as just a 15-year-old. Once I had my elevator speech down, I walked into the stores with confidence to ask for giveaways. I then spent several weeks sitting on the floor of an empty store space stuffing said swag bags. Who knew, as part of my job, that I would still be asking for donations and filling swag bags 30 years later!
At what point in your life did you realize you wanted to pursue a career in the legal industry and why are you passionate about your profession?
My passion for the legal industry began in college while pursuing my minor in Criminal Justice. As I worked on my master’s in Forensic Psychology, I was passionate about the legal side of my courses and knew if I continued my studies it would be into law and not the straight psychology side of the degree. Since pursuing a J.D. required several more years of schooling and big $$, I wanted to work in a law firm first to see if that was truly my chosen path. I went to a temp agency, which advised me that a New York law firm would not hire someone without legal experience. I responded, “In all due respect, I have a master's degree and just aced all of your word processing tests. May we try to find me a place?” The agency called a few weeks later about a temporary position to assist the marketing department of an intellectual property law firm in its distribution of holiday client gifts. What started out as a 3-week data entry assignment turned into a 21-year (and counting) career in legal marketing - 16 years inside law firms and 5 years working for a B2B Holding company with an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) arm. There are so many different roles and opportunities in legal marketing, and in a typical day there are numerous opportunities to wear many different hats. At the end of a day, I feel a great sense of satisfaction knowing that my efforts assist in driving revenue generation for the attorneys with whom I work closely, and the firm as a whole.
Have you seen any changes to your role or areas of focus since COVID-19? Are there any long-lasting impacts that you anticipate for the profession of legal marketing and business development?
A significant portion of my current role is planning and executing in-person client events, conferences, and sponsorships. With COVID, the in-person events slowly moved into the virtual world. Since our clients were also working remotely, we pivoted towards more written communications and zoom meetings/events. Several of my large in-person events were not able to translate to a virtual platform, so my role focused more on individual attorney branding, business development and additional focus on the personal touch, as well as responding to the increased request for proposals coming in from clients. I believe the pandemic has shown all of us that we need to be ready to change at a moment's notice and to have all of the items in our toolkit sharpened and ready to take on the next set of challenges. The need to focus on being more proactive rather than reactive has never been more apparent.
What time do you typically get up on a workday, and what’s your ideal morning routine to get it off to a great start?
I typically get up around 6:15 a.m. and get ready for my day before going to make sure my kids are up and ready to leave for school. Pre-COVID, I would head into the office and arrive in downtown Dallas around 9 a.m. Currently, I arrive back at my house around 7:30 a.m. grab a cup of coffee, eggs or a yogurt parfait and begin my workday.
What’s something about your job that might surprise people?
People outside of legal marketing might be surprised at how many hats we wear on any given day and the skillsets required to handle all of the ongoing initiatives on a given day such as responding to a request for proposal; planning and executing a targeted client event or sponsorship; or working with an attorney on a practice or individual business plan item.
What are your best productivity hacks?
I am very big on utilizing the flag for follow-up and tasks functionality in Outlook. I print this list out and leave it next to my desk, so I can mark off tasks as I go. I also write a to-do list for the next day every evening before I wind down for the night. The hand to paper instills what I need to do into my memory, and I often create extra notes that aren't captured by my flagging. Since our days can change in a moment's notice with a rush request or "fire drill", there is still a sense of accomplishment at the end of the day if I see the check marks by the tasks I had intended to do.
What’s a leadership skill you’ve learned the hard way?
The hardest leadership skill that I've had to learn is raising my hand and asking for help. It can be a struggle to admit that I cannot do it all. I have learned over the years that asking for help is not a sign of weakness, but one of strength and resourcefulness. It allows you to be a true collaborator, eases your stress level and increases your productivity.
What are some of your hobbies or favorite things to do in your free time?
I love to sing. I have been in choirs since 2nd grade and continued through college. Even though I wasn't a music major, I sang in the College Choir and Ensemble. Before kids, I was a member of the Plano Civic Chorus, and I continue to sing in my church choir. Singing gives me an emotional lift. I love harmonizing with other voices and that feeling of connection to others. I also love to bring joy to those who love listening to the music and the words that we sing. My husband is a professional musician, and the love of music and music-making is definitely prevalent in our house.
Tell us about some of your volunteer efforts in the community and why you support those causes/organizations.
I am a proponent of giving back by serving. I volunteer with my church and the opportunities my firm provides. I also served on the board of the Plano Civic Chorus lending my skills with business development to come up with fundraising ideas and preparation of an arts grant.
What’s one of the smartest purchases you’ve ever made? What’s one of the dumbest?
My husband would disagree, but the smartest purchase I have ever made was buying my minivan. The circumstances around needing to buy said minivan weren't great, but having the vehicle allows my family to travel in comfort, helps me cart "all the event things" around Texas, and comes in handy when my kids want to have friends along for an outing.
Can you name someone who has had a great impact on you as a leader, or someone who has been a mentor to you in your life or career? How have they changed your outlook?
I look to the colleagues and friends that I have made over the course of my career as my mentors. Each person in my life brings a different perspective that has helped me to grow.
What is something you are absolutely determined to do in life?
In reading this question, what immediately came to my mind was to continue to be a light and a strong advocate for others.