Thank you to author Amanda Bekric, Marketing Coordinator at Dady & Gardner, P.A., LMA MN LSC Chair, and 2025 LMA Midwest Regional Conference planning committee member.
Session Title: The Power of Connection: Turning Relationship Date into Growth Strategy Panel
Panelists:
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Roy Sexton, Chief Marketing Officer, Vedder Price
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Linda Moss, Chief Business Development & Marketing Officer, Dykema
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Dave Southern, Director of Marketing, Mayer Brown
Moderator:
At the 2025 LMA Midwest Regional Conference, a standout session, "The Power of Connection: Turning Relationship Data into Growth Strategy,” explored how firms can transform data into actionable business development insights. Moderated by Adam Stewart of Introhive, the panel featured industry leaders Roy Sexton (Vedder Price), Linda Moss (Dykema), and Dave Southern, who shared tangible strategies for leveraging relationships, client data, and firm intelligence to create genuine growth opportunities. Below are my key takeaways from this engaging discussion.
1. Build Smarter, Relationship-Led Event Strategies
Roy Sexton emphasized the importance of targeting and engaging people thoughtfully to inspire meaningful action. Panelists agreed that smarter, relationship-led approaches begin long before an event invitation is sent. Firms should leverage data mining and curated lists to identify high-value connections and create multiple touchpoints through personalized invitations, follow-up emails, and post-event engagement.
The panelists gave the following tips for leading relationship-led events:
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Develop 5–10 strategic touchpoints around events (invites, calls, follow-ups).
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Understand why the event matters to both your firm and your client.
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Create a pre-, during-, and post-event workflow for consistency.
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Focus on genuine connection and value creation over attendance metrics.
2. Approach Talent Acquisition as a Data-Driven Growth Strategy
The panelists explored how relationship data can support not only client development but also talent acquisition. Roy noted that lateral hires don’t always succeed due to cultural or practice misalignment—but firms can use the data these professionals bring to strengthen their understanding of markets, clients, and internal processes. Dave also encouraged firms to think of lateral hires similar to how we would think of a new product launch, complete with marketing plans and engagement strategies.
The panelists outlined the following strategies for implementing growth strategies for new talents:
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Develop a 100-day integration plan for laterals using available data and tools.
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Treat new hires as strategic launches—plan messaging, client outreach, and goals.
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Use data to identify early warning signs of cultural or performance misalignment.
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Create individual business plans to align expectations and measurable outcomes.
3. Keep Alumni Relationships Active and Purposeful
Both Roy and Dave emphasized that alumni relationships shouldn’t end when attorneys move on—they should evolve into a continuous network that benefits both the individual and the firm. Alumni engagement should be personal, purposeful, and reflective of the firm’s culture of connection.
All panelists agreed that there is deep connection with alumni relationships and outlined some easy lift ways below on growing alumni relationships:
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Lead with authenticity—take time to build real relationships that add value.
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Integrate alumni features into firm communications and email campaigns.
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Encourage attorney involvement to strengthen long-term connections.
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View alumni engagement as an ongoing continuum, not a one-time effort.
4. Create Intentional Client Engagement Frameworks
Client teams are evolving into data-informed groups that combine technology, strategy, and feedback to build deeper client relationships. Dave noted that smaller, focused teams often yield more sustainable results because they can adapt and share learnings more effectively. Linda reminded attendees that client feedback must drive real action—listening means committing to change.
Below are four key elements the panelists believe help build client engagement frameworks:
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Establish structured client feedback systems and share outcomes internally.
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Start small—test focused client teams, learn, and scale what works.
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Use AI tools to help identify next steps and opportunities for follow-up.
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Act on feedback quickly to demonstrate accountability and trust.
5. Leverage AI Thoughtfully—Don’t Chase Shiny New Tools
The panel closed with a discussion about the role of AI in managing relationships and data. Linda suggested using AI to anticipate client needs and automate follow-ups, while Roy cautioned that firms must focus on clarity and intentionality in outreach. The consensus: AI should amplify strategy, not distract from it.
The panelists outlined the following strategies for leveraging AI:
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Use AI to analyze relationship patterns and identify outreach opportunities.
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Adopt technology that supports your goals rather than complicates workflows.
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Be methodical—pilot tools, measure success, and refine before scaling.
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Let people and relationships remain at the core of every AI-assisted initiative.
The session underscored that meaningful growth in legal marketing isn’t driven by data alone—it’s powered by connection. By being intentional with our tools, transparent with our feedback, and authentic in our relationships, we can turn data into a true catalyst for firmwide growth.
Authored by: Amanda Bekric, Marketing Coordinator at Dady & Gardner, P.A., LMA MN LSC Chair, and 2025 LMA Midwest Regional Conference planning committee member.