by @Nancy Stein
Jacob Eidinger brings verve and creativity to his roles as Member Engagement Chair on the 2021 LMA New York Local Steering Committee and as Marketing and Communications Manager at Wigdor LLP. In this LMA Spotlight, Jacob shares his ideas for broadening and more actively engaging LMA’s membership, LMA’s many benefits and his novel path to the legal marketing industry, which includes the ultimate brand experience in the tattoo industry.
LMA: What got you started in LMA?
JE: I joined LMA in 2018, about six months after entering the legal marketing profession and was amazed at the sheer breadth of educational tools and networking opportunities available to members. I was eager to get involved right away, so during an LMA event I approached the Membership Committee co-chairs Amy Nielson and Willie Sleight and asked how I could help. They immediately put me to work helping organize charity drives and volunteering at registration tables. Then I was asked to serve on 2019’s LMA Northeast Regional Conference committee, which was the first LMA conference I attended.
LMA: What do you consider the greatest benefits of being an LMA member?
JE: I’d have to say the community. LMA provides tons of opportunities to connect with fellow legal marketers, from educational events and virtual happy hours to the annual conference and more. Members can serve as a sounding board when you need career advice or want to try a new initiative at your firm.
LMA also gives members a wealth of educational resources at their fingertips. I try to attend at least one LMA webinar per month, and I always walk away with at least one insight that helps me in my role. Strategies is amazing, too—the Editorial Committee works incredibly hard to bring insightful and thought-provoking content to LMA’s membership. The editorial standards are very rigorous.
Finally, the Shared Interest Groups (SIGs) are invaluable. Every day there are lively discussions taking place on the SIG listservs that enable members to stay in the know about best practices. I gain so many new ideas from the SIGs and enjoy participating in the discussions whenever I can. The local SIGs also offer opportunities for members to learn from others in their region who may be facing similar challenges.
LMA: How has LMA helped you in your career?
JE: When I joined Wigdor LLP, I had no prior legal industry experience. LMA allowed me to immerse myself in the vast universe of law firm marketing and learn from some of the best and brightest in our industry. Thanks to LMA, I feel like I have the tools and resources I need to continue to grow with the firm.
LMA has also provided me with a career development roadmap that enables me to continually expand on my professional skill set. I frequently use the Body of Knowledge (BoK) as a guide to help build new skills that are critical to become a well-rounded legal marketing professional. There’s also so much inspiration to be gained from the CMOs and senior marketing leaders in LMA who have played a major role in shaping our industry’s future.
LMA: How do you see your role as Member Engagement Chair for LMA’s New York Local Steering Committee and what do you hope to accomplish?
JE: I’m constantly having conversations about the benefits of LMA membership to both members and nonmembers. Given that LMA has already helped me so much in my career, I want to give back and help others generate the same return on investment.
As Member Engagement Chair, not only do I want to help ensure that folks are getting the most out of their LMA membership, but I also aim to identify new ways to add value at the local level through regular community outreach and ongoing support to the local committees and SIGs. As we continue to navigate the pandemic and eventually transition back to in-person events, we need to make sure that our programming meets the needs of as many members as possible. The committee is also trying to facilitate engagement between LMA and the community at large by organizing volunteer service projects throughout the year.
Anyone interested in getting involved should feel free to get in touch with me.
LMA: What are some of your plans to attract and engage a broader membership?
JE: I believe there is a significant opportunity to increase LMA’s brand awareness among marketing professionals at smaller firms, and even among practicing attorneys who want to learn more about marketing. Through targeted outreach, we can continue to grow our Small Firm SIG and educate these members on ways to maximize their investment with LMA. It’s also vital that we support our newer members early on through new member events and regular check-ins, which we aim to do more of this year.
In terms of long-term goals, I’m a huge proponent of educating younger generations about legal marketing and building diverse pathways to our industry. Colleges and universities are currently failing to educate their students about the various career opportunities that exist within professional services marketing. I recently started giving talks to students at Fordham University (my alma mater) about legal marketing, and these students were completely unaware that our profession even exists. By expanding our outreach to local high schools and colleges, we can broaden the talent pool and welcome a new generation of industry trailblazers to LMA’s future.
LMA: You have had an interesting past. You started out promoting festivals and music concerts and then you managed two core brands for a tattoo company. How did you transition to legal marketing?
JE: Interesting is putting it mildly! I had so many different jobs before I got my start in the legal industry. First, I was a sales associate at Gap in Times Square. Then I worked at restaurants and bars and had a brief stint as a nightclub promoter. Basically, I did anything I could do to pay the bills.
I started working in the marketing department of a chain of tattoo studios while I was still in college. It was a startup company with very ambitious growth goals. I began as an intern and quickly worked my way up to marketing manager. I was able to gain significant in-depth, hands-on digital marketing experience, which greatly prepared me for my current role.
I found my way into legal marketing by a twist of fate—our firm had needed someone with my skills and experience, and I wanted to learn something new.
LMA: Having been in the body art business, you know I have to ask. Do you have any tattoos?
JE: I do. I can’t say that I’m very knowledgeable about tattoo culture, but I appreciate the artistry.
LMA: If you were to design an LMA tattoo, what would it look like?
JE: I’m no artist, but it would probably look like a lifeguard saving an attorney who is drowning in paperwork (I’m kidding, of course).
LMA: What skills were especially helpful in starting your legal marketing career?
JE: Learning how to craft a compelling and concise message that resonates with your target audience is absolutely critical.
I also strongly believe that service industry jobs build highly transferrable skills that can take you far in a professional career. Skills like communication, working on a team, time management, attention to detail—all can be honed by working a minimum-wage job.
LMA: How were you able to gain leader buy-in and earn credibility at your firm?
JE: You have to be willing to take initiative, bring new ideas to the table, and follow through on your commitments. Then, sometimes it’s a matter of knowing when it’s time to take your marketing strategy in a different direction if something isn’t working out the way you intended.
LMA: You come across as such an upbeat person. What keeps you so positive?
JE: For me, gratefulness is key. Not a day goes by in which I don’t think about how lucky I am. That was true before the pandemic, and it’s even truer now.
LMA: What do you do for fun?
JE: Pre-pandemic, I used to go to concerts every weekend. Nowadays, I like to spend time discovering new music at home. I’ve also started to occasionally dabble in video games as a way to decompress on the weekends. I enjoy playing board games, too.