The LMA Midwest Your Honor Awards recognize creativity, execution, achievement and overall excellence in legal marketing, business development and communications. The LMA Midwest Your Honor Awards distinguish Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri and Wisconsin law firms, law-related organizations and service providers who have set new standards for innovation in finding, developing and retaining profitable business.
This year, LMA Midwest continued this tradition of excellence as we celebrated our eighth annual presentation of the chapter’s Your Honor Awards. This was a special night, not only for the award winners and finalists, but for everyone who is a part of LMA Midwest. Once again, we were thrilled to have so many wonderful submissions, great and supportive sponsors, a fabulous venue and our largest attendance to date. We congratulate the winners and all those marketers who took the time, effort and creativity to participate. For a full list of this year’s winners, read the press release. We encourage everyone to participate next year.
Check out photos from the Your Honor Awards Dinner (credit: Curtis Linder, President, Linder Legal Staffing).
Each year at the Your Honor Awards, the LMA Midwest Board of Directors recognizes chapter members who, through their dedication, service and contributions, have helped make our chapter THE leading professional organization for legal marketers in the Midwest. These members have volunteered countless “behind the scenes” hours – chairing committees, organizing member events, producing chapter communications, planning programming and networking opportunities, and assuming leadership responsibilities – to ensure that LMA Midwest remains the number one professional resource for its members and continues to raise the bar of its own performance year after year.
Established four years ago, the “Rising Star” award is bestowed by the LMA Midwest board to acknowledge contributions to the legal marketing industry and service to our Chapter by an outstanding younger member. This award strives to recognize one individual who has shown leadership beyond their years, stepped-up to lend a hand wherever needed in the chapter and represents the potential that LMA’s next generation has to offer. The 2013 Rising Star Award winner, Amy Jean, marketing director of Goldberg Kohn, presented this year’s Rising Star Award to Stephanie Richter, marketing data analyst at Thompson Coburn LLP and the current City Group Co-Chair for St. Louis. After starting her legal marketing career in 2008 as a solo marketer at Willams Venker & Sanders LLC, Stephanie joined LMA in 2009 and quickly became involved by being an early advocate for starting a City Group in St. Louis. When the St. Louis City Group started in 2011, Stephanie also became involved with LMA at a national level by serving on the National Education Committee and coordinating a nationwide webinar. From 2011-2012, Stephanie was on the editorial board for Strategies and responsible for producing one issue in each of those years. Her enthusiasm for LMA is contagious and she is well-known for her outstanding organization skills, dedication and enthusiasm. Stephanie is married to Andy Richter and mom to Lucy, 2 years old, and brand new baby, Simon, just a very few weeks old.
The LMA Midwest Outstanding Service Award recognizes an individual member who has made and continues to make outstanding and exemplary contributions to our members, the chapter, the organization and to the legal marketing profession and industry. This honor represents contributions made through the highest levels of participation and leadership. This award celebrates a member who is a dedicated volunteer, committed, passionate and devoted to the betterment of our members and the Midwest chapter. As Rich mentioned, the inaugural Outstanding Service Award was presented this past summer to a most deserving member.
Marcie Johnson, one of the founding members of LMA, LMA Hall of Fame inductee and former manager of mischief at law firm Schiff Hardin presented this year’s Outstanding Service Award to Megan McKeon, senior marketing manager at Katten Muchin Rosenman. According to Marcie, “I can think of no one more deserving of this award than Megan. When she came to our department at Schiff Hardin in 2002 as our marketing magician, we knew we had someone special who would go on to do so many great things. Megan was eager to learn, remarkably organized and detail oriented and, above all, a team player.” Megan’s involvement in LMA is well-known and to the chapter’s and organization’s great benefit. She has been a chapter Board member, on numerous international committees, co-chaired the Midwest Conference and several Your Honor Awards. Megan is always ready and willing to offer her expertise, wisdom, counsel and enthusiasm when called upon for a wide variety of tasks.
The LMA Midwest Hall of Fame Award celebrates individuals who have made extraordinary contributions to the LMA Midwest Chapter and the legal marketing industry. This honor represents the highest levels of experience and leadership in legal marketing and recognizes contributions made by individuals for the benefit of the industry, the association and its community of professionals. LMA members in good standing who have been actively and continually involved in the profession and the chapter for a minimum of 10 years are eligible for consideration. Presented by the 2013 Hall of Fame inductee, Sydney Iglitzen, the 2014 President-Elect of LMA Midwest and fellow Board member Bill Fitzgerald of Werner Printing and Engraving, the 2014 Hall of Fame recipient is Jennifer Rupkey, director of marketing and business development at Michael Best & Friedrich, LLP. Jennifer has been an active member of LMA for 15 years. Jennifer’s co-worker, Lauren Falk nominated her for the Hall of Fame this year. And her nomination letter was really able to capture Jennifer and why she has won this award.
Jennifer was instrumental in organizing the Milwaukee Chapter of LMA over a decade ago and has continued to be a leader in the LMA organization in the Midwestern region since then. More recently, she was the influential force behind the new energy and participation of legal marketers in LMA Milwaukee educational and social events. Co-leading the steering committee, Jennifer has executed a strategic plan to reinvigorate information sharing and interest among legal marketing professionals around the city. Participation in these events and associated activities has sharply risen and can be contributed to her specific vision.
Jennifer has won several awards including the “Unsung Heroes” award in marketing from the from the Wisconsin Law Journal as well as several first place awards for Visual Identities and Integrated Marketing campaigns from the Wisconsin Women in Communication group.
In Lauren’s words, “Looking back on the course of Jennifer’s legal career, one can see how her constant thirst for innovation and open mind drive her to excel. Her interests and strengths will continue to help grow our City Group, LMA and the Midwestern legal marketing industry.”
Congratulations and sincere thank you to Stephanie, Megan and Jennifer.