Name: Joe Goldshear
Company: Marshall, Dennehey, Warner, Coleman & Goggin
Title: Marketing and Business Development
Email: JSGoldshear@MDWCG.com
- How did you get into legal marketing?
Like many of us in legal marketing, my entrée into this profession was circuitous and unplanned. For me personally, it was hearing of an opportunity from a friend and partner here at Marshall, Dennehey that there was a possible opportunity to join their evolving marketing department. For many years, I've worked in marketing and sales in the publishing and print industries, at both the staff and executive levels. Some eight years ago, as a result of corporate downsizing, I completely changed careers and obtained my license as a public insurance adjuster. When this marketing opportunity with Marshall, Dennehey presented itself, I felt that I possessed several unique skill sets that would serve the firm well, particularly as our firm has a significant focus on insurance defense.
- Describe one of your best experiences in legal marketing?
I am fortunate that there are many positive experiences that have occurred since my joining the firm. Certainly, working with and coaching attorneys and seeing their efforts come to fruition, is very satisfying. From a business development/operations perspective, one initiative that I am very proud of is the automation of attorney's business development activities and expenditures. When I joined the firm, our attorneys were reporting their business development activities tied to expenditures using a multi-part form. I suggested to firm management that we develop a portal where our attorneys could report their activities and expenses electronically, allowing marketing and firm management to capture this information. Firm management liked the idea and allowed me to partner with our IT department, who created an interactive portal for attorneys to submit these reports. Of course, there were fits and starts, as well as strenuous objections when the portal was first launched, but over the past three years it has become an important source of information for understanding business development activities, as well as capturing these expenses.
- What is one of your greatest challenges when it comes to legal marketing?
I would have to say that managing the ebb and flow of work is imperative, regardless of your firm's size. Although many of our activities are planned, and deadlines and strategy are top of mind, not a day goes by when we are not asked to drop everything in order to take care of an immediate request. Of course there are times when a request comes to you last minute, and you realize that it didn't have to be, as the information was asked for well in advance. However, most of the time, when these types of requests occur, it is because a client is requesting it of our attorney.
- Do you have any words of wisdom to those who are new to the field?
When I first began working in legal marketing, I received a great bit of advice, “Never lose sight of the fact that the attorneys in your firm are your clients.” It is important to keep this in mind regardless of your function within the marketing department and the firm. As marketing professionals, we work with and encourage our attorneys to thoroughly understand their clients' business, their “pain” and to network with their clients. It is incumbent upon anyone getting into this field, that they treat the attorneys they are working with in exactly the same manner. Learn your attorneys' business, understand their impediments and network with them when possible.
- What is one thing that most people don’t know about you?
I am secretly a total nerd about science, and love to read science books. Currently, I'm reading a book about string theory, quantum mechanics, and multiverse theory. It's way over my head but fascinating nonetheless.