As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I wanted to be a teacher. Looking back on that now, I’m sure it had something to do with the fact that I was such a nerd and wanted to stay in school forever!
Where has your career path taken you?
My first ‘real’ job out of university was in legal marketing. I kind of just fell into it. At the time, I was considering being a lawyer, so I was just about to start studying for the LSAT and thought it might be a good idea to find a job in a law firm. I came across two opportunities at the same firm (Smart & Biggar LLP): One was a trademark clerk and the other a Marketing Assistant. During the first interview with the placement agency, I was persuaded to apply for the marketing role. I’ve been in legal marketing ever since (except for a four month trial in book publishing – but that didn’t last long as I was once again lured back to legal marketing into the firm I am with now). I started with Bereskin & Parr LLP as the Marketing Coordinator covering a mat leave and was soon after promoted to Marketing Manager as the position became available during my mat leave coverage.
What, if anything (or anyone) inspired you to get started in the legal arena?
I’ve always been a critical thinker – so that aspect of law really appealed to me. But, I quickly realized after working in a law firm that the work/life balance I was after would not be attained if I became a lawyer. So legal marketing is a great way to be associated with the practice of law, but not have to be a lawyer myself.
I think I’m lucky that I got into legal marketing right away and I really owe it to the first person who hired me in this field (Elora Schatzker, then Marketing Manager at Smart & Biggar LLP). She was and continues to be a great source of inspiration and mentorship to me.
What is the primary responsibility of your current role?
As the Marketing Manager, I oversee the Marketing Department and all of its deliverables; from the website to marketing materials to prepping professionals for client visits. When I took on this role as Manager I felt we needed to get the firm’s marketing initiatives in order first and then turn our focus to business development. One initiative at a time, we’re working our way through a number of marketing items.
What do you love about your work?
I love working with and for people. I was so happy to find services marketing, because I’m much more suited to it than to product marketing.
What inspires you?
People who care about their work and the people in their lives. They make the most positive impact.
What is your biggest challenge at work?
Trying to communicate the ideas that I have to non-marketing folks to get their buy in (and elevate the status of marketing as a discipline and function at the same time). As an IP boutique, I find our professionals to be even more technical than the average/typical lawyer. So it’s about communicating in a way that they can see through their lens.
What advice would you offer others entering the field?
Network. Get in front of people – have your ideas heard. And, brush up on communication skills. You have to be well spoken and succinct to make a really good point come across really well and really fast to the lawyers at your firm.
When did you join LMA and how has it helped your career?
I joined the Toronto Chapter of LMA in July 2010 when I first moved in to the Manager’s role. I find it to be an excellent resource for networking; for getting ideas and for bouncing ideas around. And, because the association has done such a great job of making a name for itself as an accredited resource, it has also given me a leg to stand on in my firm; I can draw on content from the programming stream and have instant credibility for doing so.
What do you enjoy doing when you’re not working? What are you passionate about outside of your work?
My top three hobbies are:
1. Reading (I love to read everything – but truth be told, I am a huge Harry Potter nerd and most recently, I’ve developed a real love of biographies and memoirs)
2. Cooking (I’m self-taught and will admit to being a Food Network junkie; Italian food is my favourite);
3. Playing hockey (this one usually gets attention – most people don’t see me as a hockey player. But I started when I was in high school and I’ve been playing ever since)
Outside of work I am most passionate about my family. I’m incredibly fortunate to have a very large, very close family and I spend a great deal of time with them.
In your opinion, are there any memorable marketing/branding campaigns that have stood out in the last year or so (not necessarily legal services related)?
Greatest impact: A few years ago I saw an advertisement on the subway that floored me. It was a black and white image of a woman from the 50’s who was dressed to the nines – pearls and all – and she was kneeling beside a bathtub with rubber gloves on. The caption read something along the lines of “Because a woman’s place is not just in the kitchen.” I nearly leapt out of my seat because I’m a feminist and I couldn’t believe an ad like that was made public. I then noticed the caption below that said something like “One day the way we treat the earth will seem just as appalling” with the WWF (World Wildlife Fund) logo.
I thought this was an incredible ad because it quickly made you realize that treating women as second-class citizens was once the “accepted norm” and in the same way that I was horrified that day by the implication that women were just domestic servants, one day in the future we will be just as horrified by the former “accepted norm” of how we treat the Earth.