[*As a long-time business professional in the legal industry, I want to clearly state that the views in this article are solely my own personal viewpoints. They in no way reflect the opinion of any present or former employers. –JTD]
For more than three decades, I have been privileged to work alongside some of the brightest legal minds in the country at some of the most prestigious law firms in the United States. Supporting lawyers isn’t just a job—it’s a fulfilling and often challenging career where every day brings opportunities to make an impact.
I vividly recall starting my career, fresh out of college, with an honors degree in environmental economics (worlds away from a legal or a marketing degree) and being trained to interpret certain aspects of the law under the guidance of two extraordinary M&A partners who had no junior associates. Very few days go by without my remembering how special that opportunity was.
Somewhere along the way, what was a job transformed into a passion to help lawyers, law firms and their relationships with clients. While I chose not to go to law school, a disappointment to my parents I am sure, I remained in the industry as a legal marketing professional at a time when maybe 100 people in the world knew what that was. For the past 30 years my legal marketing colleagues and I have had the pleasure of helping lawyers and firms develop and amplify their brands and we have brought the voice of the client into our law firms. This has helped lawyers bring in new business, improve upon client service, and increase talent retention and acquisition which - guess what? – all bring in more business.
Now it is time for us to use our voices to support the profession we work so hard to promote...
While I walked into my first law firm with no idea of what I was getting into, I left that first day with a deep-rooted respect for the partners I was working with and the legal profession as a whole. This developed an abiding belief in our role as defenders of justice, fairness and equality. That respect has only grown over the years as I have watched law firms do great things for their clients while simultaneously providing pro bono representation to underserved communities, standing up for those who would otherwise have no access to justice.
As the daughter of a Colombian father who emigrated to this United States, I have also been proud to see law firms embrace diversity, equity and inclusion. Realizing that to provide clients with the most effective legal advice they must have different perspectives in the room.
Without a judicial system that operates free from political interference or intimidation, the balance of our democracy and our freedoms are at risk.
The Erosion of the Rule of Law
Even as a “non-lawyer,” term coined by the ABA which we also wish they would do away with (but that argument is for another time), I find the current administration’s actions to undermine our judiciary, intimidate judges, and target law firms deeply chilling. These actions reveal a dangerous pattern where judicial independence and the very foundations of the legal profession are under siege.
Silence makes us complicit in the deterioration of the judiciary’s independence...
Calls by the executive branch to impeach judges and target law firms like Covington & Burling and Perkins Coie for whom they have represented, legal advocacy and support of DEI initiatives are an erosion of the American jurisprudence intended by our Founding Fathers. It is an erosion of the American way of life – Democracy.
These actions threaten every lawyer, law firm, client, and citizen who depends on an independent judiciary for fairness and justice. Without a judicial system that operates free from political interference or intimidation, the balance of our democracy and our freedoms are at risk.
Why the ABA’s Actions Matter
The American Bar Association (ABA) has released several statements affirming its commitment to defending the rule of law, the judiciary and the legal profession. The ABA has called for every lawyer and legal professional to stand up to these attacks—for without action, there is no safeguard for the institutions we all depend upon. I ask the business professionals who support the lawyers in the ABA to join them.
Legal marketing professionals are uniquely positioned to educate the public on how threats to the legal profession are direct threats to democracy.
Today, the Legal Marketing Association is almost 4,000 members strong. Collectively, we help shape the way law firms amplify their messages and connect with the clients and communities they serve. Now it is time for us to use our voices to support the profession we work so hard to promote as it defends its very existence.
Legal marketing professionals are uniquely positioned to educate the public on how threats to the legal profession are direct threats to democracy. We understand how to frame conversations, share insights, and articulate why these issues matter—not just to lawyers and their business clients but to the average citizen (also under attack with actual and possible changes to Medicare, Social Security, air transportation safety, education funding, access to justice, and so much more).
Silence makes us complicit in the deterioration of the judiciary’s independence, the legal profession’s ability to advocate freely and thus the foundations of our democratic society. It is hard and at times terrifying, but we must take a stand to help protect the industry that has provided all of us with an amazing, sometimes frustrating and challenging opportunity to work with brilliant people who are doing great things.
I’m asking you to join me in supporting the ABA’s statement and taking action to protect the profession we are all proud to serve.
I welcome everyone (lawyers and legal professionals alike) to put their name to the attached petition. Together, lawyers and the business professionals that work with them, will be stronger than apart.
Please stand in solidarity with the ABA and the people who dedicate their careers to upholding justice and democracy.
Whether you’re a lawyer, a legal business professional, or simply someone who values the rule of law, your voice matters.
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Visit, read, sign. Your action matters: Petition to the Legal Marketing Association: Stand with the ABA to Support the Rule of Law
*The opinions expressed in this article are solely my own and are not reflective of the opinions of any present or former employers
