Law Marketing Bibliography

Reviews of books on client development
for lawyers and law marketing professionals

BOOK REVIEWS

To read the complete reviews, please click
on the book titles (listed alphabetically).

Anatomy of a Press Release, Pitch and e-Mailed Release, by Ann Wylie (Wylie Communications, Kansas City, 2003). Colossally overpriced and under-produced.

Achieving Peak Performance Through Practice Management, by Susan Raridon Lambreth and Amanda J. Yanuklis (Hildebrandt Institute, Washington DC). The most valuable part of this book is the appendix, which presents strategies for dealing with the commoditization of certain legal services.

The Best Practices in Legal Marketing, by Allan Boress and Michael Cummings (Sage Legal Marketing, Eustis, FL, 2004). This self-published e-book doesn't deliver on its title's promise.

Brain Tattoos: Creating Unique Brands That Stick in Your Customers' Minds, by Karen Post (Amacom, NY, 2005). You'll find lots of creative marketing ideas in this book, but don't expect to learn much new about branding.

Cashing In With Content, by David Meerman Scott (Information Today, Inc., Medford NJ, 2005). How to attract visitors using rich, valuable, constantly updated information that they can't get elsewhere.

Courting the Media: Public Relations for the Accused and the Accuser, by Margaret A. Mackenzie (Praeger, Westport, CT, 2007). Mainly for lawyers involved in high-profile criminal cases. Authoritative and easy to read.

How to Get and Keep Good Clients, Second Edition, by Jay G. Foonberg (self-published, Beverly Hills, CA, 1994). Gems and pearls in a schlocky package.

Lawyer, Know Thyself: A Psychological Analysis of Personality Strengths and Weaknesses, by Susan Swaim Daicoff (American Psychological Association, Washington DC, 2004). If practicing law stresses you out, or if you want to know why some lawyers have trouble relating to clients, this book will enlighten you. The palindromic reviewer says: aha!

Lawyers and Reporters, edited by Robert L. Rothman (ABA Litigation Section, Chicago, 2000). Primarily for lawyers engaged in high-profile litigation and criminal cases.

The Lawyer's Guide to Marketing on the Internet, by Gregory H. Siskind, Deborah McMurray, and Richard P. Klau (ABA Law Practice Management Section, Chicago, 2002). A broad overview of the features you need on your firm's website. Aside from the old examples, it's surprisingly fresh after four years.

The Lawyer's Guide to Marketing Your Practice, Second Edition, edited by James A. Durham and Deborah McMurray (ABA, Chicago, 2004). A terrific book written by 18 eminent marketing consultants and an ethics expert. The palindromic reviewer says: mega gem.

The Lawyer's Guide to Strategic Planning: Defining, Setting, and Achieving Your Firm's Goals, By Thomas C. Grella and Michael L. Hudkins (ABA, Chicago, 2004). The palindromic reviewer says: dud.

Making Rain: The Secrets of Building Lifelong Client Loyalty, by Andrew Sobel (Wiley, NJ, 2003). A more accurate title would be: 101 Superficial Anecdotes About Building Client Loyalty.

Marketing the Law Firm: Business Development Techniques, by Sally J. Schmidt (Law Journal Press, NY, 2004). An encyclopedic reference in one volume, updated semi-annually.

Marketing Success Stories, 2nd Edition, edited by Hollis Hatfield Weishar and Joyce K. Smiley (ABA, Chicago, 2004). A collection of 46 anecdotes, most insightful, some delightful.

The Rainmaker's Toolkit: Power Strategies for Finding, Keeping, and Growing Profitable Clients, by Harry Mills (Amacom, New York, 2004). Brilliant strategy for firms that want to provide premium services to high-profit clients.

The Rainmaking Machine: Marketing, Planning, Strategies, and Management for Law Firms, by Phyllis Weiss Haserot (Thomson-West, Eagan, MN, 1989-2004). An encyclopedic reference in several volumes.

Rainmaking Made Simple, by Mark M. Maraia. Strong advice on referral networking and speaking engagements. But it's not so simple, Mark.

Selling & Communication Skills for Lawyers, by Joey Asher (ALM Publishing, New York, 2005). Excellent!

Selling the Invisible: A Field Guide to Modern Marketing, by Harry Beckwith (Warner Books, New York, 1997). Chicken soup for the services marketer.

Stop Telling, Start Selling: How to Use Customer-focused Dialogue to Close Sales, by Linda Richardson (McGraw-Hill, NY, 1998). Some call it consultative selling, Richardson calls it dialogue selling. The palindromic reviewer says: wow!

Through the Client's Eyes: New Approaches to Get Clients to Hire You Again and Again, by Henry W. Ewalt (ABA, Chicago, 2002). Read this book again and again.

The Trusted Advisor, by David H. Maister, Charles H. Green and Robert M. Galford (Touchstone/Simon & Schuster, NY, 2000). The palindromic reviewer says: yay!

Why Business People Speak Like Idiots, by Brian Fugere, Chelsea Hardaway, and Jon Warshawsky. "Let's face it: Business today is drowning in bullshit." That's the book's first sentence.

The Woman Lawyer's Rainmaking Game, by Silvia L. Coulter (Glasser LegalWorks, NJ, 2004). All about selling legal services, but not just for women. In fact, there is very little that's just for women in this book.

 

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Updated 6/2/07