Unsung Heroes – Law Firm Marketing

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Law Firm Marketing

Susan Steberl
Client Development Manager, Michael Best & Friedrich LLP “Sue’s dedication and commitment to the firm have led to higher levels of responsibility and new challenges as she is relied upon to manage the marketing and business development efforts of 250 attorneys. Her motto is ‘I will do whatever it takes to get the job done.’ Sue takes great pride in her work and has managed to successfully balance a demanding career with family life. She was a delight to work with back in 1999 and is even more so delightful today,” writes Jennifer R. Rupkey, Director, Client Development, Michael Best & Friedrich LLP.

Susan Steberl had always planned to work in marketing, but when she came to Michael Best & Friedrich in 1998, she found her niche. Steberl, who graduated with a marketing degree from Carthage College, came to the firm after doing marketing for a bank and for a small manufacturing representative.

She enjoyed marketing professional services and was attracted to the law firm by the opportunity to “work with the attorneys to further their business development efforts and their practices.”

“When they use your advice or take your recommendation seriously and use that to develop their business, essentially it becomes a success for everybody,” Steberl said. “I like knowing that I played a little bit of a part in their successes.”

Today, Steberl is a client development manager at the firm, working with about 115 attorneys in four practice areas — labor and employment, intellectual property, litigation, and wealth planning.

She noted that legal marketing has come a long way from where it first began — placing advertisements and updating Martindale-Hubbell biographies.

“Now we are in the business of creating these business development opportunities for them,” she said. Those efforts include strategic event planning — focusing on who the firm wants to attend and what the effect will be on business.

“We’re helping them create relationships,” Steberl said.

Dana Kader Robb
Owner, Barefoot Marketing/Mind Your Business

“Dana has served as either Executive Director or the administrative guru for three boards I sit on or formerly sat on: AWL, AWF Foundation and CFLCW. Over the years, her creativity, marketing instincts and genuine concern for these organizations has been an invaluable asset which has benefited these boards, the Wisconsin legal community and our greater community,” writes Gwen Connolly, Law Office of Gwendolyn G. Connolly.