LMA 2025 Annual Conference Advisory Committee

John Byrne
President-Elect
Chief Marketing Officer
Gould & Ratner

John Byrne is Gould & Ratner's Chief Marketing Officer, a role drawing upon his unique combination of experience as a practicing lawyer, marketing and sales director, professional journalist and publisher, career coach and recruiter, and small business owner.  As CMO, his top priority is leading and supporting the firm's growth and delivery of unparalleled service to its clients.

John has spent more than 25 years in the legal profession, with much of that time devoted to helping lawyers attract new clients and engagements.  He has particular skill in writing, marketing communications and public relations, as well as business development and traditional sales.  John's most valuable skill, though, is his ability to connect with lawyers and clients alike, listening to them and understanding their needs to create strategies for success.

An active participant in the 4,000-member Legal Marketing Association, John was recently appointed as its President-Elect for 2024.  He has also served on its International Board of Directors as an at-large member, chair of the Regional Leaders Committee, Treasurer-Elect and Treasurer.  He has also served as President of the group's Midwest Region, as well as co-executive editor of LMA's Strategies magazine in 2015-16 and as co-chair of LMA's Annual Conference in 2014.

John earned his law degree from Loyola University Chicago and his bachelor's degree from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University, where he was the editor in chief of The Daily Northwestern.  For the past few years, John has served as chair of the board of directors for Students Publishing Co., Inc., the independent nonprofit entity that owns and operates The Daily Northwestern.

Tasneem K. Khokha
ACAC Co-Chair (Pre-Conference Focus)
Managing Director
GrowthPlay

Tasneem K. Khokha has spent over 20 years as an executive leader in the professional services space working with lawyers and other professionals to grow their businesses by helping firms make the most of their relationships with their clients, their talent, and their recruits.  Prior to joining GrowthPlay, Tasneem was a partner and the Director of Marketing at Katten Muchin Rosenman, where she led the firm’s marketing and business development team. Tasneem previously practiced law in the corporate department of Latham & Watkins and the restructuring group of Kirkland & Ellis.  Tasneem graduated from the University of Chicago Law School and earned her Bachelor’s degree, with honors, from the University of Chicago. Tasneem serves on the board of directors of Latinos Progresando, a Chicago-based nonprofit that provides immigration legal services.

Katie Munroe
ACAC Co-Chair
Chief Marketing Officer
Zuckerman Spaeder LLP

Working closely with Zuckerman Spaeder’s leadership, its lawyers, and professional staff, Katie Munroe oversees the firm’s relationship development, marketing, branding, and communications operations. She does so with an emphasis on client experience – facilitating cross-practice and cross-team collaboration, ensuring customized and effective messaging, and developing plans and solutions that make practical sense for the clients we serve.  Katie joined Zuckerman Spaeder following more than a decade at a prominent AmLaw 100 firm, where she oversaw the marketing and business development activities for the more than 600 litigation and investigations lawyers.   A long-serving member of the Legal Marketing Association, Katie has held various leadership positions including as President of the Capital Chapter Board in 2016. She is passionate about diversity, equity, and inclusion; community involvement; mentorship; and volunteering.

Nikki G. Sherrill
ACAC Co-Chair
Chief Business Development Officer
Parker Hudson

Nikki Sherrill is responsible for developing and implementing the strategy for firmwide business development, marketing and communications at Parker Hudson. Working as a trusted advisor to the firm’s leadership, her top priority is supporting Parker Hudson to go beyond in all their client service efforts.  Nikki has spent more than 15 years in the legal marketing profession working at large and mid-size law firms helping lawyers strengthen and develop existing client relationships. She enjoys helping to craft and execute strategy around key client relationships and supporting client service initiatives.  An active participant in LMA, Nikki served as a Member-at-Large on the International Board of Directors from 2021-2022. In 2020, she was the Regional Leadership Committee Chair and liaison on the board. Nikki has also served as President of the LMA’s Southeast Region, among other roles on the SE regional board, including Chair of the SE Regional Conference in 2015.

Maziel Abrego
Director of Marketing and Practice Development
Vedder Price

Maziel Abrego is an accomplished legal marketing and business development professional with over 20 years of experience working with law firms. As the Director of Marketing and Practice Development at Vedder Price, Maziel oversees the firm’s practice development department and provides strategic guidance on business development initiatives for practice groups and attorneys.  She also leads the development and implementation of marketing and communication strategies to support the firm's growth initiatives. Throughout her career, Maziel has executed successful marketing initiatives for law firms, such as client and practice development programs. She has conducted market and client research to help law firms identify growth opportunities and develop effective strategies for targeting key clients. She has also led marketing and communication programs, including social media platforms, database/CRM development, website and blog management, branding projects, client team initiatives, collateral development and events. Her experience in legal marketing and business development has made her a sought-after advisor for law firms and legal associations. Maziel holds a JD from the Universidad Santa Maria la Antigua in Panama and a Master of Laws (LL.M.) degree from Fordham University School of Law. In 2013, she served as President of the Metropolitan New York Chapter of the Legal Marketing Association (LMA). Currently, she is the past Co-Chair and member of the Talent Development Committee and 2024 Annual Conference Advisory Committee member of the International Legal Marketing Association. She is also a Member of the Board of the Law Firm Media Professionals.

Cheryl Bame
Principal
Bame Public Relations

A communications professional with enviable contacts and reach, Cheryl Bame is widely recognized for her work with law firms, legal service providers, financial and real estate companies as well as industry trade groups.   After a decade in the broadcast news business, Cheryl has spent nearly 24 years implementing communications programs that involve media relations, social media, networking and speaking engagements and other professional reputations strategies.   In 2015, Cheryl was asked by the International Board of Directors of the Legal Marketing Association (LMA) to launch the group’s Public Relations Special Interest Group to advance the public relations profession for the legal industry. She was also responsible for starting LMA's first PR & Communications Pre-Conference and has organized and spoke at two of those educational events.

Sadie Baron
Chief Marketing Officer
Reed Smith LLP

Sadie Baron's mission as Reed Smith's Chief Marketing Officer is to tell the world the Reed Smith story as it’s a story she is very proud to be part of.  Using her 25 year experience in marketing to develop a vision for her function that is light years ahead of the competition, she empowers her team to make a difference together.  Driven and enthusiastic with high energy, her style is pragmatic and practical and often described as being "off the creative scale," this is balanced with the interpersonal skills needed to sit at the head table.  Sadie has a rare mixture of skill sets which cross functional teams can bank on.  She also feels incredibly proud and privileged to work every day with some of the brightest legal minds in a firm that values the power of marketing and business development.

Michael Blachly
Chief Marketing Officer
Gray Reed

Michael Blachly is responsible for the strategic direction and execution of Gray Reed’s business development and marketing initiatives, ensuring their successful implementation in alignment with the firm's overall strategic direction and driving a measurable business impact.    In addition, he also serves as a marketing consultant for Gray Reed Advisory where he works directly with clients in their strategic planning and marketing and business development strategies. He also serves on the firm’s Strategic Planning Committee, Diversity Committee and Gray Reed Foundation Board of Directors.  Michael served as the first president of the Legal Marketing Association’s (LMA) Southwest Region and has held numerous other leadership positions within the organization. He was the first recipient of the southwest region’s President’s Award and was recognized with the 2021 Distinguished Service Award.

Ashley Black
Diversity and Inclusion Manager
Porter Hedges LLP

Ashley Black is the Diversity & Inclusion Manager at Porter Hedges LLP, a midsize corporate law firm located in Houston, TX. With more than 16 years of experience in the legal industry, Ashley has held a variety of positions that range from marketing and business development to event management. In her current role she works closely with the recruiting, HR, and marketing & business development teams to create a more diverse and inclusive environment at the firm.  She has been a member of the Legal Marketing Association for more than a decade and has held positions for the Charlotte City Group, Houston City Group, Southwest Region Board, and has served as the co-chair for LMA’s Diversity Equity & Inclusion Committee.  Ashley holds a BS in Marketing from Clemson University, a MS in Integrated Marketing Communications from Florida State University, and a Diversity & Inclusion certificate from Cornell University.

Liz Boehm
Director of Client and Business Development
Benesch

Liz manages and provides strategic oversight for the firm’s client development services and business development initiatives. She facilitates efforts to provide clients with an excellent experience, conducts business planning for attorneys, and leads preparation for client and potential client meetings, presentations, and opportunities.   Liz oversees responses to requests for proposals, and coordinates sales strategy and sales pipeline tracking for business opportunities. She leads the firm’s competitive and marketing intelligence research efforts, conducts client feedback interviews, and identifies and plans attorney training opportunities.  Liz is a former president of the Legal Marketing Association (LMA)’s Ohio Chapter, was named an LMA International “Rising Star," and has twice co-chaired the LMA Midwest Your Honor Awards.

Jaclyn Braga
Director of Marketing and Business Development
Morse

Jaclyn Braga is the Director of Marketing & Business Development at Morse, a Boston-area law firm focused on Corporate, IP, Litigation, Employment, Privacy, and Tax law. Along with her small, award-winning team, Jaclyn identifies, develops, and leads all Marketing and Business Development initiatives for the Firm, including strategic planning, attorney development, web presence, content creation, event planning, social media, and client nurturing. She has worked in legal marketing for more than 15 years and particularly enjoys working on creative initiatives that help set her attorneys and her firm apart from the competition. A member of LMA since 2008, Jaclyn has previously served as co-chair of the 2015 LMA Northeast/New England regional conference and currently serves as co-chair of the LMA Boston Solo/Small Firm SIG. She was a recipient of the 2024 “Excellence in the Law” Award for Legal Marketing from Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly.

Miki Hanlen
Sr. Director, Global Field Marketing
Intapp

Miki Hanlen is a results-oriented leader who develops marketing programs that drive innovation, enhance brand loyalty, and increase profitability. With more than 25 years of experience in the legal and legal tech industry, Miki aims to improve the efficiency of marketing programs to support an organization’s strategic goals. She currently serves as the Sr. Director of Global Field Marketing at Intapp, where she sets the direction and oversees the integrated marketing program for all Intapp’s verticals, including legal. She leads a high performing team who is focused on lead generation and market awareness, as well as ongoing relationship development with key clients.   Prior to joining Intapp, Miki oversaw the marketing and communications program and managed the client engagement program at Steptoe LLP. Over the course of her career, Miki has held various leadership roles with the Legal Marketing Association (LMA); she currently serves on the 2024 Annual Conference Advisory Committee. Miki is a graduate of the University of South Carolina and holds a master’s degree in communications management from the University of Southern California.

Andrew Hutchinson
CEO
Databall

With over two decades of experience in the legal technology community, Andrew has worked globally with firms to drive transformative change through technology. His deep understanding of marketing, business development, and the daily challenges faced by the legal community fuels his passion for helping firms leverage data to achieve better outcomes. Known for his innovative approach to problem-solving, Andrew is dedicated to helping firms harness the power of data for themselves and their clients.

Linda Sanders
Director of Client Experience
Troutman Pepper

Linda has held strategic business development and client experience roles at Troutman Pepper for seven years. In her current role, she collaborates with attorneys, business professionals, and clients to design and execute client feedback, value, and experience programs that strengthen and deepen clients' relationships with the firm.   Linda's primary focus is adding value to client relationships, developing creative and innovative solutions to clients' needs, and ensuring clients receive consistently excellent service.   Linda has more than 25 years of legal industry experience, including strategic roles in continuing legal education and court administration. She is an active member of the Legal Marketing Association, where she has planned, executed, and presented educational programming for law firm marketers and business development professionals at the local, regional, and national levels.   Linda received her bachelor's degree in English from Spelman College and her Juris Doctor from the University of North Carolina School of Law.   

John Witts
Director of Marketing Technology
Faegre Drinker

John Witts is Director of Marketing Technology for Faegre Drinker where he is responsible for strategy, implementation and analysis of the firm’s marketing technology resources and related data. He oversees the firm’s relationship intelligence and web & digital marketing functions, covering the firm’s CRM platforms, content management systems, email marketing tools, SEO and data analytics resources and podcast production and distribution. He works closely with colleagues across the Client Development & Marketing department and the larger firm on strategic use of marketing technology resources and how best to leverage the firm’s marketing data.  John served for three years as a founding co-chair of the Legal Marketing Association’s Marketing Technology SIG. He has also served in roles at the regional and local levels for the organization, most recently as Member-at-Large (Member Engagement) for the Philadelphia LSC.