2014 Hall of Fame Inductee Nat Slavin: TRAVELING THE WORLD--AND THE LEGAL INDUSTRY.

Mantick, Kelly

2014 Hall of Fame Inductee Nat Slavin has traveled to 49 states and about as many countries. Believe it or not, however, this partner and co-founder of the Wicker Park Group has even more experience in legal marketing than he does in travel. Starting his career as the publisher of InsideCounsel (Corporate Legal Times), Nat moved from legal journalist to legal marketer, and now 2014 LMA Hall of Fame inductee. He also co-founded and published Business Without Borders, authored more than 100 articles on legal department management, served as LMA president in 2007 and more. Nat recently talked to Strategies about his background, interests and vision for the future.

How did you become interested in legal marketing?

In the early 1990s, I was a journalist working in the legal industry. I quickly realized that the truly innovative firms had embraced marketing, communications and business development. In those relatively early days of legal marketing, I kept hearing that the smart people were getting together to talk about the future of the industry, and I knew I wanted to be part of that conversation.

I joined LMA in 1995, and my early passion was working with a key group to help evolve the association and create what we called "One LMA." It would probably seem strange to the current generation of LMA members that a service provider couldn't vote then, let alone be president. But, today nobody questions the value a service provider offers.

I continue to be passionate about the notion of "One LMA." I know how important it is to share across chapters--and across the industry --all of the great things that happen at a local level and to reinforce the value that "One LMA" provides to each and every member.

What were some of your goals in starting the Wicker Park consultancy group, and what were some challenges?

Laura Meherg and I formed Wicker Park Group in 2007, and Tara Weintritt joined us as a partner. Our biggest challenge--and our greatest success--both resulted from the economic downturn that happened in our first year of business. As the economy faltered, law firms cut every spend possible, but at the same time, they realized that listening to their clients and differentiating themselves from the competition was the key to weathering a rough economy.

The challenges we faced in the early days are the same challenges law firms face today. How do you differentiate your business in a crowded market and adapt and customize your service offerings to fit each individual client's needs and culture? We joke that we should wear t-shirts at LMA events emblazoned with our motto: "One Size Fits One." That's what every firm has to realize about its clients.

What future goals do you have? What do you foresee for the future of legal marketing as a whole?

I learned a long time ago to stop trying to predict the direction of my career. I never would have imagined that being the newest editor at a brand new publication would lead to a career as a gadfly in the legal industry, where I would regularly be talking to leaders of the most successful firms and their most valued clients. Equally, I could never have imagined that joining the Legal Marketing Association would result in leadership roles and induction into the Hall of Fame. The honor of it all cannot be overstated.

My goal continues to be to add value to client relationships by sharing my experiences. I am currently serving on the Southern California chapter board and am hoping to help this next generation of leaders achieve their chapter and individual goals.

The brilliance that exists at every level of legal marketing guarantees the success of our profession, and the future of legal marketing has never been brighter. The expectations of our clients are high, and that challenges us every day to come up with innovative ways to serve our clients' needs. The job is never easy, but the reward of being part of a community as amazing as LMA is just one of the many benefits I and all of my peers realize on a daily basis.

Nat's Facts:

* "I have climbed to the peak of 13 different 14,000-foot mountains in the United States."

* "My hobbies include yoga, music, cooking and food, travel and reading (I read at least one book every week)."

* "I have the ticket stub from every concert I have been to since 1982."