Law Firm CMO Turnover Slows to a Trickle

The last 2 years broke records for CMO moves – reaching 31% last year and 28% the year before.

Markets were less volatile, presidential executive orders for law firms weren’t a thing, and few firm leaders worried about the economy. No more.

We just finished analyzing CMO turnover – how many moved, how many left the legal industry, and how many got promoted. The numbers look like this:

• 18% made a career move – down from 31% last year

• • 6% got promoted – down from 12% last year
  • 7% left law – down slightly from 8% last year
  • 5% became legal marketing consultants

Here’s Why Turnover Dropped:

• With 31% CMO turnover last year – many of these CMOs don’t want to make another move just yet
• CMOs who made the move last year are just starting to get their sea legs – they tell us it takes 2 years
• Law firm leaders are reluctant to make changes in the CMO role because of concerns over an economic slowdown
• More CMOs are feeling empowered and engaged – they don’t want to make a move

CMO turnover has finally cooled, giving law firms a rare window of stability.

A growing group of law firm marketing leaders is finding their footing, building stronger relationships with firm leadership, and leaning into strategies.

The question now: which firms will use this stability to their advantage – and which will let it slip away? The best firms won’t just ride this wave of stability – they’ll use it to surge ahead.