Legal Marketing Blog

Tom Kane, a former practicing attorney, is the principal of Kane Consulting, Inc., a legal marketing consulting firm.

Prior to re-establishing a consulting practice in 2003, Tom served for over 17 years as an in-house marketer for several firms and as a consultant to the legal industry. His last in-house position was as chief marketing officer for a 450-lawyer firm based in Philadelphia, where he had a staff of 12 and was responsible for the firm's marketing efforts in its 12 offices.

For nearly two decades, he has been involved in all aspects of legal marketing, from training, planning, and public relations to conducting image campaigns, market research, advertising, and client feedback programs. He oversaw the development of promotional materials, newsletters, proposals and presentations, firm marketing events, and databases for his various firms.

Tom graduated from the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts. Following graduation, he served a tour of active duty with the U.S. Navy, including service in the Vietnam theater. After his active duty service, he attended the University of Miami School of Law, where he received both his J.D. and LL.M. degrees. He continued his naval service as a reservist, and retired from the U.S. Naval Reserve as a Captain.

Following law school, he served as an Assistant Attorney General in North Carolina where he was the state's first environmental attorney. During his 13 years of public and private law practice, he represented clients in both federal and state courts (trial and appellate), and before federal and state agencies.

He is licensed to practice in North Carolina and the District of Columbia.

Contact Information

Phone: 941.376.3366
Email: tkane@KaneConsultingInc.com

Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 50834
Sarasota, FL 34232

Over the years Tom has been gratified by the letters he has received from lawyers, both those he has worked with while an in-house marketer, and while a consultant. Excerpts from those letters are included below. Copies of the full letters are available upon request.

"Tom has a firm grasp of all phases of legal services marketing... I believe that his previous experience as a practicing lawyer prepared him very well to understand law firms and their lawyers, and thus to apply that knowledge more effectively than many of his peers... [He] was responsible for a great number of specific, positive accomplishments..."

-Wayman C. Lawrence, Esq. Porter, Wright, Morris & Arthur

"Tom recognized a critical factor (when looking at marketing a particular practice) that had certainly eluded me and others working with me -- we had not yet marketed the transportation practice internally -- not many lawyers in the firm knew what we did. We would get very little cross-selling effect without having firm-wide familiarity in place. Tom's experience and developed expertise enabled that broader view. Tom is easy to work with, energetic and enthusiastic. He throws himself wholeheartedly into tasks and is genuinely enervated by them. His work is a high quality and, almost as important, it gets done on time."

-James W. Patterson, Esq. Saul Ewing LLP

"Tom is a unique person, with an extraordinarily high energy level and an almost unlimited capacity for handling new projects. He, almost single-handedly, changed the way our lawyers think about marketing -- from the old attitude that our work quality speaks for itself, to the new attitude that advertising, if done tastefully and carefully, is effective, and even necessary in today's legal world."

-Edgel C. Lester, Jr., Esq. Carlton Fields P.A.

"Your knowledge and frankness about the necessity of marketing and the obstacles the firm would face while instituting new procedures was very helpful to the Management Committee in promoting the marketing idea to our firm. Your experience as an attorney, coupled with your marketing background, lent credibility and practicality to the idea of marketing at a time when promoting one's legal practice was very new and foreign to some."

-Ferdinand L. Picardi, Esq. Managing Partner Hiscock & Barclay

"Tom developed successful firm-wide marketing plans that were instrumental in motivating, directing, and supporting the firm's attorneys in their efforts to develop marketing plans for their individual practices. He was committed to and succeeded in enhancing the firm's image and bringing new business to the firm throughout his tenure. Tom Kane is a true leader in the law firm marketing profession. His ability and enthusiasm will be missed."

-David P. Burke, Esq. Carlton Fields P.A.

"Tom is extremely knowledgeable about the marketing of legal services and, in addition, brings incredible energy and enthusiasm to the job. Tom has been a real asset to our firm and I have no hesitation whatever in wholeheartedly recommending him to any law firm which wants to improve its marketing capability."

-James S. Oliphant, Esq. Porter, Wright, Morris & Arthur

"Under Tom's leadership, Saul Ewing launched several advertising initiatives for the firm. Saul Ewing received "kudos" from our competition and positive feedback from our clients on multiple occasions relative to these marketing campaigns -- both exceptionally high recommendations of Tom's talents. Tom's approach is results-oriented, with an unwavering focus on innovation and quality. In my career, I've worked with press offices, corporate marketing departments, and advertising agencies. In my judgment, Tom's expertise and qualifications are at the pinnacle in the industry."

-Linda S. Kaiser, Esq. Saul Ewing LLP

"It was with a considerable amount of trepidation, as well as reservation, that I contacted...Thomas E. Kane to make a presentation to my firm in our retreat...I worried about how this presentation would be received. Not to worry!! From our founding senior partner (now 79 years of age) to everyone else in the group, we were delighted with Tom Kane's presentation, and we all took away from that meeting valuable ideas."

-Charles L. Fulton, Esq. Manning, Fulton & Skinner, P.A.

"I came to Blank Rome from an in-house legal department at which the ability to navigate corporate politics was given a high premium...In working with you...I appreciate your input on these matters, which enabled me to best choose where to devote my limited business development resources. I hope that your future clients are able to benefit from your "political" acumen, as well. Not withstanding your kind role in the terms global re-branding and CRM database initiatives, you took the time -- on several occasions -- to get together with me to advise regarding personal marketing initiatives and practices related to my niche-driven intellectual property/technology/privacy practice. Needless to say, I was impressed by how you seemed to get 40 or so hours of work into each 24-hour day."

-Eric G. Begun, Esq. Blank Rome LLP

"Tom Kane's...instincts and knowledge of the legal community are strong points in his ability to develop a strategic marketing plan promoting the services of a specific lawyer or law firm..."

-Anthony J. Celebrezze, Jr., Esq. Porter, Wright, Morris & Arthur

"Tom Kane...has been effective in advertising the qualities of the firm and in developing an effective process for branding or developing recognition for Saul Ewing. On behalf of Saul Ewing, he provided invaluable assistance in preparing requests for proposals and in developing a marketing plan for the firm. More significantly, he was able to develop individual marketing plans for attorneys and to also provide advice and guidance on how to increase business. He provided counseling and coaching to attorneys who had little or no background in marketing legal services, providing motivation and encouragement and effective tools to increase business."

-James F. Kilcur, Esq. Saul Ewing LLP

"I want to commend you for the excellent job you did on the in-person client survey you conducted for our firm. Having never worked together before this undertaking, we naturally had some concerns. The results of your efforts, however, prove most effectively that our instincts and decision to retain you were sound.
Your report was excellent and far exceeded my expectations with its individual interview notes, summary comments for each client, general survey overview and recommendations for improvement. Of course, identifying potential new business opportunities with many of our clients was most valuable."

-Stephen D. Martin, Esq. Managing Partner Martin, Pergram, Browning & Parker Co., L.P.A.

"I have learned a great deal about marketing from Tom and have the highest regard for his skills, his temperament, and his ability to bring about substantial change in the attitudes of lawyers toward business development. He has displayed a high level of enthusiasm in his work and has transferred that enthusiasm to others, through his work in coaching and motivating lawyers. He has made substantial progress in efforts to build an effective marketing department and in developing a "brand" for our firm."

-Robert H. Louis, Esq. Saul Ewing LLP

"Because he has practiced law for a number of years... one of his main beliefs is that lawyers must understand the pressures and demands of their clients. They must try to put themselves in the "shoes of the client" in understanding the client's needs for legal services. It is very easy to work with Tom."

-Nathaniel L. Doliner, Esq. Carlton Fields P.A.

"The energy and enthusiasm that he has brought to the marketing areas has translated itself into a number of specific and successful marketing programs within the firm. Through...training seminars and a well-developed program of specific proposals and presentations, Tom has greatly improved the marketing activities of our firm."

-Terrance M. Miller, Esq. Porter, Wright, Morris & Arthur

"In short, Tom took us out of the marketing wilderness and brought us the discipline and focus needed by a growing, six-office regional firm. I believe that Tom's enthusiasm and high-energy level is infectious, and they create a very good environment for all members of the marketing staff. Tom is very patient in meeting the needs of individual lawyers and practice groups, and he is good at coaching lawyers to think "out-of-the-box" for ways to market their practices, always stressing the need to adhere to the firm's overall marketing plan."

-Frederick D. Stober, Esq. Saul Ewing LLP

"He coached the partners in our practice group on marketing issues, and assisted our lawyers with the development of individual attorney marketing plans. Tom has an outgoing personality, and used virtually every meeting with practice group attorneys as an opportunity to motivate us to market our labor practice and the Firm. Tom was also quite helpful to our practice group in the development of responses to request for proposals ("RFP's")."

-John P. McAdams, Esq. Carlton Fields P.A.

"His...constant tutelage and follow-through to get...[the marketing] plans implemented has paid off...[and] his training sessions for younger lawyers have given them a demonstrated sense of confidence and have successfully broken down initial inhibitions...with respect to contacting potential clients. I would heartily recommend Tom as a capable counselor and an effective "tool" in developing a wider and more solid client base."

-J. Jeffrey McNealey, Esq. Porter, Wright, Morris & Arthur

"Tom has the distinction of being the best law firm marketing professional that I have had the opportunity to work with in my 15 years in the legal profession. Tom's unique blend of common sense, creativity, enthusiasm, energy, humor, in-depth marketing experience, and legal background combine to serve him well in his chosen field. Tom has coached quite a few Saul Ewing attorneys in the effective approach to increase their marketing efforts, including developing personal marketing plans. He has also worked with groups of attorneys to develop marketing plans for new endeavors. He would be an asset to any organization that engaged his services."

-Richard W. Wolf Executive Director Saul Ewing LLP

"Prior to joining Carlton Fields, I was a partner in a large Miami law firm and then a partner in a large national law firm...I can say without hesitation that Tom Kane is the finest marketing resource I have ever been around. His knowledge and energy turned marketing from a chore into a profitable and enjoyable experience. Tom's background as a lawyer and his years of marketing experience definitely gave Carlton Fields an edge on its competitors. I worked for Tom on the marketing committee during the past two years and he instituted many programs that helped all seven offices of our firm... What probably impressed me the most was Tom's leadership and enthusiasm in pursuing innovative yet common sense approaches to marketing, rather than letting us follow the unimaginative and often cliche-oriented marketing plans used by other firms."

-Paul T. Reed, Esq. Carlton Fields P.A.

"In addition to his planning and training assistance, Tom was a pivotal part of our proposal and presentation efforts toward existing and prospective clients...The firm's success rate with these proposals has been significant."

-Alvin J. McKenna, Esq. Porter, Wright, Morris & Arthur

"He started us down the road to successful advertising in the media and, as a result of this and his internal strategic work, he got us to focus on and work toward branding Saul Ewing. I found his planning at all times to be excellent, and he organized our total effort in marketing and succeeded in organizing our responses to RFP's."

-J. Clayton Undercofler, Esq. Saul Ewing LLP

"Tom helped position our firm to maintain its strong relationship with existing clients and to expand its influence inside and outside Florida. Given our natural conservatism about marketing issues, this took a lot of tact, diplomacy, patience, and tenacity on Tom's part. But he brought to the job a great deal of enthusiasm and conviction about what he does, and he helped us see the benefits...As a result of Tom's efforts, we launched a significant marketing and advertising campaign that has helped improve recognition of our firm on a national scale. Tom persistently taught (reminded) us about the need to maintain close communications with our clients, to be responsive to client needs, and to think creatively about working with existing and new clients and opportunities. At all times and in everything he did, Tom was responsive, prompt, cheerful, and anxious to help our firm succeed in any way he could."

-Gary L. Sasso, Esq. Carlton Fields P.A.

"Whenever I have wanted or needed any kind of assistance, Tom has been there and has delivered 110%. One example was when our firm decided to make a proposal to represent a Milanese pharmaceutical company. We had to do this within a very short period of time and Tom expedited the job superbly, even arranging for a translation of the entire proposal into Italian. He made sure that the work product was thoughtful and imaginative, and that it was done in an extremely timely fashion. Tom has been very instrumental in our firm's efforts to "brand" our name. I have appreciated his skill and patience in working with our lawyers."

-John F. Meigs, Esq. Saul Ewing LLP

"Your training sessions were enthusiastically received and genuinely helpful...Your approach helped...[our lawyers] greatly as they struggled to accept professional marketing as a reality."

-Harry L. Henning, Esq. Porter, Wright, Morris & Arthur

"...He (Tom Kane) was very quick and efficient in assisting us in preparing high quality, professional-looking responses to private and public requests for proposals, thereby saving the attorneys a great deal of time and effort. He also was very helpful in assisting individual attorneys and practice areas in planning and implementing their marketing efforts. His incredibly high energy level and his consistently good spirits were encouraging to those of us who would otherwise be weary or wary of marketing ourselves. No matter what the request, he was always willing to help and to suggest how we could do whatever we wanted to do even better than we had originally thought of doing it."

-Patricia H. Thompson, Esq. Carlton Fields P.A.

"I want to thank you again for the excellent job you did on our law firm retreat. I am certain that the time you took prior to the retreat to talk to individuals with the firm to understand their concerns is one reason why it was such a success."

-Roderick H. Willcox, Esq. Managing Partner Chester, Hoffman, Willcox & Saxbe

"Having known and worked with Tom Kane directly for several years, I can highly recommend him to any lawyer or law firm seeking his advice with respect to marketing legal services...Perhaps most importantly, as a result of training sessions throughout the firm, he opened the eyes and broadened the horizons of individual attorneys regarding the role that each plays in a successful marketing program."

-Charles C. Warner, Esq. Porter, Wright, Morris & Arthur