Top 100 U.S. law firm Akerman LLP today announced its Chief Marketing and Client Development Officer Iris Jones has been named to the Legal Marketing Association (LMA) Hall of Fame. The LMA Hall of Fame, which from 2007 to 2021 had only honored 34 out of the thousands of people in the profession internationally, recognizes the lifetime achievements of individuals in the legal marketing industry and their outstanding contributions to the Association. Hall of Fame members have a demonstrated history of career achievement, sustained commitment to the advancement of the profession and significant contributions to LMA, in addition to conducting themselves with professionalism among their peers.
Jones was inducted in person at the LMA Annual Conference in Las Vegas on March 22.
“During my 18 years in legal marketing, I have seen the marketing role grow from what, at first, was a mere afterthought, to a key part of almost every large firm’s strategic thinking,” said Jones. “It’s been exciting to be part of that ride, and to participate in so many of the seismic changes that have brought the profession to its key roles in business development, change management, and planning and execution of our differentiating and growing the visibility of our various law firms.”
“Akerman, where I’m proud to hang my hat, has been a great platform for my team and me to exercise and experiment with all the many options and approaches to do our part in the firm’s steps toward strategic and technical excellence. It’s very gratifying to have those efforts recognized by an esteemed professional association like the LMA,” Jones added.
Jones oversees Akerman’s marketing and client development team to advance the overall strategic plan of the firm by continuing to grow the firm’s client base while deepening existing client relationships. She works closely with firm leadership to advance the firm’s brand equity and position the firm as a highly influential thought leader and the law firm of choice for diverse clients in the firm’s key practice areas. Skilled in designing solutions based on analytical needs assessment, Jones directs complex projects from concept to fully operational status. She has extensive experience in coaching, training, and providing business development support to all levels of stakeholders.
Jones has been a member of LMA since 2004. She has served as the D&I task force co-chair, SIG Co-chair, numerous committees, has participated as a speaker, panelist and moderator on dozens of LMA programs. Jones highly values and enjoys her role as a mentor to several LMA members.
Additionally, Jones is a member of the State Bar of Texas and previously practiced law in Texas. She gained extensive litigation and appellate experience having served as an assistant attorney general of Texas and director of the City of Austin’s Law Department. In 2020, she was inducted as a Fellow into the College of Law Practice Management.
About Akerman
Akerman LLP is a top 100 U.S. law firm recognized among the most forward-thinking firms in the industry by Financial Times. Its more than 700 lawyers and business professionals collaborate with the world’s most successful enterprises and entrepreneurs to navigate change, seize opportunities, and help drive innovation and growth.