Session: Beyond the Pitch: How Marketing Shapes Lateral Integration and Growth
Deborah Farone is recognized as one of the foremost experts in law firm marketing and business development. She built and led the marketing departments at two of the world’s most prestigious law firms, Cravath, Swaine & Moore and Debevoise & Plimpton, establishing practices that continue to set the standard for the industry.
She is the author of two highly regarded books on legal marketing and business development:
- Best Practices: Marketing and Business Development for Law Firms (PLI, 2019), based on extensive interviews with leading law firm chairs, general counsel, and innovators.
- Breaking Ground: How Successful Women Lawyers Build Thriving Practices (PLI, 2026).
Her work has been praised by thought leaders including Harvard Law School’s Dr. Heidi K. Gardner, who has called her “the leading expert in law firm marketing.” Deborah’s books are carried in the bookstores of nearly all top-ranked U.S. law schools, including Harvard, Yale, and Columbia.
Today, Deborah runs a successful advisory practice, working with AmLaw 100 firms, professional service organizations, and individual partners on issues of strategy, business development, and personal branding. She is also a frequent keynote speaker and moderator, presenting at law firm retreats, legal department offsites, and professional associations across North America, Europe, and Latin America.
