We recently connected with Jocelyn Brumbaugh and have shared our conversation below.

Jocelyn, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. How did you come up with the idea for your business?

Growing up in the communications departments of large AmLaw firms, I saw first-hand that marketing departments handled things based on precedent. How did your predecessor do this job? Even when I was running the PR department at my first law firm in the 2000s and 2010s, things were reactive. Every legal marketer is familiar with that “hair-on-fire” feeling, but we dealt with it because that’s how it was always done.

After my second law firm, I was recruited to handle communications for a hedge fund. The financial services sector was an entirely new ball game compared to law firms. There was a distinct focus on process and innovation. Each post-mortem discussed what could be improved, because if you’re not advancing, you’re regressing. This was an eye-opener for me and helped me develop the initial vision for Builden: What if we brought the process-driven approach of a financial services firm and applied it to law firm marketing?

My in-house experience at law firms taught me that bringing in a consultant who did not have a legal industry background led to disaster. I knew from the start that Builden could focus on helping law firms move their initiatives forward with a process-driven approach and partnership model. I am proud to say, those factors have stayed consistent since our founding in 2014.

What struck me, transitioning from what was then the largest law firm in the world, was the prevalence of midsize firms, ranging from 15 to 150 attorneys, which operated with a solo marketer or no marketing at all. Realizing that these firms, which are the lifeblood of so many middle-market businesses, needed a process-driven approach to elevate their marketing and business development efforts, was when this vision fell into place.

Looking back, I wish I had started the company under a different name. We were founded as The Brumbaugh Group in 2014. But, as our team grew, I saw that having a company named after me might hinder our talented team because clients prefer to the person whose name is on the door. We needed to change the name to change the narrative, allowing the leaders within the firm to build relationships and make recommendations, all while clients continued to receive top-tier service. I expected more of a lingering attachment to “The Brumbaugh Group”, but the moment we became Builden, it felt as if it had always been that way.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

Like most legal marketers, I had a circuitous route to my first law firm. After graduating college, I worked in public relations at boutique and global agencies. September 11th happened, and uncertainty gripped the industry as marketing budgets were slashed. Many of my friends at the agency lost their jobs. Around that time, I was recruited by a former boss to launch the PR department of a national law firm. I knew exactly zero about the law, but it seemed like a safe place to go until the world figured itself out.

I quickly realized I needed to find my community. Agency life thrives on collaboration, and I missed that aspect. As a result, I started a nonprofit 501c6 trade group for law firm marketers called Legal & Professional Services Council to network and share best practices. Over the course of 15 years, it expanded to include more than 600 members.

The experience of establishing and growing a brand from the ground up shaped how we guide the reputation of our clients.

Today, we help our law firm clients establish marketing infrastructure, build their brands, and attract and retain business. Our focus on making marketing turnkey has not only relieved law firms of the day-to-day burdens of marketing management but allows the lawyers to concentrate on what they do best — practicing law.

One of the most common challenges we see in small and midsize firms is lack of clarity on where to target marketing efforts and dollars. At the core of Builden’s strategy for midsize firms are the twin goals of elevating a law firm’s presence and streamlining their marketing efforts. These firms are already generating newsworthy things that can be used as marketing touchpoints; Builden’s process helps them think about those as news.

Even large global law firms with existing infrastructure, departments, and strategies can still fall into marketing blackholes: the tickets that go to waste, sponsorships and conferences they fail to capitalize on, the website refresh that has been sitting since 2022.

Every project at Builden begins with a strategic foundation. Our team of managers, who have deep roots in AmLaw firms, work closely with clients to understand their goals, challenges and opportunities. This collaborative stage is crucial for setting the direction and ensuring that every marketing effort aligns with the firm’s overall objectives.

I am so proud that these global firms and midsize powerhouses trust Builden to hold their brand safe, advance their firm profile, and solve issues that they have in marketing, business development, and operations. That is the key message I hope people take away from this about Builden – the relationships we build with our clients are true partnerships.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

Our partnership with our clients has helped drive Builden’s reputation forward. We have clients reach out asking, “Hey, what does Builden think about this?” It warms my heart because they’re asking for the collective wisdom of the entire team.

Building my personal brand in my early days in the legal marketing community continues to reward us. I’d like to say that when I kicked off LPSC in 2007, I was doing to build my brand in advance of launching a consulting agency, but that was not the case. I did it because I saw I need I could fix. Today many of our clients are former LPSC members.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

Of course, the pivot that so many companies faced was COVID and switching to remote work. We made that transition quickly and applied processes that we still use today, like our daily sprint. We found during the pandemic, even when every day felt crazy, meeting as a whole team every morning at 9a.m. allowed us to see what issues needed to be solved and what was on everyone’s plate.

The sprints have since evolved, and we continue to refine what they look like, but I think they are a big part of making our team feel cohesive now that we’re hybrid. Even though our Chicago team comes into the office fairly often, assembling the entire team online makes a big difference in ensuring everyone is on the same page and aligned on workloads and resources.

As internal dynamics evolved, COVID also brought about substantial developments in our relationships with managing partners. As a business owner, I bonded with our law firm leaders in a new way as we all faced the same operational, HR, and financial issues.

This was an unexpected common ground that strengthened our partnerships. Pre-COVID, we were the marketing vendor, but following the pandemic, the relationships we have nurtured with clients are so much more robust and rewarding; we’re able to add value beyond marketing and BD. It’s been particularly special with the clients that were with us before COVID and are still with us today – we weathered the storm together.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.buildenpartners.com/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/builden-partners
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@buildenpartners8572