Legal marketing and business development in the age of AI

Rachel Shields Williams is the Director of AI & Knowledge Management at Bass, Berry & Sims. In this capacity, she leads the firm’s efforts to enhance client service and operational performance through innovation and strategic use of technology. Working across practice groups and business functions, Rachel aligns data strategy, knowledge management, and artificial intelligence (AI) initiatives to ensure the firm’s information assets and AI-enabled tools are effectively governed, scalable, and integrated into day-to-day practice. By driving firmwide adoption of advanced technologies and best practices, Rachel supports more efficient service delivery and advances the firm’s long-term strategic growth objectives. For more than 20 years, Rachel has helped global law firms use data, technology, and insight to drive growth and efficiency. She has managed knowledge management and marketing technology, market intelligence, and data strategy programs to advance a firm’s data-first culture to deliver scalable, insight-driven solutions that enhance client engagement and operational excellence. Rachel is a national leader and frequent speaker on data strategy and digital transformation. Her continuing education reflects a focus on leveraging data-driven insights and innovation to drive organizational performance and strategic growth and includes executive education and certifications from: - Berkeley Haas Executive Education, Data Strategy: Leveraging Data as a Competitive Advantage (2025) - The Johns Hopkins University – Carey Business School, Data Visualization: Storytelling and Sensemaking (2024) - Northwestern Kellogg Executive Education, Generative AI: Executive Strategies Certificate (2023) - MIT Sloan School of Management, Executive Certificate in Applied Business Analytics (2022) - Georgetown University School of Continuing Studies, Executive Certificate Change Leadership (2018) - The Johns Hopkins University – Carey Business School, Master of Science (2010) - Towson University, B.S. (2003) Prior to joining Bass, Berry & Sims, Rachel was the Product Management Director, Client Intelligence at Sidley Austin. Throughout her nearly 20 years at the firm, she worked in marketing, business development, and knowledge management roles to align data, technology, and analytics investments with firmwide growth and strategy objectives.

Deborah Farone has had the unique opportunity to play a role in developing the best practices in professional services marketing arena by working with the most respected and most demanding professionals in the world. Farone Advisors focuses on helping lawyers, law firms and other professionals and their firms with their marketing strategy, training and development and strategic planning, as well as speaking at retreats and workshops. She is the author of the best-selling book, “Best Practices: Marketing and Business Development for Law Firms” (PLI 2019), a book based on more than 60 interviews with leading law firm leaders and marketers, general counsel, and innovators in the profession. The book is carried by bookstores of the country’s highest ranked law schools, including Harvard, Yale and Columbia. Over the past two decades, Ms. Farone has carved out a niche by distinguishing herself as the chief marketing officer of two of the United States’ most prestigious organizations, Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP and Debevoise & Plimpton LLP. Prior to diving into the legal marketing profession, she honed her business development and communications skills by working at Towers Perrin (now Willis Towers Watson), a global management consulting firm, and prior to that, at Ketchum Communications, where she focused on business development for professional services. Ms. Farone has also been involved in the academic arena. She has spoken at the University of Pennsylvania’s Carey Law School, Cornell Law School and Fordham Law School, and has served as an adjunct Assistant Professor on the faculty of New York University. While at NYU, she developed and taught several courses, including “Effective Marketing and Public Relations for Professional Service Companies” the first course of its kind offered by a major university.

Gene M. Burd is a partner at Pierson Ferdinand and a leading international disputes lawyer. He has extensive experience in handling complex and high-stakes disputes involving foreign parties, sovereigns, and state-owned entities. He advises and represents clients across various sectors, such as energy, biotechnology, manufacturing, real estate, and finance, in arbitrations under the rules of major international institutions and in litigation before U.S. courts. He also assists clients with matters related to foreign investment, international trade, and U.S. financial sanctions. Gene represented clients before the Federal Maritime Commission in cases involving unjust and unreasonable practices under the Shipping Act of 1984 and the Ocean Shipping Reform Act. Additionally, he assists clients with FOIA requests and associated FOIA litigations. Gene has a deep understanding of the legal and practical issues that arise in cross-border disputes, such as personal jurisdiction, comity, enforcement of foreign judgments and arbitral awards, stays of litigation based on arbitration agreements, forum non conveniens, and the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act. He is also well-versed in the principles and practices of international arbitration, such as choice of law, evidence, confidentiality, interim measures, and costs. Gene is recognized as a leading practitioner in international arbitration. He taught a course in international litigation in US courts as adjunct professor at Rutgers Law School. He is also an active member of the international arbitration community and regularly speaks and writes on topics related to his practice area. He is fluent in English and Russian and has working knowledge of Ukrainian.

Head of Intelligence at Bowmans, senior business development manager across Africa.

Kelly MacKinnon is Chief Marketing and Business Development Officer at Gibson Dunn, where she leads global strategy across marketing, communications, and client development. From her early days as an elite athlete to her leadership roles at top law firms, Kelly is known for her positivity, authenticity, and commitment to building world-class teams. She is a passionate advocate for mentorship, continuous learning, and creating cultures where everyone can thrive.