#LMA26 – Legal Marketing Association Annual Conference Content Curation

By Nancy Myrland on April 17, 2026

There has never been a better time to use “Tradition Meets Transformation” as a conference theme.

1300+ Will Gather For The 2026 LMA Annual Conference

The Legal Marketing Association (LMA) annual conference will take place Monday, April 20, through Wednesday, April 22, in New Orleans, LA.

Our industry and the profession we serve are going through enormous change. Technology, AI, the evolution of perspectives and positions, and the need to discuss and keep pace with all of that are palpable in our daily lives, both personal and professional. The boundaries are nearly indistinguishable when we are accessible and resourceful from every corner of the earth at all hours of the day.

The LMA community is known for coming together to discuss topics that aren’t always easy, but they aren’t always hard either. Sometimes, we just need to be reminded where we started, what is essential, and what needs to be held onto to remain successful. We draw from the brilliant minds of those leading the way, as well as those who have served us from the start of our association. Those are often the same people because they have made it their mission to never stop learning, experiencing, and teaching. They are our constant reminders that tradition is not to be tossed aside but blended with the transformation we are going through.

Through this and every conference and event LMA hosts, we have the opportunity to become smarter and more connected each time we choose to participate. This conference will surely fill those buckets.

A Heartfelt Thank You To The Annual Conference Advisory Committee (ACAC)

Huge thanks to the 2026 Annual Conference Advisory Committee (ACAC), led by Board liaison and 2026 LMA President, Rachel Shields Williams (Director, Client Intelligence, Sidley Austin LLP). The ACAC is co-chaired by Michael Coston (CEO, Coston Consulting), Tom Helm (Chief Marketing Officer, Smith Gambrell & Russell, LLP), and Jenna Schiappacasse (Director of Client Development and Strategic Growth, Winston & Strawn).

They are joined by a committee of selfless volunteers:

Zena Applebaum, SVP, Market Development, Harbor Global

Sarah Blanchard, Client Development Manager, Jones Walker

John E. Dewey, Senior Business Development & Marketing Manager, Sheppard Mullin

Heather McCullough, Co-Founder and Chief Growth Officer, Society 54, LLC

Katie Munroe, Chief Marketing Officer, Zuckerman Spaeder

Carrie Remhof, Director of Firm Intelligence, Troutman Pepper Locke

Erin Ryan, Director of Partner Integration and Business Development Coaching,
McGuireWoods LLP

EJ Stern, Co-Founder, Fractional Law Firm CMO

Amy Verhulst, Senior Business Development Manager, Jackson Lewis, PC

Gaëlle Pacheco Buys, Senior Business Development Manager – Europe, Charles Russell
Speechlys

Also, a HUGE shoutout to Ashley Stenger and the entire LMA HQ staff for making all of this happen behind the scenes. You are appreciated and noticed more than you know!

Keynote Presenters

Monday’s keynote speaker will be Carla Johnson. Carla’s topic is “Applied Curiosity: The Hidden Power Behind Breakthrough Ideas.” She will discuss: “While efficiency, productivity, and artificial intelligence dominate today’s conversations, teams are struggling to keep pace with change. What if, instead of being a time-consuming distraction, curiosity is the ultimate competitive advantage that’s right under our noses?” Watch her conference intro video here.

Tuesday’s keynote speaker will be Cassi Chandler. Cassi’s topic is “Transformative Leadership: Succeeding in Difficult Environments,” where she will challenge how we think about innovation, leadership, and change. Watch her conference intro video here.

General Counsel Fireside Chat

GC panels are always a big draw at our conferences. This one is sure to be the same as it features A Case Study of Agility in a Complex Geopolitical Landscape with:

Michael Coston, Moderator, and CEO, Coston Consultancy (ACAC Co-Chair)

Kerry Price, Chief Strategy and Operations Officer, Bass, Berry & Sims

Richard Wolfson, Senior Vice President – General Counsel and Corp Secretary, Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc.

Pre-Conference Programs

We have thoughtful and smart pre-conference programs that allow attendees to take a deep dive into topics and disciplines they care deeply about.

Special shoutout to the tireless pre-conference co-chairs:

Ashley Elliott, Competitive Intelligence Manager, FBT Gibbons

Rafeedah Keys, Head of Privacy & Tech Practice Marketing, Perkins Coie LLP

Michelle Woodyear, Co-Founder, Mount Insights

Jennifer Bonesteel, Director, Business Development, Littler Mendelson P.C.

Deb Ruffins, Managing Partner, Deb Ruffins Consulting Group

Debra Baker, Managing Director, GrowthPlay

Megan Senese, Co-Founder + Principal, Stage LLC

William Sleight, Senior Manager, Business Development & Communications, Jones Day

Brie Leung, Founder and Principal, Red Bird Strategy

Juliana Son, Director of Business Development, Glenn Agre Bergman & Fuentes

All of this year’s Pre-Conference Programs include:

I am excited to present during one of the AI sessions at the AI, BI, CI – The ABCs of Data and Law firm Intelligence pre-con program this year, titled The AI Marketing Stack: Tools & Prompts for Every Role with fellow early AI adopters, Rosa Colon and Greg Gendren.

I am also looking forward to presenting during the main conference on the topic of video as a differentiator in this busy world of AI content, titled Make it Click: Empowering Attorneys to Create Video Content That Converts with the amazing Jennifer Scotton and Matt Scheetz.

My Message To You This Year (Yes, you know there are buttons and stickers!)

As I began to prepare for the sessions I am lucky enough to present, one on AI and how it is evolving and can be used to help our lawyers generate revenue, and one on using video to cut through the maze of AI-generated content, I was reminded of a fact that has always been true, and that is that “Legal Marketers Matter.”

For those who remain concerned about the rule of law in our profession, I will also make available a button or sticker that is built around a mini-non-partisan movement I created and sat on for the past year. It is called DEFEND. Don’t feel pressured to ask for one, but a number of them will be available if you are interested.

Again, please don’t ever feel any pressure to ask for or wear any of the buttons or stickers I create for conferences. They are something I like to create and share based on what is on my mind, in my sessions, or in the world at that moment.

Just walk up and ask! I have a few AI buttons and stickers, too, but I’ll wait to share until I’ve handed those out at our AI session first.

My Welcome Message To You

I, and so many others, are here for you!

Stay Tuned For Curated Content From The 2026 LMA Annual Conference Below

Just as I have done in 2025, 2024, 2023, 2022, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2014,2014, 2013, and 2013, this blog post will, once again, serve as a curation tool for those who would like a quick, easy place to find all of the information and recaps you might like to consume. I not only share my summaries and content, but I also link to conference-related content from others.

This post will be updated frequently, so I invite you to bookmark it, as I will add content as I find it or as you let me know you’ve found it.

This section will be updated throughout this and the coming weeks with:

Audio reflections
Videos that capture important moments
LinkedIn posts
Blog posts
Photos
Takeaways from other attendees

Whether you are here in person or unable to join us this year, I will do my best to make this your ongoing window into #LMA26.

If you aren’t here this year, please know you are missed.

P.S. Should you forget, the link to this blog post is easy to remember:

https://www.myrlandmarketing.com/LMA26

Presenting Your #LMA26 Annual Conference Content

This placeholder is waiting for the content you and I create!

Thank You!

Thank you so much for spending some of your valuable time here in this post. If you have a moment, would you please share it with others in our community, too?

If I’ve missed anything or made any mistakes, you can always feel comfortable letting me know.

If you see or hear non-promotional content out in the wild, please share that link with me via private messages on LinkedIn, or via email at nancy@myrlandmarketing.com.

Also, don’t forget to ask me for buttons and stickers. I don’t want to take hundreds of these home with me…seriously!

Thanks!

About Nancy Myrland

Nancy Myrland is an Integrated Marketing and Business Development Advisor specializing in Content, Social & Digital Media, and AI Discernment for legal ande business professionals. She helps lawyers grow their practices by integrating the most important marketing strategies and skills to build their reputations and relationships, which in turn drives practice growth.

Highly regarded internationally as a top independent* LinkedIn consultant, Nancy is a highly respected LinkedIn trainer and content marketing specialist. She helps lawyers, law firms, and legal marketers learn and implement content, social, and digital media strategies that cut through the clutter, making them more relevant to their current and potential clients.

She is also a personal branding speaker, trainer, and advisor, helping legal and business professionals understand the importance and the impact of defining and reinforcing their personal brands.

Nancy is also the founder of the LinkedIn online course called The Linked Course*, where she personally guides lawyers through the sequential creation of their LinkedIn profile and presence.*

As an early and consistent adopter of social and digital media and technology, she also assists firms with blogging, podcasting, video marketing, voice marketing, and AI discernment. Nancy also works with numerous firms and lawyers on Zoom and virtual presentation training and coaching to help them excel when presenting online.

She also helps lead select law firms through their online social and digital media strategy when handling high-stakes, high-profile cases and executive orders.

Long story short, Nancy spends a lot of time helping lawyers and legal marketers with:

LinkedIn Profile and Presence
Podcast Launches and Consulting
Content Marketing Strategy
Marketing and Business Development Plans
AI Discernment
Personal Branding, and
Zoom and Virtual Presentation Training and Coaching

*Nancy is not an employee or consultant hired by LinkedIn, although she was named a LinkedIn Top Voice on the platform in 2024! Top Voices is an invitation-only program on LinkedIn featuring a global group of experts who cover a range of topics across the professional world, helping members uncover valuable knowledge relevant to them. Top Voices was previously known as the Influencer program before October 2022. Top Voices are vetted to ensure they meet high trust standards, are consistently active on the platform, and share valuable expertise through content that demonstrates their unique, original contributions to a topic.

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