How Do You Become a Law Firm CMO? Leadership Lessons (with Koree Khongphand-Buckman)

What does it really take to become a Chief Marketing Officer at a major law firm?For Koree Khongphand-Buckman, the answer isn't a title. It's earning the trust, credibility, and influence to help shape the future of a firm. “The title of CMO was more about, what do you get to do? I wanted the opportunity to impact and drive particular things within a firm, and to work with leadership at the highest levels.” In this episode of So Much To Say: A Legal Podcast for People, legal marketing strategists Megan Senese and Jennifer Ramsey sit down with Koree, Chief Marketing and Business Development Officer at Foley & Lardner LLP, to discuss her journey from an accounting background to one of the most respected leadership roles in legal marketing.From surviving her first week in legal marketing to building firmwide client feedback and lateral integration programs, Koree shares the lessons that helped her become a trusted advisor to firm leadership and why the best legal marketers think like business leaders.Whether you're an aspiring CMO, a legal marketer looking to expand your influence, or a lawyer interested in how firms grow, this conversation is full of practical leadership advice you can apply immediately.In this conversation, you’ll hear:How Koree moved from accounting into legal marketingWhat it takes to progress from marketer to strategic business leaderWhy relationships often open more doors than titlesHow to position yourself for leadership opportunities before you feel fully readyWhy owning your work changes how firm leaders see youHow Koree built client feedback and lateral integration programs from the ground upWhy the best CMOs ask better questions instead of pretending to have every answerHow to become a trusted advisor to lawyers and firm leadershipWhy leadership does not have to be lonelyHow great leaders create opportunities for the people around themWhy legal marketers should stop waiting for permission to grow their careersAbout Koree Khongphand-Buckman: Koree Khongphand-Buckman is chief marketing & business development officer (CMBDO) at Foley & Lardner LLP where she is responsible for leading the firm’s business development, marketing, client service and branding efforts across all practices, industries, sectors and offices to help the firm achieve its strategic objectives. With 20 years of professional services marketing experience, Koree is adept at crafting and implementing growth strategies for new and existing clients. Learn More: Connect with KoreeThis episode is brought to you by Lateral Hub: Lateral Hub is the premier job board for top large, midsize, and boutique firms. Over 75 firms use their flat-fee membership to promote openings to laterals and judicial clerks as a transparent, targeted, affordable alternative to headhunters or LinkedIn. No hassle. No placement fees. Hiring in 2026? Don’t recruit like it’s the Stone Age.  Stay Connected:Love So Much To Say? Let us know! Drop a review, give us 5 stars in your favorite podcast app, and tell us what made you laugh, think, or just go “yep, that’s me.” Every review helps us reach more awesome humans who want to make legal…well, human. Bring these types of conversations to your law firm. These podcast conversations are the same ones happening quietly inside law firms. Through stage, we work with lawyers at every level and with legal marketing teams on client service, business development, and growth built on real relationships. If these themes are coming up inside your firm, let’s chat. Learn more about stageConnect with Megan Senese Connect with Jennifer Ramsey