Coming soon – real live law firm CI pros!

Competitive intelligence can be a lonely business. Those law firm CI pros who started their careers in government agencies or law enforcement bring to this discipline a security consciousness that can be intimidating. Their tendencies toward secrecy and isolation can rub off on the rest of us. Secrecy can also provide cover for those new to CI who are faking it until they can make it, a time-honored upward mobility tactic.

In 2008, it’s not much of an exaggeration to call law firm CI professionals pioneers. CI is not a new discipline, but law firms are just beginning to understand the CI function and how to obtain CI’s greatest benefits. In fact, today’s law firm CI field reminds me of law firm marketing 20-25 years ago, when marketing wasn't a new field, but law firm marketing certainly was.

As an old-time law firm marketer and in the spirit of Web 2.0 transparency, I want to help budding law firm CI practitioners and those who need to learn how CI can benefit law firms meet some real law firm CI pros.

Starting tomorrow right here in River City (this blog), I will interview law firm CI professionals who are willing to answer some basic questions. Over time, we’ll learn how their backgrounds, job descriptions, and reporting structures vary. Later, we’ll learn more about some analytics they use in their jobs.