Legal Business has announce that Richard Lloyd will be joining as editor on Tuesday 6 April. For the past three years, Richard has been chief European correspondent at American Lawyer in London. Prior to that, he was deputy editor on Legal Business. Richard will take over as editor from Claire Coe Smith, who stands down on Friday 23 April.

Claire Coe Smith has now replaced James Baxter as editor of Legal Business and will work four days a week until the end of April, when a permanent editor will take over. Claire will return to her work as a full-time freelance writer and researcher in May 2010.

David Blackman, who was previously deputy editor at Local Government Chronicle, starts today as assistant editor at Insurance Times.

Thought leadership is a well-known concept in legal marketing. Why, then, is it so often done badly, failing to achieve its fundamental objectives? Budgetary constraints are certainly not the reason, as, with sufficient creativity, the approach is viable even for small firms and specialist practices. By thinking carefully about the target audience, actively monitoring clients’ industries and having a linked business development plan, thought leadership can be properly harnessed as a very effective marketing tool. (more…)

When it emerged recently that KKR had turned to Simpson, Thacher & Bartlett to advise on its Pets at Home acquisition, rather than long-standing M&A adviser Clifford Chance, the move underlined a harsh reality for law firms: competition for clients has never been greater. New times require new thinking, so it is essential to use marketing intelligently. (more…)