Chief Marketing Officer (Legal Firm) - Los Angeles, California

MissionHires is partnering with a high-growth plaintiff-side employment law firm to hire a visionary, data-driven Chief Marketing Officer (CMO). The CMO will own the marketing P&L, build and lead a high-performing team, and architect a scalable, multi-channel client acquisition engine across paid, organic, referral, and PR/thought leadership channels. Reporting to the Managing Partner, this hands‑on executive will optimize CPA, implement robust analytics/attribution, integrate AI across marketing workflows, and ensure compliance with legal advertising rules—driving measurable ROI and sustainable firm growth.

Responsibilities

• Develop, own, and execute a comprehensive, multi-channel marketing strategy aligned with firm growth goals
• Report to the Managing Partner and own the marketing P&L, budget, performance, and ROI
• Build, lead, and mentor an internal marketing team with clear roles, standards, and development paths
• Advise firm leadership on market positioning and business development opportunities
• Design and manage a client acquisition engine across paid media (Google, Meta, programmatic, OTT/streaming), SEO, direct mail, and referrals
• Establish and optimize a rigorous CPA framework, reallocating budget by channel-level ROI
• Implement lead scoring, intake optimization, and conversion funnel analysis with intake/case teams
• Build and manage a formal referral program (attorney networks, co‑counsel, community partnerships, client advocacy)
• Own brand identity and ensure consistent representation across digital, print, and events
• Lead PR strategy: media relations, press, awards, and crisis communications
• Develop thought leadership (podcasts, webinars, speaking, authored content) to position attorneys as leaders
• Manage reputation across review platforms and legal directories (Avvo, Martindale‑Hubbell, Super Lawyers)
• Own and optimize website, landing pages, SEO strategy, and paid/organic content
• Oversee social media strategy, cadence, engagement, and brand voice
• Develop content marketing across blogs, video, email, and multimedia to drive organic traffic and inbound leads
• Ensure compliance with legal advertising rules and state bar regulations across all channels/content
• Source, negotiate, and manage vendors/agencies; enforce performance-based accountability
• Conduct vendor performance reviews; retain, replace, or terminate based on data
• Maintain a vendor directory with benchmarks, terms, and renewal calendars
• Design and implement a centralized analytics dashboard with real-time channel/campaign/vendor performance
• Define, track, and report KPIs: CPL, cost per retained client, conversion rates, LTV, referral volume, organic growth
• Deliver regular performance reports with insights and strategic recommendations
• Establish attribution modeling to quantify channel contribution to clients and revenue
• Identify, implement, and govern AI tools for content, lead scoring, chat/intake automation, targeting, and optimization
• Create AI usage policies ensuring compliance, quality, and brand consistency
• Partner with operations to integrate marketing AI tools with case management and firm tech stack
• 90‑day deliverables: full audit, baseline KPIs, live dashboard, 12‑month roadmap with budget/ROI targets
• 6‑month deliverables: vendor optimization, structured referral program, launch 2+ new channels, improved cost per retained client
• 12‑month deliverables: fully optimized multi‑channel operation, documented attribution, AI‑enhanced engine, consistent reporting enabling confident investment decisions

Requirements

• 8+ years progressive marketing leadership; 3+ years in a senior role (VP/CMO or equivalent)
• Proven success building/managing multi‑channel programs with measurable ROI
• Deep expertise: paid media (Google Ads, Meta, programmatic), SEO/SEM, email, and social strategy
• Experience managing agencies/vendors, including contract negotiation and performance accountability
• Proficiency with analytics platforms (e.g., Google Analytics, HubSpot, Salesforce Marketing Cloud) and dashboarding tools
• Strong analytical/financial acumen; budget ownership and CPA optimization experience
• Excellent written and verbal communication; ability to translate data into clear executive narratives
• Proven experience creating/executing referral or partner marketing programs
• Hands‑on implementation of AI tools within marketing workflows
• Preferred: legal/professional services or regulated‑industry marketing experience
• Preferred: familiarity with plaintiff‑side employment law, class actions, or contingency fee models
• Preferred: B2C marketing experience targeting individual consumers
• Preferred: podcast/webinar/event marketing background
• Preferred: Spanish‑language marketing experience or bilingual proficiency
• Preferred: relationships with legal media, directories, or employment law communities

Benefits

Competitive compensation package commensurate with experience, including a base salary, performance‑based bonus tied directly to client acquisition metrics and marketing ROI, and a comprehensive benefits package.