Created by the Legal Marketing Association

The Body of Knowledge (BoK) is a foundational resource for professional development in marketing that defines the core skills necessary for legal marketers to succeed. The BoK defines essential and accepted domains, competencies and associated skill sets within the legal marketing profession at every level. It helps legal marketers hone their skills, assists legal marketing managers to develop themselves and their teams, provides a universal benchmark against which legal marketers can be assessed, and guides LMA in delivering the right educational programming for marketers of all levels.

The Evolution of the BoK

Published in 2016, the original BoK was created in collaboration with LMA’s Education Advisory Council (EAC) and various legal marketing specialists and experts. The EAC is a cross section of LMA members who serve as educational ambassadors to help guide educational strategy and best practices. In 2023, the EAC, under the guidance of LMA’s education director, thoroughly reviewed each domain, competency and skill. This thoughtful and critical review sets the gold standard for firms and legal marketers. The current version of the BoK features more advanced skills across all domains, new competencies within the Client Services, Communications, and Technology Management domains, the expansion of competitive and business intelligence skills, and an increased focus on fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion throughout all areas of the BoK.

LMA membership is required to view the digital version of the BoK. Printed copies of the document are available for purchase by both LMA members ($79) and prospective LMA members ($179). Prospective members must create a guest account and log in to purchase.