Chief Marketing Officer Legal Firm 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.