Morris, Manning & Martin, LLP has named Kate Pearch the firm’s new Chief Marketing and Business Development Officer. As CMO, Pearch leads strategic marketing, public relations and business development efforts for all offices of the AmLaw200 firm. She was previously the firm’s Director of Marketing.

“Kate knows the firm inside and out,” said MMM Managing Partner Louise Wells. “She has proven that she can interpret what makes the firm unique and use that knowledge to strengthen our brand and position in the marketplace. She is well-known for her excellent people skills and for leading successful collaborations between her team, the executive committee and the heads of the practice groups.”

As CMO, her responsibilities include designing and implementing marketing and advertising, communications, public relations, practice growth, strategic development and leadership succession programs. Pearch says she views the marketing team as in-house agency.

“We look at the attorneys as our clients,” Pearch says. “Each practice group is like an individual business with very different target markets and competitors. It’s our job to find the commonalities between them that will help give the firm’s clients valuable services and opportunities. We also want to give individual attorneys the resources they need to build their practices upon the firm’s strong foundation.”

In addition to leading the Marketing & Business Development Department, Pearch:

* Serves on the MMMPact Committee, which directs the firm's corporate social responsibility outreach.

* Directs the MMM Women's Initiative, a division of MMMPact focusing on mentorship business development and retention for women attorneys.

* Co-founded the firm's Recruiting, Retention & Training Committee, an internal leadership group that helps develop, promote and retain talented associates.

* Is deeply involved with MMM’s 2020 Committee, which is establishing new technology and processes to steer the firm into the next decade.

* Leads efforts in assessing, enhancing and directing the firm's culture.

Pearch joined MMM in 2005 and rose through the ranks. She earned her undergraduate degree in advertising from the University of Florida.