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Thompson Coburn LLP; Becker & Poliakoff, P.A.; and Miles & Stockbridge Take Away Honors for Marketing Savvy and Creativity

Thomson Elite announced the winners of the 2005 Thomson Elite Excellence in Legal Marketing Awards, presented during the recent Glasser LegalWorks 2005 Marketing Partner Forum on Jan. 21, 2005 at the Four Seasons Resort Aviara in North San Diego, Calif.

The Awards bestowed by Thomson Elite, part of The Thomson Corporation and a worldwide provider of business software to professional services firms, recognize excellence and innovation in law firm marketing. Each year, marketing leaders are honored in three categories: Marketing Partner, Marketing Director and Marketing Initiative. Award winners are chosen by a panel of independent judges comprised of creative thinkers on law firm marketing. 

This year's awards winners are:

• Marketing Director of the Year: Tara Magee Weintritt, Miles & Stockbridge, Baltimore, Md.
• Marketing Partner of the Year: William R. Bay, Thompson Coburn LLP, St. Louis, Mo.
• Marketing Initiative of the Year: Alan S. Becker, Becker & Poliakoff, P.A., Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.

William R. Bay, Marketing Partner of the Year, is a partner at Thompson Coburn LLP in the business litigation practice. He has expertise in a wide variety of insurance-related lawsuits and client crises management and has chaired the firm's Client Relations Committee since 2002.

Alan S. Becker, winner of Marketing Initiative of the Year, is a founding shareholder of the law firm of Becker & Poliakoff, P.A., where he oversees the firm's litigation, government relations and international practices. In response to the four devastating hurricanes that hit Florida during a six-week period in 2004, Mr. Becker implemented a marketing campaign that resulted in countless new engagements and new brand positioning as the "go-to" Florida law firm when disaster strikes.

Tara Magee Weintritt, Marketing Director of the Year, is director of Client Services with Miles & Stockbridge, where she executed a comprehensive and successful client-focused marketing program that included client interviews and partner training. Ms. Weintritt manages a five-person marketing department and spearheads branding and identity programs; public relations, client satisfaction and quality initiatives; and other programs.

"For the third year in a row, we are proud to sponsor the Excellence in Legal Marketing Awards at the Marketing Partner Forum," said Chris Poole, president and CEO of Thomson Elite. "We recognize the importance of creative client acquisition initiatives and successful customer relationship management to maintain and increase revenues and client satisfaction."

An independent panel of judges reviewed all nominations. Committee members included Mark Beese, director of Marketing, Holland & Hart LLP, Denver; Silvia L. Coulter, former chief marketing officer, Dorsey & Whitney, Minneapolis; Nathalie M. Daum, 2004 president, Legal Marketing Association; Theresa Jaffe, chief marketing officer, Jenner & Block LLP, Chicago; Browning Marean III, partner, DLA Piper Rudnick Gray Cary, San Diego; Laura Meherg, director of Client Services, Burr & Forman LLP, Birmingham, Ala.; Michelle Michaels, marketing manager, National Programs, Foley & Lardner LLP, Chicago; Liz Pava, chief marketing officer, White & Case LLP, New York City; and Mary Beth Pratt, chief marketing officer, Pepper Hamilton LLP, Philadelphia.