How Great Marketers Overcome Attorney Apathy to Win Trust and Deliver Results

Heather McMichael is a proven communications leader with a natural ability to work with senior leadership to create PR campaigns and strategies. She has nearly 15 years of experience in law firm public relations and is active in LMA at the local and national levels. A former journalist, McMichael has produced a documentary about a woman legal trailblazer that plays on PBS stations and law schools around the country.

Tony Nasharr has been a corporate and finance transactions lawyer for 37 years, the last 16+ years with Polsinelli’s Chicago office, representing banks and companies across a range of industries. From 2006 through 2017, Nasharr was office managing partner of Polsinelli’s Chicago office as it grew from six to just over 100 lawyers in 11.5 years. Nasharr is a lifelong Chicago resident and when not practicing law has been known to disappear on a motorcycle for days, or on occasion weeks, at a time. His wife Maria is very understanding and his three kids just sit and wonder, “What’s up with dad?”

Debra Pickett is a trusted advisor to leaders in some of the country's fastest-growing, most progressive and most diverse law firms. Page 2 Communications, the agency she founded and runs, is well-known for its outstanding work in providing media strategy, content marketing and public relations services to law firms, attorneys and their clients.

Stephen Walton has been a marketer and corporate affairs professional for 15 years, the last seven plus years overseeing marketing for Polsinelli’s Chicago, Miami, Nashville and Raleigh markets. Walton has led marketing for Polsinelli’s Chicago office since 2015, which has grown from 90 to just over 140 lawyers in the seven and a half years he’s been regional marketing manager. Prior to joining Polsinelli PC, Walton served as senior manager, corporate affairs marketing, North America at AstraZeneca and prior to AstraZeneca, he held numerous senior marketing and corporate affairs management positions at Pfizer. Walton has been a board member of Global Chamber since 2021 and currently serves as chairman of the board. He was born and raised outside of Philadelphia and relocated to Chicago in 2015 to join Polsinelli PC. Walton, his wife, Dr. Elizabeth Walton, and their 12-year-old Boston terrier (Leia) currently reside in Phoenix. While away from work, Walton enjoys world travel, golf, aviation, and spending time with family and close friends.