Society 54 Co-Founder and Chief Growth Officer Heather McCullough is two parts wit and one part tenacity, with heaping doses of creativity and intellect on the side. Heather represents the power of hard work, strategy and collaboration. For more than 20 years, she has brought game-changing results to professional services firms across the country. In addition to her Society 54 work, Heather is also co-founder and Partner of Society Tech, a technology company that utilizes the proprietary software INform to help law firms track and analyze their business development efforts.
As the director of business and practice development at one of the most well-respected law firms in the Carolinas, Heather oversaw all aspects of firm and attorney business development, including client relations, communications, events and marketing – all while keeping a keen eye on budgets and ROI. Heather has led and restructured operational changes while working inside law firms, as well as in a consulting capacity. This experience, combined with her MBA from University of South Carolina, makes her an ideal advisor for firms that want to challenge the status quo and lead change. Previously, Heather also utilized her experience and expertise as co-founder and Principal at The Chiral Project which focused on Leadership Development for Professional Services.
Heather has been recognized as a Legal Innovator (ALM/Law.com, 2023), one of the “50 Most Influential Women” (The Mecklenburg Times, 2021), and a Phenom (“Icons & Phenoms,” The Mecklenburg Times, 2018). She was inducted as a Fellow into the College of Law Practice Management in 2024 and, in 2023, Society 54 was recognized by the Charlotte Business Journal as part of its “Fast 50 Awards,” ranked as the 8th fastest growing private company in the Charlotte region.
In the consulting realm, Heather never says no to a challenge. She knows that insincere outreach and marketing can fall flat, and operates as a tireless advocate for her clients to ensure that efforts are anything but hollow. She is well known in the legal marketing industry and her wheels never stop turning when it comes to generating profit, rapport and direction for her clients.
More About Heather
Birthday: October 15
Heather has been to every state in the Continental U.S. (except for Washington and Oregon) by van and camper.
After a long love affair with almonds, both in their natural state as well as liquid form, she learned that she was allergic.
The worm is Heather’s “go-to” party trick (if you haven’t seen it, check out the video to the right).
Heather loves sports and tends to get very excited at her kids’ games - much to their dismay.
While traveling is a passion, she doesn’t enjoy planning the trips AND LEAVES THAT UP TO HER HUSBAND, cLAY!
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University of South Carolina - Darla Moore School of Business, MBA
University of Georgia, BLA
Manchester Metropolitan University, Study Abroad
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Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Alumnus, National Cohort
Gamification, University of Pennsylvania Wharton School of Business
Accredited Coach - Smart Collaboration Accelerator, Smart Collaboration Inc.
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College of Law Practice Management, Fellow
The Charlotte Business Journal, “Fast 50 Awards,” Ranked Society 54 as the 8th Fastest Growing Private Company in the Charlotte Region (2023)
Legal Innovator, ALM/Law.com (2023)
Honoree, “50 Most Influential Women,” The Mecklenburg Times (2021)
Phenom, “Icons & Phenoms,” The Mecklenburg Times (2018)
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Quoted, With Q4 Underway, Large and Smaller Firms See Deal Outlook Through Different Lenses, Law.com, Oct 2023
Speaker, Legal Value Network (LVNx), Impactful Teams: KPIs for (Im)Proving Value, September 2023
Interviewee, Episode 154: Heather McCullough, Co-Founder of Society 54, Charlotte Angel Connection, September 2023
Quoted, Partners Are Frustrated With ‘Zoom Associates.’ But Will Threatening Their Bonuses Change That?, Law.com, August 2023
Featured, Charlotte Business Journal, Charlotte Tech Startup Aims to Maximize Productivity for Attorneys with Society 54 Software, May 2023
Panelist, Marketing and Business Development Trends Survey Results Webinar, March 2023
Quoted, Big Law Does Mid-Market Firms ‘Huge Favor’ By Stepping Away From Routine Legal Work, Law.com, April 2023
Speaker, LMA Tech West, Marketing & Business Development Team KPIs - Showing Your Value, April 2022
Strategies LIVE! LMA Podcast Episode 88: Lessons Learned From In-House Counsel, February 2022
Quoted in Law360 article, Law Firms Must Be Decisive With Vaccine Mandates, August 2021
Strategies LIVE! LMA Podcast Episodes 72 and 73: Demonstrating Your Value: Demonstrate Your Value With Less, Part 1 and Part 2, March 2021
Strategies LIVE! LMA Podcast Episode 60: Finding Success Amidst the Disruption of COVID-19, June 2020
Moderator, Law Firm Crisis Communications; 2020 LMA Annual Conference
Quoted in Law360 article, Stimulus Bill Could Be Lifeline for Some Law Firms
Co-Presenter and Moderator: Client Experience & Strategy, A “Both, And” Proposition for Post-COVID Success; 2020 P3 Conference
Co-Presenter and Moderator, BD Coaching for the Small Marketing Department: Tips, Tricks and Truths; LMA Webinar, September 2019
Speaker, Seeing 2020: Setting Your Sights on Extraordinary Client Experience, 2019 LMA Annual Conference
Speaker, Is a Picture Worth 1,000 Words? Using Data Realization to Influence Behavior, LMA’s Midwest Tech Conference 2017, Chicago
Presentations on Gamification to Legal Marketing Association's Southeastern City Groups in 2016: Raleigh, Richmond, Nashville, Orlando, Tampa, Denver
2016 Legal Marketing Association Tech Conference, Gamification, June 2016
2016 LMASE Raleigh City Group’s Annual DIY Marketing Workshop for Solo & Small Firms Conference, Presented on Business Development with Kathryn Whitaker, July 2016
2015 Legal Marketing Association Conference, Panelist, The Roadmap for Your Future: Navigating and Accelerating Your Career in Legal Marketing, February 2015
Webinar Panelist, The Roadmap for Your Future: Navigating and Accelerating Your Career in Legal Marketing, February 2015
Quoted, The Path to Success, Strategies, March/April 2014
Webinar Panelist, The Essentials of a Business Development Coaching Program, December 2011
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Why Business Development Plans Fail Even When You Make the Time, Bloomberg Law, Oct 2023
The 5 Top Law Firm Business Development Trends of 2023, ALM Law Journal Press and Law.com, August 2023
Level Up Lawyers’ Business Development With Gamification, Law360, June 2023
3 Practical Ways to Improve Law Firm Culture, JD Supra, August 2018
Saying Thank You - How to Generate Revenue Through Client Appreciation, JD Supra, May 2018
3 Practical Ways to Improve Law Firm Culture, JD Supra, January 2018
4 Ways to Take Law Firm Coaching Beyond Business Development, JD Supra, November 2017
Got Coaching? How to Make the Case for Launching Your Law Firm's Program, JD Supra, August 2017
Are Your Clients Ghosting Your Firm Without Even the Courtesy of a 'Dear John' Letter?, JD Supra, May 2017
“We’ve got Stephanie” – A Southwest Airlines Lesson in Client Service for Law Firms, JD Supra, February 2017
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Legal Marketing Association
Co-Chair, Solo/Small Team SIG, 2019-Present
Co-Chair, LMA Your Honor Awards, 2018-2019
International - Membership Committee – 2010-2012
Southeastern Chapter Board Member – Director of Membership – 2007-2010
Charlotte City Group Leader – 2004
Mental Health Americas of the Central Carolinas
Board Member – 2019-Present
Board President – 2020-2021
Young Professional Member – 2002-2005
Friends of the Library (Charlotte-Mecklenburg Co.)
Council President - 2015
Council Member – 2007-2008; 2011-present
Parents Association – First United Methodist Child Development Center - 2011-2012
Charlotte Reads – Board Member – 2003-2006 (Organization Dissolved)
Mint Condition Gala – Logistics Committee
Safe Alliance: Barrister's Ball Committee - 2014 - 2015