In today’s evolving legal landscape, law firms increasingly need public relations support due to technological changes, shifting regulations, and heightened competition. Law firms must distinguish themselves, and the right PR firm can significantly improve their financial performance.
If your law firm’s marketing team needs extra support or if you’re starting from scratch and want to establish brand recognition and credibility, hiring a PR specialist or agency can be very helpful.
A PR agency exclusively serving legal clients is a powerhouse of experienced communicators who deeply understand the industry. Their extensive knowledge of law firm’s operations is a testament to their expertise. Here are the top six reasons law firms can benefit from working with these seasoned PR agencies.
1) Enhance Law Firm Visibility With Media Exposure
Legal PR agencies know how to get media coverage while keeping some details private. That can help spread the word about a brand without revealing sensitive information. Lawyers carefully protect their client’s information and often avoid PR activities. They follow confidentiality and bar rules rigorously to safeguard their clients’ interests. Legal PR agencies have specific processes for handling confidential information.
“One of the best ways to get more attention is to get opportunities to be featured in the press,” said Derick Runion, Founder of Curiel & Runion. “Hiring a PR firm that knows its stuff can help a law firm prepare press releases before important cases so that once the final decision is made, the information is ready to go before it becomes old news.”
Derick recommends: “Furthermore, by leveraging their connections with the media, public relations professionals can arrange for attorneys to provide expert commentary on new laws or join conversations about current topics. Another effective tool is having lawyers write articles under their own name, which helps them build a reputation as a notable authority in a specific area of law. While crafting such an article may require time and effort, working with a PR firm can assist attorneys in identifying the best publication to reach their target audience and secure the opportunity.”
2) Build Credibility With Awards
In the legal industry, there are reputable awards like Super Lawyers, Best Law Firms, Best Lawyers, and others. A qualified PR firm can help lawyers find and evaluate the best award opportunities. However, getting recognized is just the first step.
The legal industry has many fake, scammy, and sneaky fee setups. However, there are also valuable opportunities to earn awards and rankings that can build a firm’s reputation. A legal PR agency knows which awards are worth going after, how to submit effectively for those awards, and which ones to ignore.
A PR team can help a law firm promote its awards through press releases, e-marketing, and social media. Being featured in an online article is excellent for SEO. The attorney can also add these awards to their bio and website to build credibility.
3) Follow Bar Association Advertising Rules
Practicing law requires following a set of rules set by bar associations. These rules cover almost every aspect of a lawyer’s work, including marketing. Breaking these ethical rules can result in sanctions and fines from the bar associations.
A PR agency must work with a law firm to ensure client compliance. All content must be reviewed for potential ethical issues, such as avoiding terms like “expert” or “expertise,” accurately representing rankings, deal values, and verdict amounts, and refraining from promising future results similar to past accomplishments.
It’s essential to consider the audience’s needs and use simple language to ensure clear and understandable communication. Ethical rules for legal professionals can be complex and challenging to navigate. That’s why it’s wise to entrust a knowledgeable agency with your firm’s content. To assist our clients in understanding these rules better, we have created a checklist. This checklist gives law firm marketers a high-level overview of the ethics rules.
4) Identify Opportunities for Corporate Social Responsibility and Events
Networking is crucial in the legal industry, providing valuable opportunities for law firms to build relationships and enhance their reputation. Strategic event sponsorship, whether for a charity fundraiser or an industry-wide conference, can be an effective way for law firms to gain positive exposure in their local communities.
According to Robert Hammers, Founder of Hammers Law Firm, legal professionals must consider the events they sponsor. Instead of choosing events randomly, law firms should intentionally select opportunities that align with their brand identity and reflect causes that genuinely resonate with their values and passions.
Once a firm has identified its ideal corporate social responsibility initiatives, a PR agency can play a crucial role in promoting the event to highlight the law firm’s involvement. That can effectively convey the law firm’s principles and commitment to its clients, partners, and the public.
5) Understand the Importance of Litigation PR
Winning a case is not just a professional achievement for litigators; it’s also a rare chance to gain publicity. When a judge or jury delivers a verdict in your favor, the window for media coverage is brief. Reporters are not interested in covering old victories. That is when a specialized PR agency springs into action and prioritizes your win.
It’s crucial to keep lawyers informed about their cases and essential milestones for potential media updates when handling litigation PR. “By educating the media about a lawsuit’s progress, we can increase the chance of getting coverage, whether through a formal press release or a quick email to a reporter,” said Mark Anderson, Founder of Anderson Injury Lawyers. “That lays the groundwork for media coverage when a victory is achieved.”
A legal PR agency formulates its strategy for litigation PR based on the specific circumstances of each case. It identifies the optimal media attention opportunities to ensure that law firm clients receive the recognition they deserve for their successful legal outcomes.
6) Know the Legal Media
Public relations agencies are skilled at working with various media types, but legal agencies have a specialized understanding of how to interact with legal media. Although legal media falls under the broader media category, it entails unique considerations and nuances that require specific expertise and insight.
For lawyers, legal trades value in-depth content such as interview commentary and byline articles. Unlike mainstream publications, legal trades provide more space for a detailed law analysis, presenting opportunities for in-depth coverage. A specialized agency understands how to tailor content to legal trades, industry trades, and mainstream outlets, meeting their unique needs and engaging their distinct audiences. Furthermore, a legal PR agency has established relationships with legal trades, eliminating the need for cold pitching.
Bottom Line
When people pick a law firm, they want a trustworthy team. The same goes for a law firm or lawyer choosing a PR team. Partnering with a PR firm can help law firms handle their reputation, increase their visibility, and reach their business goals in a competitive industry.
