How law firms can speak with one voice through a comprehensive messaging strategy

November 28, 2023

Law firms are known for the diverse minds and unique perspectives they bring to the table for clients. These qualities can be beneficial when developing legal strategies heading into a case or transaction. But that approach does not always lend itself well to law firm PR and content marketing. 

Consider the potential ethics issues that might arise if lawyers don’t have specific client approval to pursue PR on a particular matter. 

Imagine how recruiting could suffer if partners and associates share very different views about what it’s like to work at the firm and promotion opportunities. 

What if the way a firm communicates with clients is far from standardized? 

Read more »

 
 

The ultimate law firm marketer holiday gift guide: 2023 edition

October 24, 2023

The ultimate law firm marketer holiday gift guide

‘Twas the night before holiday vacation, and all through the law firm, not a body was stirring — except for you, that dedicated marketing director finalizing next year’s budget

OK, maybe you’re also watching for price drops on Amazon. ‘Tis the season, after all. 

 Since you likely bought, wrapped and sent all the firm’s client gifts, plus dreamed up an awesome holiday e-card, isn’t it time to treat yourself a bit?

With that in mind, we’ve compiled the ultimate holiday gift guide for legal marketers. There’s something on this list for everyone — and you might want to share it on your social media so colleagues and loved ones see it in case they’re at a loss for what to buy you. 

Of course, printing off copies and “accidentally” leaving them lying around is also acceptable. Just as long as you circle your top choices in red ink.

Read more »

 
 

Do’s and don’ts of podcast interviews

September 14, 2023

I love a good podcast. The ones that make me feel like the host and guest are standing in the same room are instant favorites — doesn’t matter what genre it is.

Personal entertainment aside, they’re also a fantastic business opportunity for B2B companies. Not only does running a podcast enable you to build brand awareness while creating content for your business and your guest’s, it’s also a great way to build relationships and have meaningful conversations with industry leaders and potential prospects.

But how do you do good podcasting?

I didn’t think this question would be so hard to answer when I first started producing our agency’s podcast, “Spill the Ink.” After all, I’m an avid consumer of plenty of great podcasts and have a background in production and storytelling as a former TV journalist. Why wouldn’t it be easy? While a lot of my skills were transferable, I had to come to terms with the fact that podcasts are unique pieces of content that require their own skillset. 

In my opinion, one of the most important skills you can develop is learning how to conduct an interview. I won’t lie and say that this isn’t going to take a lot of trial and error. But I can at least help get you started on the basics.

Read more »

 
 

Chambers and Partners: Law firm submissions 101

June 29, 2023

Two years ago we published our original Chambers and Partners 101 blog post.

Does the memory echo like a gong throughout your bones?

I lean towards the dramatic because deciding to submit to Chambers can feel dramatic. And my goal is certainly not to peer pressure you to submit.

Not all law firms have the bandwidth to support the robust submissions required by Chambers, which is why many of our clients submit for the first time with our support. We recommend pursuing a Chambers ranking to clients because it’s considered one of the most weighty of law firm recognitions by in-house counsel.

Read more »

 
 

Benchmark Litigation: Law firm submissions 101

March 28, 2023

Class is back in session!

It’s been a minute, but I’m back to pontificate about the wonders that are legal awards and recognitions.

Did ya miss me?

(If you’ve been studying up, you know we’ve already chatted about The Legal 500, Law360, Super Lawyers, The Best Lawyers in America and Chambers.)

Okay, with a dash more seriousness: There are pages upon pages of legal recognitions that I’m sure you get spammed with often. Some pop up on social feeds while others have a more personalized touch by sliding into your inbox and addressing you by name.

We’re here to help separate the grit from the gold.

One legal award ranking that always makes our short list is Benchmark Litigation

Read more »

 
 

What to do when a thought leader leaves your law firm

February 17, 2023

It’s no fun trying to replace a law firm’s in-house superstar. Think of all the countless hours of written-off billable time that the firm’s leaders likely spent mentoring that next partner-to-be, only to let that candidate — and the substantial book of business they initiated and nurtured — slip into the hands of a competitor or solo venture. However, this is precisely a status quo situation that most law firms must navigate, as roughly 36% of law firms reported seeing an increase in associate turnover in 2021 compared to 2020. 

Losing a leading professional hurts, especially if that lawyer or team member left an indelible mark on the firm. But they must still address the potential fallout from the departure, including how it may affect the reputation of its practice groups, team morale and how existing clients interface with the firm. An effective PR strategy — particularly one prepared by an experienced legal PR team — can help bridge these gaps and help the firm move onward and upward. Some considerations on how they can address this is presented below.

Read more »

 
 

Contributor networks and bylined article opportunities: What lawyers and legal professionals need to know

December 2, 2022

There are many ways to secure a byline in a key media outlet. While working with a legal PR agency is a surefire method to get in front of the right editors and reporters, it’s just one pathway to publication. Joining a contributor network can be an alternative way to break in — and your PR agency can help with that too.

Think of a contributor network as a bullpen of subject-matter experts a publication relies on to provide one-time articles or ongoing columns. Outlets usually open their doors to contributor network writers to offer practical, boots-on-the-ground stories and opinion pieces that supplement their staff-written stories. Once accepted into a network, lawyers and professionals usually have broad discretion regarding what they can write about, so long as they meet the outlet’s editorial standards and publishing cadence requirements. 

Read more »

 
 

The legal tech professional’s guide to legal tech podcasts

November 4, 2022

As any legal tech professional knows, staying abreast of the latest developments is critical to be competitive in an ever-changing sector. In another post, we wrote about the blogs and media outlets that cover legal tech. There are also a number of podcasts that also address this sector.  

Legal tech professionals should pull up their podcast app of choice and start browsing through the many offerings out there. Some podcasts focus on leveraging technology to empower and improve law firms, while others are more appropriate for those building a startup or working in-house at a company. 

Regardless of the legal tech podcasts you follow, you are bound to find information that will help you stay in the know and get on the radars of an audience hungry for business opportunities and partners. Here are a few that any legal tech professional should add to their playlist.

Read more »

 
 

Legal public relations: How to get covered by The Wall Street Journal

August 23, 2022

Getting featured or quoted in The Wall Street Journal can be a major coup for any lawyer whose practice intersects with the business world. With its reputation as the standard bearer of news for the financial community, the Journal has established itself as the leading news source for information about the markets, business developments and — most importantly for lawyers — the latest developments in corporate, M&A and securities law. 

Getting that flashy mention in a Journal feature can do wonders for a law firm. For reputation-building, lawyers get to showcase their knowledge on the ins and outs of emerging business and market issues to the global swath of CEOs, board members, broker-dealers, funds and banking institutions that pore over the Journal’s pages every day. 

For online marketing, one or more WSJ backlinks can do wonders for a firm’s SEO rankings, especially for uber-competitive keywords that CPC-centered law firms lurk around. Not to mention the nifty perk of having a Journal hedcut — which, like a Simpsons caricature, is the media world’s way of saying that a professional has arrived. 

Read more »

 
 

Law360: Law firm submissions 101

July 25, 2022

There are more legal rankings and award opportunities than degrees on our summer thermostats.

And while some are legitimate recognitions for your law firm and attorneys, many are money grabs that give way more of an “aWaRdS” vibe — they aren’t worth your time and truly don’t serve to provide a distinction.

Now, we don’t want to come across as too negative. There are many legal awards we highly recommend for clients (Chambers, The Legal 500, Super Lawyers and The Best Lawyers are some of our favorites).  

Today we are exploring Law360 awards and rankings, and why we think they are worth the non-billable hours for your firm.

Read more »

 
 

Get INKsights in your inbox

Archives