INSIGHTS + GUIDANCE ON
THOUGHT-LEADERSHIP PR FOR LAW FIRMS
In face of the current challenges, law firms have a choice. One option is to wait it out—taking small, middling measures—until things go back to the old way. Another, which recognizes we are at the threshold to a future that will look nothing like the past, is to lean into the current crisis and invent a new way of doing business that adapts to and addresses the evolving needs of the marketplace.
For associates whose billable hours are down because their practices are not built for a crisis, now is not the time to rely on a wait-it-out strategy until things return to “normal.” Most associates, especially those who began their careers in the last five years, have more or less experienced nothing but growth and good times in the legal industry. As is clear by now, things are not going back to the way they were anytime soon. Here are a few ideas for adapting to the new reality.
Most attorneys are superb crafters of argumentative and persuasive content. Yet, fewer have ever endeavored to author a thought-leadership article to be positioned for publication on a third-party publishing platform. There is some nuance to understand, for those who are accustomed to drafting legal briefs but are unfamiliar with how to position content to market expertise or build brand awareness. Consider this a cookbook for beginners, and a refresher course for the veterans.
You’ve likely heard mixed messages about whether you should be engaging in business development activities during this global pandemic. My take is that, yes, you absolutely should. However, it’s critical to understand what types of activities are appropriate for the moment. Now is not the time to try to convince people to buy your legal services. Rather your business development strategy should focus on exhibiting your integrity through genuine attempts to help your clients and prospects.
Since virtually every law firm in the country is pumping out massive amounts of written content about the COVID-19 crisis, it’s hard for any individual thought leader to stand out. Over the last two weeks, we’ve been helping our clients to create standout content, and through that process we have had a chance to analyze and distill what works and what doesn’t in the COVID-19 marketplace of ideas. Here are some ideas that will help you to write more effective thought-leadership articles.
With all the demands on lawyers and legal marketers these days, spurred by shifts to remote-working environments and the rash of legislative and regulatory changes that must be processed, there is hardly time to pause. But pausing to think strategically about the best path forward is necessary. Things are changing so rapidly that we can’t lose sight of the need to adapt our marketing strategies. For every lawyer and law firm, the path forward will be different, but here are some principles to keep in mind.
The legal profession has had a new reality thrust upon it, as attorneys and legal professionals everywhere suddenly find themselves working from home in the virtual law firm they formerly thought impossible or impractical. From prior recent experience, here is my best advice on how you can most smoothly make the transition from your comfortable work routine and environment to today’s “new normal.”
