Did you know that in Florida the legal profession is one of the most competitive industries in the state? According to the American Bar Association, there are more than 78,000 active attorneys practicing in the state of Florida. So how do you stand apart from so many lawyers?
At Fort Lauderdale- and Aspen-based public relations agency Durée & Company, we represent some of the most successful law firms in South Florida, and our job is to raise visibility for our clients – both inside and outside of the courtroom. The Dynamos are here to share 5 top PR tactics that we utilize when working with law firms.
- Bylined Articles/Thought Leadership: Bylined articles are a great way for law firms to establish a reputation of being a distinguished authority in a specific area of practice. Writing an article takes time and effort, but at Durée & Company, we vet the publication to make sure the topic is a fit for the media outlet and reaches the appropriate audience. It is important for the article to appear in a well-respected publication that is read by clients, referral sources or potential prospects.
- Traditional Press: Press is the best way to learn about law activity, no matter the size of the case. When it comes to working with journalists, it’s best to have honest and open communication, and to give them the case information as soon as possible before it turns to old news. It is best to get ahead of the news and to pre-prepare releases, so once the final verdict is determined, the information is ready to go. Even if there is not a notable case at the moment, law firms can piggyback on trending topics or changes in law. For many topics, media seeks an expert source to speak from a legal point of view. It is important to utilize hot topics that the firm specializes in. For example, we secured David Miller, shareholder of law firm Bryant Miller Olive P.A. (BMO), as an expert source in a Forbes story where he commented on age discrimination in employment with a recent petition asking the Supreme Court to reverse a lower court ruling and to widen the reach of the Age Discrimination in Employment Act.
- Social Media: Social media needs to be used carefully as law firms need to respect client confidentiality. However social media can be a very powerful tool when it comes to bringing in new clients and allowing the public to have a better understanding of a law firm and its practice areas. Law firms can utilize Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn to showcase public successes, community outings, earned media coverage, attorney profiles and even connect with journalists. For the recent story that we secured Cristina Pelaez, real estate attorney with Rasco Klock Perez & Nieto, P.L., as an expert source for The Washington Post, we made sure to leverage the article and share on the firm’s social media channels.
- Corporate Social Responsibility: When they are not advocating for clients in the court, our legal clients sponsor events, raise funds and act as a good neighbor to several worthwhile causes. Sponsoring events is a great way to give positive exposure to a law firm, however, make sure to connect with causes that make sense to the firm’s brand or something that the firm is passionate about. We recently attended the com Golf Classic that supports the Rotary Club of Weston where Freedland Harwin Valori, PL was the title sponsor for the 12th consecutive year. Michael Freedland, Esq., founding partner of the Freedland Harwin Valori, selected this event for the firm because the organization is very near and dear to his heart.
- Awards: Reputation and results are very important parts for lawyers to get new clients and cases, and part of this comes from legal awards. From Super Lawyers®, The Best Lawyers in America© and The Florida Bar to S. News – Best Lawyers® “Best Law Firms” listings, Florida Trend’s Legal Elite and peer-review ratings, every accolade solidifies our legal clients’ credibility. We make sure we vet all opportunities for our lawyers, and provide all appropriate requirements and deadlines. We identified Daily Business Review’s Professional Excellence Awards as a great fit for our client BMO and assisted in the nomination. BMO was named Litigation Department of the Year in the Small Employment Law category – two years in a row!
At Durée & Company, we approach the public relations and marketing of legal clients with an understanding that we are helping potential clients form critical opinions by utilizing press, social media coverage, awards, social responsibility and more. If your law firm is searching for a way to make yourselves stand out, give us a call. We take our representation as seriously as you do!
About Durée & Company
Durée & Company, Inc. is an award-winning full-service public relations, marketing and special events firm with offices in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and Aspen, Colorado. The firm serves the corporate, agency and non-profit arenas for local, national and international clients focusing on public relations for real estate, public relations for restaurants, public relations for law firms, public relations for charities, public relations for healthcare, and many more. Durée & Company services include Public Relations, Social Media, Marketing, Advertising, Special Events, and Radio Promotions and Outreach.
