Constant Content : Legal Ghostwriting & Content : Janet Raasch : Copy for Lawyers & Attorneys, Law Firm Business Development

Leonard, Street and Deinard is among Minnesota’s largest law firms, with 200 attorneys.  Wicker Park Group worked with them on a highly successful “client conversation” program to retain and expand quality business.  They developed tools and trained the firm’s trainers.

Forty-seven of the firm’s attorneys accepted an invitation to participate in the program.  “A firm should start the program using the attorneys who are the most interested,” said Slavin.  “In any group, there are 10 percent early adapters, 10 percent absolute naysayers, and 80 percent who will wait and see.  Positive results from a pilot project can be used to persuade the reluctant.”

Each attorney was asked to identify three, four or five high-value clients to visit face-to-face within a 60-day time frame, schedule the visit, prepare for the meeting, rehearse for the meeting, meet with the client, report on the outcome of the meeting and follow up with the client.  The lawyer making the appointment should be someone neutral, not be the relationship lead.

The firm’s marketing department supported the volunteer attorneys with each step of the process. 

“Support included creation of talking points to use in scheduling a conversation; development of best practices for conducting the conversation (including role play, practice dialogue and listening skills); and collection of primary (existing), secondary (competitive intelligence) and relationship (who knows whom) research to thoroughly educate the lawyer prior to the conversation,” said Slavin.

Support also included development of a tool for recording and reporting results of the conversations as well as a method of rewarding and recognizing successful efforts.

This is part four of a five-part article.  To see the entire article:

Client Conversations Strengthen Relationships, Lead to New Business

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Obviously, there are many ways in which a lawyer and law firm can address these concerns and make life easier for the CLOs with whom they work.  The purpose of a client conversation is to uncover these concerns and come up with practical solutions that address them.

Communication between inside and outside counsel is a hot button for many CLOs.  “One of the most common complaints we hear from clients is about unclear emails,” said Slavin.  “Be specific in the message line.  Keep the message succinct, with the main point up front.  After a chain of three emails, pick up the phone and speak with the client.  Do not send an email at 2 a.m.  It just makes the client nervous.  Write it at 2 a.m., if you must, but send it in the morning.”

If your client prefers to communicate in person or by phone instead of email, respect those preferences.  Make sure that a real, informed person answers your phone and that messages do not go to voicemail or to an uninformed switchboard.

“Cost of legal services is also obviously a big problem for CLOs,” said Slavin.  “Prior to the recession and current economic pressures, in-house counsel were comfortable sending work to outside counsel.  With current cost pressures, legal departments are forced to handle more of this work in-house.  Competition for ‘outside’ work and pressure to control cost is extreme.

“When a client gets a series of monthly bills for $20,000, and the outside lawyer says that the next month will be more, and the bill shows up at $65,000,” said Slavin, “that is a massive failure to manage the client’s expectations and an equally massive disconnect in understanding the client’s budget.  Without exception, CLOs hate surprises.”

Another common complaint is bills with small increments, like 30 or 40 minutes a day listed over several days for the same project.  Clients want lawyers to be focused in their use of time.

Understanding the preferences of individual clients is also essential.  “I spoke with one new corporate counsel who had been invited out by a client for an evening of steak, scotch and cigars,” said Slavin.  “This approach had apparently worked well with her predecessor.  However, she was a vegetarian with a husband and a three-year-old waiting at home.  She just wanted to be able to spend more time with her family!  This was not the best way to build a relationship with her.”

This is part three of a five-part article.  To see the entire article:

Client Conversations Strengthen Relationships, Lead to New Business

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A client who has hired a lawyer as outside counsel assumes that the lawyer is qualified to do good legal work.  Otherwise, the lawyer would not have made the cut in the first place.   Quoting a client, Slavin said:  “Smart is what gets you in the door.  How you manage the relationship is what keeps you inside.”  The relationship is what builds loyalty.

“We have conducted more than 1,000 client interviews,” said Slavin.  “As a result, I have a pretty good sense of ‘what clients want.’  They want lawyers who can fix their problems.  They want lawyers who can make their lives easier.  They want lawyers with whom they can have a close and enjoyable personal relationship.”

In 2011, the ACC conducted a survey of chief legal officers and general counsel.  Forty-two percent came from private companies, 34 percent from public companies, and the rest from non-profits, subsidiaries of foreign companies, LLCs and other organizations.

Survey respondents look for good value for the money they spend, reasonable cost, transparency between the lawyer and the client, and understanding of issues facing the client and its industry.

The most pressing issues expressed by these CLOs are:

                Keeping apprised of company issues with potential legal implications,

                Reducing outside legal costs,

                Dealing with too much work and too few resources,

                Staying on top of developments in the law,

                Communicating changes in the law to management, and

                Demonstrating the value of the legal department to management.

The biggest challenges faced by CLOs include regulation/legislation, general economic outlook, growth, globalization, competition/maintaining market share, controlling risk, being sole risk manager, increasing litigation, lack of funding, healthcare reform, compliance, internal actions with legal implications, quality of law firms, being spread too thin, need for a strategic business partner, and training and motivating a law department as well as the company’s executives.

This is part two of a five-part article.  To see the entire article:

Client Conversations Strengthen Relationships, Lead to New Business

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Lawyers are always interested in getting more work and better work from their existing clients.  If you ask a lawyer what his or her client really wants, the lawyer is likely to say “good legal work.”  If you ask the client, you’ll get a far different answer.  The client’s answer is what counts.

“To get more and better business from their clients, lawyers and law firms need to have ‘the conversation’ to find out what clients really expect from the relationship,” said Nat Slavin.  “Only about 10 to 15 percent of law firms are actually having these essential conversations with their clients.

“It is important to understand that these are not traditional ‘sales calls’ in which a lawyer’s primary concern is asking for new business,” said Slavin.  “Nor are they point-by-point surveys.

“They are structured, customized conversations in which a representative of the law firm skillfully probes to discover client needs, preferences and opinions,” said Slavin.  “Without directly asking for it, these conversations almost always generate new business.”

The Association of Corporate Counsel’s Value Challenge developed a “meet, talk, act” approach to effective client conversations:  meet with a client face-to-face, talk to the client about problems and needs, and act by coming up with and implementing concrete ways to solve problems and meet needs.

Slavin discussed the use of strategic client conversations as a business-development tool at the March educational meeting of the Rocky Mountain Chapter of the Legal Marketing Association.  The event took place March 12 at Sullivan’s Steakhouse in LoDo, Denver.

Slavin is a founder and partner in the Wicker Park Group, which focuses on law firm client feedback interviews, client growth programs, and training and development.  Slavin is the former publisher of Inside Counsel  and former president of the Legal Marketing Association.

Client Conversations Strengthen Relationships, Lead to New Business

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Once a reporter has responded to a law firm’s pitch, the subject matter expert must understand his or her rights in the interview process.

Before an interview, ask about the context of the story.  Ask if a list of questions can be reviewed ahead of time (sometimes a reporter will provide this).  Do some background research on the reporter, to determine the tone of the reporter’s usual work.  Find out who else might be interviewed for this particular story.  Do some research to understand these sources’ points of view.

Ask for permission to videotape or record the interview yourself or, alternatively, for a tape/copy of the interview.  There may be a charge associated.

During the interview, an interviewee has the right to courteous treatment.  A subject matter expert can refuse to answer questions that are pejorative or insulting, but should remain courteous when doing so.  A legal expert can refuse to answer questions that involve client confidentiality, conflicts or litigation, but can and should refer the interviewer to another source who might be able to provide the answer.

An interview subject has the right to request that difficult or confusing questions be re-phrased.  The interviewee who is not sure of something should always be comfortable saying, “I don’t know that answer right now, but I will find out for you.”  Then, get back to the reporter as soon as possible.

Finally, a legal expert should never ask to review an article before it goes to print.  The expert can offer to do so in order to help the reporter, but should never make a direct request.

Lawyers and law firms are often needlessly concerned about working with the media.  With a clear understanding of what is newsworthy, a list of qualified subject matter experts, the right pitch to the right reporter and an understanding of the interview process, media relations can be a great way for law firms to earn an enhanced reputation within a targeted marketplace.

PR Skills Boost Law Firms

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Following development of a newsworthy story idea and selection of a qualified lawyer-expert, the third step in a successful media policy is to actually pitch the story idea.

Identify the best media outlets for a newsworthy story idea.  These could be mainstream print, television or radio; “niche” trade or business publications; or any number of online content sites.

Once an outlet has been identified, determine the most appropriate reporter within that outlet.  Some publications still assign certain editors and reporters to specific beats, but many more currently use generalists.  Find out who has written in a related subject area before.  Reference the firm’s familiarity with the reporter’s work.  Customize the pitch.  Never pitch an idea as an “exclusive” unless it is actually an exclusive.  Use exclusives to reward reporters who have treated the firm well.

Many reporters prefer to receive pitches by email.  Others prefer a phone call.  A pitch for a newsworthy story differs from a press release.  It is a “hook,” not the whole story.  A pitch is brief, factual and demonstrates why the idea is newsworthy.  It avoids hyperbole, which alienates reporters.  It offers a credible expert, a photo opportunity, a promise to follow up and accurate “live” contact information.

A law firm should never assume that the fact that it buys paid advertising in a publication means that the publication’s editors and reporters will accept its pitch for an article idea.  Most publications draw a clear line between advertising content and editorial content.  A legitimate media outlet will be highly offended if the firm hints at a “pay to play” arrangement where none exists.

This is part four of a five-part article.  For the full article:

PR Skills Boost Law Firms

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The second step in a successful media policy is preparing the experts within a law firm who will be the media sources to flesh out a particular story idea.  After all, it does no good to promise a good story idea to the media and then fail to deliver a credible source.  Once that happens a few times, a firm will lose credibility for any story idea it pitches going forward.

Once the firm has a good story idea, determine which lawyers are best-qualified to speak with the media.  They should be lawyers who actually work at the cutting edge in the subject area, but also lawyers who know how to work with the media -- and are willing to do so.  Since editors and reporters must meet deadlines, the lawyer-experts must be available to respond quickly to media calls.

Before pitching a story idea, carefully prepare the selected expert or experts so that they can abide by firm, legal ethics and media rules without getting flustered.  Know what the message is.  Anticipate what a reporter might ask – including negative questions.  Devise a number of concise quotes or “talking points” and practice them ahead of time.  Be prepared to fit the story into a larger context.

Make sure lawyer-experts understand that a reporter in search of balance in a news story will talk to other experts as well.  Almost always, the lawyer will be just part of the story, not the entire story.  Be prepared with a list of other contacts and resources on the subject to provide to a reporter.  A reporter will always appreciate and return to sources that help them write a good, well-researched story.

Law firms should create and distribute to the media a series of “subject matter expert guides.”  A guide can be prepared for each lawyer who is willing and able to interact with the media.  It includes a one-paragraph bio as well as a list of newsworthy story ideas or areas of interest a particular lawyer can address, such as marijuana laws, homeowners associations or eminent domain.

A subject matter expert guide includes a photo, and is also a good place to list the lawyer’s management role within the law firm and willingness to speak out on legal industry topics, such as associate pay, lateral moves of partners or law firm mergers.  Expert guides also serve as great internal tools for generating ideas for blog posts, alerts, white papers or tweets.

Before speaking with the media, lawyers should be familiar with the legal ethics rules governing profession-specific issues like client confidentiality, conflicts and what can and cannot be said when discussing a case in litigation.

PR Skills Boost Law Firms

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The first step in a successful public relations media policy is understanding what editors and reporters want - and crafting a story idea that meets their needs.  To pique the interest of editors and reporters, story ideas must be newsworthy.  They must also be authentic.

It is the job of editors and reporters to uncover and report the news, which is defined as information their readers, viewers or listeners need to know in order to make good decisions about their personal or professional lives, or their businesses.

In spite of how proud lawyers are about a particular development, news rarely consists of the internal workings of a law firm.  Generally, the mainstream media do not care about legal awards and rankings, internal promotions, new practice groups (unless related to an emerging trend) or anniversaries (unless the firm is doing something unique and community-oriented to observe the anniversary).

What makes an idea or an event newsworthy in the eyes of a media gatekeeper? Usually, some combination of these characteristics:

Proximity – The focus of a newsworthy story idea will be local, either geographically local (of interest to a local or regional publication and audience, like The Denver Post) or “niche” local (of interest to those with shared legal issues, like a construction trade publication).

Prominence – A newsworthy story idea will feature someone or some event with “star power” – perhaps a well-known lawyer or client, or a connection with a front-page legal matter.

Timeliness – A newsworthy story idea will feature “breaking news” or a timely reaction to breaking news.  The first one to pitch a timely idea is the most likely to get the media opportunity. By nature, lawyers like to study every aspect of an issue before making a statement. This is a common mistake.  By the time the lawyer feels ready, a dozen more-nimble law firms have already pitched the idea.

Significant – A newsworthy story idea will directly concern a large number of people or, alternatively, a smaller number of very influential people (like lawmakers, a regulatory board or general counsel).

New or unusual – A newsworthy story idea will involve something new that has not been covered before. Also newsworthy is a fresh or local perspective on an existing national or regional news story.

Human Interest – A newsworthy story idea will have a personal face that sparks an emotional connection.  Readers, viewers and listeners identify with other people and their problems.  Abstract concepts, like an obscure change to a law, must be connected to the real-world problems of a person or number of persons who will be impacted by that change.

Conflict – A newsworthy story idea should involve conflict.  A journalism maxim states:  “If it bleeds, it leads.”  This can be literal blood, like a crime story, or it can be figurative blood, like a disagreement over gun control, gay marriage or a court case (which by nature involves conflict).

Trends – A newsworthy story idea often involves a local “take” on a regional, national or international trend that has been in the news.  How will the Affordable Care Act, passed in Washington, D.C., affect the ability of local employers to grow larger than 50 employees?

Visual aspect – Reporters are particularly attracted to stories with a visual component – a compelling still photo for print, for example, or video footage for television.  Radio reporters like stories with sound.

This is part two of a five-part article.  For entire article:

PR Skills Boost Law Firms

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A law firm that wants to position and maintain its brand in the marketplace has two options.  It can pay a considerable amount to get its name before the public via advertising and sponsorships.  Alternatively (and often additionally) it can “earn” an enhanced reputation via skillful use of public relations.

Public relations is defined as a strategic communication process that builds mutually beneficial relationships between organizations and their publics.

One of the best ways for law firms to build these relationships is through the media, which often serve as gatekeepers between organizations like law firms and their publics like clients, potential clients and referral sources, as well as internal audiences like the firm’s lawyers, management and staff.

Earned media is more credible and powerful than paid advertising, because it brings with it the objective endorsement of the third-party media outlet that has vetted it and decided that it is newsworthy.

However, public relations does not come with the same amount of control as advertising.  Once the media begin to work on a story, a law firm has little control over how the story actually turns out.  Plus, there is no guarantee that the story will appear.  If implemented carefully, however, a good public relations media policy brings much reward.

This article is based on a presentation on public relations media strategies by Sarah Hogan and Cori Streetman to the Rocky Mountain Chapter of the Legal Marketing Association.  Hogan and Streetman are principals at Barefoot Public Relations in Denver.  The event took place Feb. 12 at Sullivan’s Steakhouse in LoDo, Denver.

PR Skills Boost Law Firms

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