Content Marketing

If you feel like you’re always racing to keep pace with your law firm’s ever-expanding content calendar, it’s not your imagination. Consistently producing high-quality blogs, engaging newsletters, and compelling social media posts takes significant bandwidth, something few legal marketers can spare. No wonder firms are increasingly turning to Artificial Intelligence to lighten the load. When leveraged in concert with human creativity, the right AI-powered tools can transform even the worst content bottleneck into a far more efficient workflow. AI Tools to Streamline Content Creation Few marketing activities require more time and focus than content creation. It’s an ongoing cycle of research, writing, editing, and approvals that can easily stretch from hours into days. But these generative AI tools are quickly changing that dynamic, streamlining processes, taking on routine tasks, and leaving marketers free to focus on what matters most: Jasper From brainstorming blog topics and producing initial drafts to crafting social media captions and repurposing content for a monthly newsletter, this end-to-end marketing platform improves efficiency across the entire content life cycle. Once given clear direction on brand guidelines and context-rich prompts, Jasper can quickly generate engaging content aligned with your firm’s voice, tone, and strategic goals. ChatGPT A powerful AI platform with wide-ranging content generation capabilities. ChatGPT can help your firm produce high-quality first drafts for legal articles, blog posts, and email communications. CoCounsel by Thomson Reuters CoCounsel uses trusted databases like Westlaw to create accurate, authoritative legal content. Perfect for client alerts, thought leadership, and regulatory updates, it streamlines content creation while minimizing factual errors. Clio Duo This platform leverages generative AI to distill complex legal documents, case files, and judicial decisions into clear, client-friendly summaries for newsletters, blog posts, and case studies. MyCase IQ MyCase IQ analyzes large volumes of legal documents, converting dense text into plain-language insights that you can use to highlight results, outcomes, or evolving trends within your firm’s practice areas. Grammarly The premium version goes beyond a simple grammar check, offering real-time suggestions on tone, clarity, and style. Integrating it into your workflow ensures every communication is polished, professional, and error-free. AI-Powered SEO and Market Research Creating great content is only half the battle; potential clients still need to find it online. These AI-powered SEO and research tools help ensure you get the right content in front of the right audience at the right time: Surfer SEO Surfer SEO uses AI to analyze top-ranking content for your keywords and provide data-driven recommendations. By assisting with structure optimization, keyword density, readability, and semantic relevance, this platform helps improve Google rankings without sacrificing tone or authority. Clearscope Clearscope uses advanced natural language processing to refine your keyword targeting and improve topical depth. It scores your content based on readability, keyword variety, and competitive benchmarks, then offers practical suggestions to help it stand out in search. Darrow Darrow leverages the predictive power of AI to analyze massive datasets for legal, regulatory, and litigation trends. By identifying emerging topics before they become mainstream, it allows your firm to publish timely, relevant content ahead of its competitors. AI-Enhanced Analytics and Performance Tracking Even the most well-written content won’t move the needle if you can’t measure its impact. These AI analytics tools help you evaluate performance, identify opportunities, and refine your strategy for stronger results. Semrush By integrating AI into its position tracking, Semrush allows you to track how your firm appears in AI-generated answer formats and across different AI-powered interfaces, including ChatGPT and Gemini. Ahrefs Known for its powerful SEO and backlink analysis, Ahrefs uses AI-powered tools to analyze content for topic coverage, generate SEO-optimized content ideas and outlines, automate keyword research, detect AI-generated content, and monitor brand presence in AI overviews Client Engagement and Lead Generation Tools AI doesn’t just assist with content creation. The following tools transform how your firm communicates with clients and prospects, ensuring every communication and interaction feels relevant and timely. HubSpot A full-scale CRM and marketing automation platform, HubSpot enables law firms to create highly personalized email campaigns based on client behavior, practice area, or life-cycle stage. You can automate follow-ups, segment audiences, and track engagement, all from a single dashboard, helping your team nurture relationships and convert leads more efficiently. ActiveCampaign This platform utilizes AI agents to generate marketing content, automate campaigns, and provide insights for personalized strategies. Legal marketers can leverage these features to analyze audience behavior, predict trends, and automate tailored message delivery across different channels. Lately AI Lately relies on AI to repurpose long-form content into social posts optimized for various platforms. It identifies the most engaging excerpts from articles, videos, or podcasts, then turns them into shareable snippets—helping your firm maintain a consistent presence without overloading your marketing team. Buffer Buffer simplifies the management of multiple social media accounts, allowing your firm to plan, schedule, and publish posts in advance. Its AI analytics track engagement and performance, so you can identify which content resonates most with your audience and when it’s best to post. Using AI Responsibly in Legal Marketing While there’s no doubt AI can dramatically improve your team’s productivity, it’s no substitute for human judgment. Every piece of content generated with AI should be reviewed and approved by an experienced attorney to ensure it meets the highest ethical, confidentiality, and professional standards. Start small. Begin with a pilot project in one practice area or campaign to understand how AI performs within your firm’s workflow. Use this phase to identify strengths, address limitations, and refine internal processes before scaling. Establish clear guidelines. Create firm-wide policies that define where and how AI can be used. Clarify which types of content are appropriate for AI assistance (e.g., social media captions or blog drafts) and which require a fully human approach, such as legal analyses or opinion pieces. Maintain rigorous quality control. Implement multi-step review and approval workflows to ensure every AI-assisted piece meets your firm’s standards for accuracy, tone, and compliance. Incorporate legal review into your content pipeline early, not just at the end. Train your team. Education is critical. Make sure everyone, from marketing staff to attorneys, understands both the potential and limitations of AI. Provide regular training on prompt development, ethical guidelines, and privacy considerations. Takeaway When used strategically, Artificial Intelligence doesn’t replace your marketing team; it strengthens it. Pairing automation with human expertise will allow you to achieve the best possible results: more engaging content, greater efficiency, and the assurance that every piece you publish accurately reflects your firm’s brand voice and its high standards of professional integrity. 

Client testimonials build your firm’s credibility online. But there are ethical challenges with using client stories to attract new prospects. How do you use testimonials effectively and ethically? First, know the rules. Second, follow them. Third, be strategic and get creative about using testimonials to tell your own story and get attention online. Here’s what attorneys need to know about collecting and utilizing client testimonials for maximum impact online. Step 1: Collect Testimonials Ethically Ethics must be present on day one—they’re not something you can overlay afterward: Encourage without pressure. Invite clients to leave a review with an easy link. Time it right. Request it when they’re satisfied, not during ongoing work. Remind gently. People are busy, and it’s okay to remind, but never coerce or incentivize. Show appreciation. Thank them if they give you a review to reinforce goodwill. You can encourage clients to send testimonials directly to you, and you can also encourage them to post a review directly on a platform like Google. Both are valuable, even if you have to respond to a negative review. Remember, you need to obtain written consent to share a client’s story or quote. You must also avoid disclosing any confidential details or sensitive information. We find that the simplest and most effective way to collect testimonials is by using a simple post-service survey. Rather than sending a personal email and forgetting to follow up, a basic survey helps you collect concise and usable testimonials with all the information fields built in (for your ease and theirs). Step 2: Highlight Testimonials Strategically Got ’em? Time to make use of ’em. Here’s how you can make the most of your client testimonials to build trust and build your brand. Tell a story. Structure a testimonial like a mini case study. Add your own details to explain the problem, the solution, and the outcome and then embed the client’s review as social proof. Make it visual. Use a client photo (with permission) or a short video clip to encourage engagement. Otherwise, use a pull-quote style to highlight the text so it stands out. Embrace emotion. Focus on client relief, satisfaction, or positive impact. This can be just as meaningful as the sensitive legal details that you can’t share. Keep it short. Limit the length to 60 words for each testimonial. People are busy and they’re scanning your content. SEO. Include client location or practice area keywords naturally in testimonials to help boost your search visibility. Place it perfectly. Don’t bury testimonials in your footer. Make sure your website design displays quotes prominently to snag attention. Put them on your homepage, on practice area pages, and on a dedicated testimonials page. Wait! There are two final principles you need to understand: Variety means including testimonials from different practice areas or client types to appeal to diverse prospects. If all your reviews are the same, your firm will seem a little one-note. Freshness means regularly updating with new content, or at least rotating in new reviews from your collection. This demonstrates ongoing client satisfaction. Finally, you need to weave client testimonials into multiple marketing channels. Put them where people can see them! Share snippets on social media Include them in newsletters or follow-up emails to leads Seek reviews on your Google Business Profile Step 3: Maintain Compliance With Legal Advertising Rules Your state bar has guidelines on advertising and social media—bookmark them and read them carefully. Some states have stricter rules than others, like New York. Here are some general tips on compliance when it comes to testimonials: Avoid misleading claims. Do not imply guaranteed outcomes or use superlatives that can’t be backed by data. Be clear. Indicate when you’ve edited a testimonial for clarity or length. Better to give more information than accidentally mislead someone. Keep good records. Document consent so you can pull up client permission if there’s ever an inquiry. It’s worth saying that you are responsible for compliance. Even if you work with an agency, you need to ensure that everything on your site is aligned with the legal advertising rules in your area. Step 4: Measure and Adapt As with all digital marketing, you need to stay involved. Test and adapt for continual improvement. You’ll find that some testimonials resonate with your prospects more than others. Monitor. Don’t overcomplicate it. Just track engagement and see which testimonials are driving website clicks, social shares, or consultation inquiries. A/B test. Experiment with formats. Try the same testimonial in text form and in video form. Try it in a short clip or a longer video. Try a single quote or a full case study. See what resonates, and see if you understand why. Update (but not too often). Give your current content enough time to collect accurate data. Then, refresh testimonials every six months to reflect current client satisfaction and fit your evolving practice focus. Extrapolate. Take what you learn and use those insights to guide future marketing campaigns and your content strategy. Are people really responding to a certain service you offer? Perhaps it’s worth a few blog posts or a behind-the-scenes video featuring your team that explains the service in more detail. Final Tips Ethical testimonials fuel growth. With a little care and attention to detail, you can build up a steady flow of reviews and deploy them in service of your business. That’s because credibility is a game-changer in the legal industry. Testimonials are one of the fastest ways to build trust online. Integrated strategically into a strategic digital presence, you’ll drive leads effortlessly. Set yourself up for success with a website design that’s built to convert. Use a tested template that spotlights testimonials and start growing your firm. 

Knowing how to choose a legal videographer starts with learning exactly what they do and why their specific expertise is so important. Beyond film quality and formatting needs, legal videographers must understand legal proceeding protocols and follow workflows and systems that guarantee file security and compliance. Ultimately, choosing the right videography provider leads to evidence that holds up in court and risk avoidance for your firm. What Does a Legal Videographer Do? Videographers most often capture testimonies and depositions during the discovery phase of litigation. They can also be used at trial or engaged to record locations, machinery, event re-creations, and other useful videos for legal matters. Legal videography can take place in conference rooms, hotels, courtrooms, homes, or any number of locations. Capture Testimonies and Depositions on Video Deposition and testimony videos record nuances that significantly affect the believability and interpretation of an individual’s spoken words. While transcripts are essential to the legal system, they don’t convey the full experience of witness testimony, especially given the varying types of witnesses. Consider the difference between reading printed words vs. watching or hearing: Facial expressions that contradict or reinforce what is being said Fidgeting, tension, or body postures Tone and cadence changes Willingness or failure to make eye contact With a video, a judge, jury, and other viewers can more clearly: Assess truthfulness Absorb the emotion involved Receive the full impact of injuries or harm described Ensure Admissibility Through Professional Standards There are some critical rules to abide by for videos that may be introduced at trial. Video depositions, for example, must follow Rule 30, Depositions by Oral Examination, under the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. This covers: 1 Video manipulation: The “deponent’s and attorneys’ appearance or demeanor must not be distorted through recording techniques,” which means no filters, creative filming techniques, or post-production manipulation to a straightforward video capture. Court reporter opening: A deposition video must begin with all required elements of the court reporter’s opening statement, including their name and business address; the deposition’s location, date, and start time; the deponent’s name and the administration of the oath or affirmation to them; and the identification and role of each person present. Court reporter closing: The videographer should continue uninterrupted filming through the court reporter’s closing, which includes the ending date and time, the custody and availability plans and stipulations of the video file, and any attorney or jurisdictional stipulations related to evidentiary exhibits, etc. Skilled legal videographers will display professionalism through these behaviors: Arrive early with the right equipment for the space Handle all technical details and video equipment Capture all pertinent filming unobtrusively, without affecting the proceedings Offer rapid turnaround and choice of file format Offer Postproduction Services In addition to a “raw” video of legal proceedings, there are several ways that video files may need to be further adapted or used. When you choose a legal videographer, ask whether they (or their agency) can provide post-production services, such as: Video encoding, transcoding, conversion, and archiving Synchronization of separately recorded audio and video Video editing Video clip creation Closed captioning services Synchronized video transcripts Picture in picture (PIP) technology Core Qualifications to Look for in a Legal Videographer Proven experience should be a top priority when securing legal videography. Additionally, there are several educational and professional markers to consider. In particular, look for: Certification There is no required federal, state, or local certification, licensing, or registration for legal videographers. However, certifications from professional associations can assure of competency through a combination of coursework, practical training, exams, and continuing education: 2,3 NCRA Certified Legal Video Specialist (CLVS) AGCV Certified Deposition Video Specialist (CDVS) AGCV Certified Evidentiary Video Specialist (CEVS) AGCV Certified Trial Technology Specialist (CTTS) Industry Experience Look for specific experience in legal videography—not simply the technical skills to handle the equipment. Legal videographers need to be familiar with regulations that govern their jurisdiction(s) and the unique goals and best practices of videos used in legal proceedings. In some states, legal videographers of depositions or other official proceedings must be authorized to administer an oath to allow the video into evidence. This means holding credentials such as those obtained by: Court reporters Notary publics Court clerks and deputy clerks Bailiffs Additionally, you may want to look for a legal videographer or agency that offers overlapping skills. A legal videographer who can also act as a trial presentation specialist or court reporter can land you a major efficiency bonus. Familiarity with Courtroom Procedures and Legal Protocols From adapting files for multi-platform use in hybrid trials to opting for best-practice equipment such as cardioid directional microphones, your videographer should understand the practical needs and requirements of the legal industry. These include: Set up to capture all relevant parties by both sound and sight The who, when, and where of courtroom access, scheduling, and connectivity Techniques to remain unobtrusive and avoid distracting the court A basic understanding of hearing, deposition, and trial sequences and protocols Technology and Equipment Considerations Legal videographers need to select optimal equipment and software, anticipating what they’ll rely on in different environments. This includes considering: Lighting, acoustic, and filming setup challenges Technology choices common to law firms and their conference rooms Built-in equipment in courthouses and courtrooms Best practices for capturing low-volume, multi-directional, multi-speaker audio Connectivity and power access workarounds Audio and Video Quality Standards for Legal Use The goal of legal videography isn’t a cinematic masterpiece, but a clear record that captures all sounds and sights as crisply and truly as possible. There may be jurisdictional or administrative requirements around file specs such as format and size, but the requisite qualities of filming under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 30 and Federal Rule of Evidence 902 are 1,3 : No distortion of appearance or demeanor through recording techniques Proof of original, unmanipulated file including intact metadata Inclusion of all elements of the court reporter’s opening and closing statements Backup Systems and File Security Measures A file gone missing or into the wrong hands can lead to delays or liability risks. To that end, your videographer needs to understand and utilize systems and protocols that provide security and backup for your files. This includes: Redundant datacenters 24/7 network and security operations End-to-end encryption You can check on their security protocols by inquiring about independent audits and their adherence to the following: SOC 2 Type 2 security compliance NIST Cybersecurity Framework HIPAA compliance Legal and Ethical Compliance Requirements During a trial, video can serve critical functions and offer a make-or-break impact on case outcomes. Functionally, legal videos can be used: As leverage during settlement negotiations To support pretrial preparation and strategy In lieu of live testimony at court To impeach witnesses during a trial Understanding of Confidentiality and Chain of Custody The content of legal videos can impact lives, marriages, employment, and even pose wider business and political risks. This makes confidentiality essential for all stages of capturing, storing, transferring, and (refraining from) discussing videos. Even for videos destined to be shown at trial and become part of the public record, timing and certainty of that release can alter case outcomes, making confidentiality a must. To be useful as evidence, legal videos also need to have a watertight provenance. The original file must be protected, with intact metadata that displays provenance factors including 3 : Authorship Creation and modification time-stamps Digital signatures Compliance with Local Jurisdictional Rules The Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and Evidence were mentioned above, but they aren’t used across the board. While most states have adopted them to a large degree, there are variances that may impact how videos are taken and what elements must be included or proven. Your legal videographer should understand the evidentiary guidelines for the specific jurisdiction to avoid having video discarded from your evidence lineup at trial. Final Thoughts: Choosing the Right Legal Videographer with Confidence Selecting the right legal videographer means understanding what questions to ask to ensure you’re not just getting someone with the right technical and creative skills. Find out the details of their experience, legal understanding, and security workflows to produce, protect, and deliver exactly what you need.

ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google’s AI Overviews, and dozens of emerging AI search options are quietly reshaping how people discover attorneys. The question isn’t whether AI search will matter for your firm; it’s whether you’ll understand how these systems see your firm when they decide which lawyers to recommend to someone facing, for example, a divorce, planning their estate, or navigating a business dispute. Unlike traditional search engines that index web pages, AI search tools synthesize information from multiple sources, weigh authority signals differently, and can even hallucinate details about your firm. They’re creating a parallel universe of legal discovery. The firms that optimize for AI search visibility today will not only endure the transition, they’ll capture clients who never make it to page two of Google because they found their answer and their lawyer in a single AI-generated response. Let’s dive into some of the tools that can help your firm understand its AI search visibility. AI Search Visibility Limitations of Google’s Free Tools Currently, there are not many ways to understand your AI search traffic within Google’s free tools. I am hopeful that in the near future, there will be more data available, but for now, here is what each tool can tell you. GA4 Google Analytics (GA4) allows you to see the traffic coming to your website from AI search engines, such as ChatGPT and Perplexity. You will need to play around with the filters within the Acquisition Reports, but we have found this to be the best free option for getting an initial understanding of the traffic your law firm’s website is generating from AI sources. Unfortunately, though, this will only tell you when someone clicked through to your site from an AI search; it will not be able to give you any data on how many times your firm was cited or mentioned. Search Console There is no way to track AI visibility directly within Search Console at this point in time. Right now, you can assume you are showing up within Google’s AI Overviews if you are seeing a spike in impressions; however, there is no way as of yet to filter out AI Overview traffic versus regular organic search traffic. Four AI Search Visibility Tracking Tools to Consider There is an abundance of new tools popping up in order to provide legal marketers with clarity on their AI Search Visibility. Let’s dive into some of the main ones that your firm should consider. Semrush AI Toolkit The Semrush AI Toolkit provides comprehensive AI search visibility analytics through its dedicated suite of artificial intelligence monitoring tools. The platform tracks how law firms appear across major AI-powered search engines, including ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, and Google’s AI Overviews, offering insights into citation frequency, source attribution, and competitive positioning within AI-generated responses. Pricing begins at $129.95 monthly for the Pro plan, with advanced AI features available in higher-tier subscriptions ranging up to $499.95 monthly for enterprise-level access. Conductor AI Tracking Conductor AI Tracking offers enterprise-grade AI search visibility monitoring as part of its comprehensive website optimization platform. The tool monitors visibility across search engines and LLMs like ChatGPT and Perplexity, measuring how content appears in AI answer engines to track visibility and identify opportunities. Legal firms can leverage Conductor’s AI tracking capabilities to understand their brand mentions within AI-generated responses, monitor competitive positioning across multiple AI platforms, and integrate AI search data with traditional SEO metrics through a unified dashboard. The platform combines content optimization, technical SEO auditing, and real-time website monitoring alongside its AI visibility features. Conductor operates on custom enterprise pricing tailored to specific organizational needs. Profound Profound is an AI visibility tracking platform specifically designed for those seeking comprehensive oversight of their presence across AI-powered search engines. The platform tracks how large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Microsoft Copilot mention and rank content, while offering multi-region prompting and 20+ languages functionality, enabling firms to see visibility changes based on geographic location and language of queries. Profound recently unveiled real-time search volume insights for AI Answer Engines, allowing legal marketers to explore topic frequency across platforms. The platform processes 5M+ citations daily, tracks 4M+ crawler visits, and handles 1M+ prompts to deliver comprehensive intelligence for enterprise clients. Profound operates exclusively on customized enterprise pricing. Ahrefs Brand Radar Ahrefs Brand Radar provides AI search visibility tracking through the established Ahrefs platform, offering access to 5 AI indexes, 100M+ prompts, and zero setup required. The tool monitors brand mentions across major AI platforms, including ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews. Users can track how often their firm is mentioned, which domains get cited, and the context surrounding these mentions, while accessing competitive share analysis to understand market positioning within AI-generated responses. Brand Radar is available for Lite plan subscribers and higher, with base access starting at $129/month through Ahrefs’ Lite plan. However, AI Overviews, ChatGPT, and Perplexity indexes are now available as add-ons at $99/month each following the beta period. Choosing the Right Tool for Your Firm Selecting the right AI visibility tool requires careful assessment of your firm’s specific needs, resources, and strategic objectives. Before choosing an AI visibility tool, you will want to assess whether your marketing team can effectively interpret and act upon the data each tool provides because sophisticated analytics become worthless without the ability to implement strategic changes. Next, evaluate the integration capabilities with existing marketing technology stacks, data export options for reporting, and the learning curve required for your team. Lastly and most importantly, align tool selection with measurable business objectives. Understand what you want to get out of the tool and be mindful of what your budget may be. For example, enterprise solutions like Conductor and Profound offer comprehensive capabilities but require a higher financial commitment, while tools like the Semrush AI Toolkit provide accessible entry points for firms already invested in traditional SEO platforms. The right tool is different for each firm, so take the time to identify which would be the best fit for you and your team. Looking Ahead to the Future The search landscape is already shifting dramatically. The share of Americans who have used ChatGPT had roughly doubled since summer 2023, and as of June 2025, 34% of U.S. adults say they have ever used ChatGPT, according to a Pew Research Center survey, indicating a growing use of ChatGPT and other AI agents as traditional search alternatives. Law firms face a fundamental reckoning: their visibility will increasingly depend not just on traditional SEO signals, but also on how effectively AI systems understand, cite, and recommend their expertise. The firms that invest in AI visibility tools today and develop the organizational capability to act on their insights will capture the growing segment of potential clients who never reach a traditional search results page, having found their legal counsel through AI-generated recommendations instead. Don’t Let Your Digital Visibility Tank in the Era of AI Search Law firms that continue to rely exclusively on conventional SEO and website optimization risk becoming invisible to the growing segment of potential clients who trust AI platforms for legal guidance and attorney recommendations. The window for proactive adaptation is narrowing—while your competitors debate the significance of AI search, early adopters are already positioning themselves as the preferred recommendations across ChatGPT, Perplexity, and emerging AI platforms. In an industry where referrals and reputation drive success, allowing AI systems to overlook or misrepresent your firm’s expertise represents an existential threat to future growth. The firms that master AI search visibility today won’t just survive the digital evolution—they’ll define it, capturing clients and market share from competitors who waited too long to adapt to the new rules of legal discovery. 

Today, even with the changing content marketing and thought-leadership marketing landscapes, bylined articles are too valuable not to be part of your thought leadership program. If you’re an attorney or you work in marketing or business development for a law firm or an organization that serves the legal industry, it’s easy to get frustrated by the craziness in the content marketing and thought leadership marketing world today. Thanks to AI, many assumptions we’ve made about how content marketing and thought leadership marketing work have changed. From “zero-click” searches to AI gobbling up search traffic from Google, there’s a lot of uncertainty out there. But you know what? In uncertain times, it’s nice to rely on old standbys to get the job done. Bylined articles are exactly that. Today—perhaps now more than ever—they remain effective tools for building and maintaining thought leadership. Before I discuss why that’s the case, I realize that the success of a bylined article strategy depends on third-party publications publishing those articles. Those publications employ editors who serve as gatekeepers. But there are no gatekeepers for “owned media,” such as law firms’ blogs, podcasts, videos, and email newsletters. There’s no external force affecting a firm’s ability to publish or distribute content through these channels. That’s why developing owned media assets is a key thought leadership strategy for attorneys, executives, and firms seeking to establish and expand their authority. However, that doesn’t mean they—or you—shouldn’t continue to use bylined articles to achieve the same goal. Here are six reasons why they—and you—should. Bylined Articles Help Other Humans Discover You When you write a thought leadership article that’s published by a third-party publication—one that serves the industry you’re currently serving or one that you want to be known more in—you enable past, current, and future clients to discover or rediscover you through your content. If you rely on an email newsletter to distribute your thought leadership, it’s hard for people to discover you unless they’ve already subscribed to the newsletter to receive it (or were forwarded it by someone else). The same principle applies to your blogs and podcasts. With videos, a platform’s algorithm might help other people discover your videos, but they’d still need to follow you on a social media platform or subscribe to your YouTube channel to ensure they’re seeing everything you produce. Bylined Articles Help AI Platforms Discover You AI is a critical component of the discoverability and amplification of thought leadership today. If we want AI models like ChatGPT, Google Gemini, Claude, and others to find us, suggest us as service providers, and cite our content in response to queries, we need to have content that’s discoverable by them. Yes, I know AI models have and will continue to crawl the internet to find all the content they can gobble up, including our blog posts, email newsletters posted online, and transcripts of our YouTube videos. But bylined articles published in reputable third-party publications give higher signs of authority and credibility than your blog posts or email newsletters. AI will deem the well-regarded publications you publish these articles in as more authoritative and credible than blog posts that may only get a few dozen readers. Bylined Articles Let You Build Authority Through Borrowed Credibility When you publish an article in a well-regarded publication, you’re seen as having some level of authority and credibility because that publication was willing to publish your thought leadership. By doing so, the publication sends a signal that your content was worthy of being included in it and worthy of carrying its imprint. Your podcasts, blog posts, email newsletters, and other owned media are a different story. As I discussed above, there’s no gatekeeper for this content, so the only credibility this content borrows is your and your firm’s credibility. Of course, if you or your firm are prominent thought leaders, that’s perfectly fine. But few attorneys or firms start their thought leadership journey from a position of high credibility and authority. Bylined Articles Are Potent Business Development Materials When a client or prospect has an issue that you’ve covered in a previous bylined article, you can send the article to them, which shows them that you’re familiar with the issue and likely have thoughts on how to address it. When you do so, you’re greasing the business development skids by letting the client/prospect know that you can handle this issue for them. Sure, this could be accomplished by sending a link to a blog post or podcast episode. But sending an article hits differently because it was published in a third-party publication, thereby borrowing the credibility of the publication. This is particularly important when the prospect is someone with whom you haven’t worked before or is someone with whom you’re not well acquainted. Bylined Articles Are More Credible Entries in Your Thought Leadership Library When you’re a professional services provider, any thought leadership is good thought leadership. Let’s get that out of the way. Even if you’re only publishing blog posts or email newsletters, the fact that you’re producing any thought leadership puts you ahead of most of your competition. Listing the blog posts you’ve written in your online bio and on your LinkedIn profile can help you build credibility and authority. But, again, that credibility and authority will be heightened when you’re listing the articles you’ve published in third-party publications, given the credibility you’re borrowing from those publications. Additionally, if you’ve published articles in a variety of publications that serve different geographies, industries, or segments of industries, your articles show clients and referral sources that there’s a breadth and depth to your knowledge and wisdom. With your blog posts, newsletters, and other owned media, that breadth and depth might not come across as clearly, even if you’re covering a wide range of topics in your content. Bylined Articles Can Drive the News Cycles at Media Outlets That Publish Them Finally, when you submit bylined articles to media outlets, those articles will be seen by those outlets’ editors and reporters. Your bylined articles could get you a separate round of publicity because you’ve alerted reporters to an interesting issue you covered in an article. This has happened several times with my clients. After submitting a bylined article that was published in a media outlet, a reporter from that outlet contacted the author to discuss the subject of their article because they wanted to report on it in a separate article. Of course, they called my client first to interview them about the topic because they had submitted the bylined article that piqued the reporter’s interest and demonstrated that the author was an authority on the article’s subject matter. This is a unique feature of bylined articles: helping people who publish articles get two bites of the thought leadership apple by first publishing an article and then having the opportunity to be interviewed for a subsequent article about the same topic. This doesn’t happen often, but the fact that it can happen at all is another reason to employ a bylined article strategy for your thought leadership. The Classics Are Classics for a Reason It’s crazy times out there today in the content marketing and thought leadership marketing arenas. When things get a little crazy, it’s nice to rely on old standbys. A bylined article strategy can help alleviate the concerns you and your colleagues have about AI and other technological developments negatively affecting your marketing and business development efforts. Even in the face of rapid technological change and uncertainty about whether marketing strategies and tactics that once worked will still work, bylined articles can help you and your colleagues implement a thought leadership campaign to build and expand your authority.

Is your firm unknowingly surrendering potential clients to its competitors? Prospects are online everyday researching the legal services they need, but if your pages aren’t appearing for the keywords they query, they’re going to head elsewhere. As a law firm in an increasingly competitive digital space, this isn’t just a problem—it’s a huge missed opportunity that’s costing your firm revenue. It’s also entirely reversible. By taking the time to conduct a keyword gap analysis, you can identify the search terms your competitors rank for, but you don’t. Tap into those keywords, and you can start to outrank your rivals and begin attracting more high-value prospects to your site. I’ve seen firsthand how the information gleaned from a well-thought-out keyword gap analysis can help law firms cut through the digital noise in a crowded online marketplace. If you’re ready to take your SEO strategy to the next level, let’s dive in! Understanding Keyword Research Keywords serve as the bridge between what potential clients search for and the legal services you provide. Effective keyword research goes beyond simply identifying highly searched terms. It requires understanding search intent—the “why” behind every query. When someone searches for “personal injury lawyer,” they have different needs than someone searching for “how to file a personal injury claim.” The first indicates they’re ready to hire legal representation, while the second suggests they’re still in the information-gathering phase. For law firms, this distinction matters tremendously. High-conversion keywords typically include location-specific terms like “divorce attorney in Chicago” or service-specific phrases such as “wrongful termination lawyer.” These targeted searches often represent prospects who are further along in their decision-making process. Long-tail keywords deserve special attention in legal marketing. While “lawyer” might generate massive search volume, “affordable immigration lawyer for green card applications” targets a specific audience with clear intent. These longer, more specific phrases typically face less competition and attract more qualified prospects. In addition, Google’s AI Mode and LLMs are shifting user behavior toward more conversational searches, which often take the form of long-tail queries and detailed questions. What Makes Keyword Gap Analysis Essential In my experience, most legal practices face intense competition online, with established firms dominating many valuable search terms. Keyword gap analysis helps level the playing field by revealing overlooked opportunities and emerging trends in legal searches. Consider this scenario: Your personal injury firm ranks well for “car accident lawyer,” but your competitor consistently appears for “rideshare accident attorney” and “bicycle accident lawyer”—terms you never considered targeting. A keyword gap analysis would identify these opportunities, allowing you to create relevant content and capture leads among potential clients querying those terms. The benefits extend beyond just finding new high-intent search terms. Keyword gap analysis provides insights into your competitors’ content strategies, reveals seasonal trends in legal searches, and helps you understand which topics resonate with your target audience. Regular gap analysis also keeps you ahead of industry changes. As new legal issues emerge or regulations change, search patterns evolve. Firms that monitor these shifts through competitor analysis can quickly adapt their content strategies to capture emerging opportunities. Performing a Keyword Gap Analysis So, what does it take to conduct a thorough keyword gap analysis? Identify Your True Competitors An effective analysis begins with identifying the right competitors to analyze. Focus on law firms that serve similar clients in your focal practice areas. Also review firms operating in your geographic area to assess how they perform locally—for example, through their office location pages and Google Business Profiles. Don’t just consider the biggest firms in your market—sometimes smaller, specialized practices can reveal valuable niche opportunities. Start by searching for your primary practice area keywords in Google. The firms consistently appearing in the top 10 results should be on your analysis list. Pay attention to both organic results and Google Ads, as firms investing in paid search often have sophisticated keyword strategies worth tracking and evaluating. Consider both direct and indirect competitors. A direct competitor might be another family law firm in your city, while an indirect competitor could be a legal information website that ranks for questions your potential clients ask. Identify Potential Competitor Keywords Once you’ve selected competitors, use your chosen analysis tool—Semrush Keyword Gap, Content Gap by Ahrefs, SimilarWeb, etc.—to extract their keyword data. Focus on terms that align with your practice areas and geographic market. A personal injury firm in Texas that only serves clients within the state shouldn’t prioritize keywords specific to New York workers’ compensation law. Look for patterns in your competitors’ keyword strategies. Are they targeting specific types of cases within your practice area that you haven’t considered? Do they rank for informational keywords that could drive top-of-funnel traffic to your firm? Pay special attention to local SEO opportunities. Competitors might rank for neighborhood-specific terms, nearby city names, or location-based legal questions that you could also target. And don’t overlook long-tail variations of your core keywords. Your competitor might rank for “how to choose a divorce lawyer” while you only target “divorce lawyer.” These informational keywords can attract prospects early in their research process. Choose Competitor Keywords to Target Not every keyword your competitors rank for deserves your attention. Prioritize opportunities based on relevance, search volume, competition level, and your firm’s capacity to create quality content. Relevance should be your first filter. A keyword might generate significant traffic for a competitor, but if it doesn’t align with your services or target clients, it won’t benefit your firm. Focus on keywords that match your practice areas and can realistically convert into qualified leads. Evaluate the competitive landscape for each keyword. Tools like Ahrefs and Semrush provide keyword difficulty scores that estimate how challenging it would be to rank for specific terms. As a general rule, newer websites should target keywords with lower difficulty scores, while established firms with strong domain authority can pursue more competitive terms. Consider search intent carefully. Keywords indicating immediate need for legal services (like “hire DUI lawyer”) typically offer higher conversion potential than informational searches (like “what happens at a DUI hearing”). Balance your strategy between capturing immediate demand and building long-term organic growth through educational content. Creating Content Around High-Intent Keywords Discovering keyword opportunities is only the beginning. Success requires creating compelling, authoritative content that addresses the search intent behind each target keyword. For legal content, quality and expertise matter more than quantity. Google’s algorithms increasingly favor content that demonstrates expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness—particularly important for YMYL (Your Money or Your Life) topics like legal services. When creating content for legal keywords, consider the specific needs of searchers. Someone searching for “child custody modification lawyer” likely needs immediate legal assistance, making a well-optimized service page more appropriate than a general blog post. Conversely, “child custody laws in [state]” suggests an informational need better served by comprehensive educational content. Structure your content to address common questions and concerns related to each keyword. Use clear headings, bullet points, and concise paragraphs to make information easily digestible. Include relevant case studies, testimonials, or examples when appropriate, while maintaining client confidentiality. Don’t forget technical SEO elements. Optimize title tags, meta descriptions, and header tags to include your target keywords naturally. Ensure your content loads quickly and provides an excellent user experience across all devices. Measuring Success and Continuous Improvement Keyword gap analysis isn’t a one-time activity. Legal markets evolve, competitors adjust their strategies, and new opportunities emerge regularly. Establish a routine for monitoring your progress and identifying new gaps. Track key metrics including organic traffic growth, keyword ranking improvements, and most importantly, lead generation from organic search. Use tools like Google Analytics and Google Search Console to monitor how your targeted keywords perform over time. Set realistic expectations for results. SEO typically requires several months to show significant impact, particularly in competitive legal markets. Focus on gradual improvements, rather than expecting immediate dramatic changes. Keep monitoring your competitors’ activities. They may be conducting their own gap analysis and identifying opportunities you’ve overlooked. Keeping an eye on the competition helps you stay ahead of trends and maintain your search visibility. Takeaway The digital landscape is always evolving. But by prioritizing a data-driven keyword strategy that prioritizes search intent, your firm can achieve the online visibility critical to achieving its business development goals.

In today’s noisy and fast-changing content landscape, attorneys and law firms should strive to become THE DESTINATION for thought leadership in the eyes of their clients and referral sources—not merely A SOURCE of it. The way people find information today is undergoing a rapid transformation. From evolving SEO and social media algorithms to the influence of AI in both search and content creation, the landscape is constantly shifting. Yet, amidst this flux, many established and newer media outlets and content creators aren’t just surviving—they’re flourishing. Why is that? Because they’ve become destinations. Think of the audiences who actively seek out, for example, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Mr. Beast’s YouTube channel, or Joe Rogan’s or Alex Cooper’s podcasts. They know what to expect from the content these organizations and individuals produce, they want more of it, and they go directly to the source for it. They aren’t searching online for content; they’re navigating to a trusted source of information (and entertainment). This is how you and your law firm cut through the noise and stand out with your thought leadership content in the coming years. You follow this lead and strive to be the Joe Rogan or Alex Cooper of your practice area, while your law firm strives to be The New York Times of its practice areas. In other words, you and your firm strive to be THE DESTINATIONS for thought leadership, not just yet another source among many. THE DESTINATION—not just a source—for knowledge, wisdom, and insights that your clients can use regarding the work you and your firm do. Seven Strategies for Becoming THE DESTINATION for Thought Leadership So, how exactly do you and your firm become THE DESTINATIONS for thought leadership in the eyes of your target audiences? Here are seven high-level considerations to guide you as you and your firm build a content program aimed at achieving this goal: 1. Commit to the Idea and Merits of Thought Leadership You and your colleagues will have to embrace the concept that the best way to make a lasting, favorable impression on your target audiences that you are authorities regarding the work you do is to consistently create content that is relevant, valuable, and compelling to them. You and your colleagues should be convinced that thought leadership content creation is a driving force behind how you and they retain and attract clients. 2. Commit to the Idea of Owning a Niche and/or an Industry Resist the urge to create thought leadership content about broad topics related to your practice. Instead, strategically identify and commit to creating content that positions you as owning specific niches or industries. Look for niches where there might be some competition, but there’s no one attorney or firm that’s truly planted their flag as the leading voice consistently producing thought leadership regarding everything clients need to know regarding that niche. When you do so, you and your colleagues will also need to embrace regularly sharing insights not just about legal issues, but also about economic, sociopolitical, and geopolitical trends impacting that niche. If you want to be THE DESTINATION for people who want to stay up to date on the most impactful news regarding a niche or industry, you’ll need to cover more than just court decisions, legislation, or administrative agency actions. 3. Commit to Consistent Content Creation Consistency is key to becoming THE DESTINATION for thought leadership in the eyes of your target audiences. You and your colleagues need to be consistently creating content—not just monthly or bi-weekly, but at least weekly. Ideally, you should aim for multiple content pieces per week, delivered in various forms. 4. Take an Omnichannel Approach On a related note, if you want to become THE DESTINATION for thought leadership for your target audience, you can’t rely on just articles or blog posts. We all consume content differently and we all have our preferred ways for consuming content. To be a true destination, you need to meet your target audiences where they are regarding content consumption. Consider creating thought leadership content in the form of podcasts, videos, social media posts, and email newsletters. And, think about ways you can mix, match, and repurpose that content. For example, email newsletters that cover the same topics as recent articles but in summary form, or blog posts derived from recent podcast episodes. This ensures that your valuable insights reach individuals who prefer various content formats. 5. Consider the Full Spectrum of Content People not only want to consume content in different formats, but even people who prefer the written word often like a variety of offerings. Not every piece of content should be a 2,000-word article. Nor should it be an 800-word blog post. Sometimes, a concise 300-word update on a relevant news item is all that’s needed. On the other end of the spectrum, consider dedicating resources to proprietary research and other “tent pole,” flagship content pieces that no one else can create because they haven’t invested the necessary time and resources into their thought leadership programs, or they don’t have the same knowledge about the underlying subject matter that you and your firm have. 6. Staff Your Content Operation Appropriately If you want to become THE DESTINATION for thought leadership in the eyes of your target audience, your content creation can’t just fall on the shoulders of your attorneys. It takes a team to create a steady enough stream of relevant, valuable, and compelling content that would allow you and your firm to be seen as THE DESTINATION for thought leadership. Consider hiring a content manager who can oversee a firm’s or practice group’s content creation from a bird’s eye view. You’ll also want to consider hiring at least one dedicated writer. You should also consider hiring at least one editor who can handle video editing and audio (i.e., podcast) editing. Someday—or even today—your content operations might need multiple writers and multiple editors. If you want to become THE DESTINATION for thought leadership for your target audiences, you can’t expect one or two attorneys to drive content creation for an entire practice group. Just like one or two attorneys don’t handle all the legal work for a practice group, one or two attorneys shouldn’t be expected to handle all the content creation for one. 7. Seek Feedback From Your Target Audiences You’re going to want ongoing feedback from your clients, referral sources, and other people consuming your content. Strive for a regular dialogue with these people. Understand what they like and what they don’t like. Which content topics do they want you and your colleagues to cover more often? Which topics couldn’t they care less about? Are all the formats you’re producing adequate? Are there new formats your key consumers might want you to produce your content in? Feedback helps you create the kind of content that will actually draw in readers, viewers, and listeners—which will help build your audience and your practice. Thrive in the New Era of Content Despite the dynamic and sometimes chaotic nature of content creation and content discovery today, the stalwarts aren’t merely just doing fine, they’re flourishing. The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Mr. Beast, and Joe Rogan, among many other media outlets and creators, are thriving because they have become destinations for their respective audiences. Take a lesson from them. To survive and thrive in today’s legal marketplace, you and your law firm should strive to become THE DESTINATION for thought leadership for your target audiences. By providing relevant, valuable, and compelling knowledge, wisdom, and insights that boost your and your firm’s authority, you and your firm can become the first places clients and other target audience members go for information about their industry and the areas of law you and your firm practice—and the first choice when they need assistance with legal or business issues arising in their industry and/or within the areas of law you and your firm practice.

When Taylor Swift couldn’t control her own music catalog, she didn’t just complain about the unfairness of it all. She re-recorded everything. Built her own empire. Took back control. Your law firm probably needs the same energy. Here’s the uncomfortable truth: If 90% of your clients come from referrals, you don’t own your reputation. Other people do. You’re building their influence while staying completely dependent on their goodwill. And that’s a business model with an expiration date. The Hidden Cost of Referral Dependency Picture this scenario: Your biggest referral source retires next month. Or gets upset about a case outcome. Or starts sending their overflow to a younger associate they want to mentor. What happens to your pipeline? This isn’t hypothetical. It’s happening to successful attorneys every day. Lawyers who built solid practices on the foundation of “word of mouth marketing” suddenly find themselves scrambling when those mouths stop talking about them. The solution isn’t to abandon referrals because they’re still valuable. The solution is to stop being held hostage by them. It’s Time for Your Firm’s Independence Era Here’s how to build a practice that you actually control, starting today. 1. Create Content That Showcases Your Actual Expertise Stop hiding behind “lawyers don’t self-promote” excuses. You’re not bragging. You’re educating. What this looks like: LinkedIn articles addressing common client questions in your practice area Speaking engagements at industry events where your ideal clients gather Newsletter content that positions you as the go-to expert, not just “another lawyer” C ommunity involvement where you’re visible as a thought leader The goal? When someone needs your type of legal help, your name comes to mind first; not because someone else mentioned you, but because they’ve seen your expertise directly. 2. Build Your Own Client Pipeline Referrals are wonderful. But they’re also unpredictable, uncontrollable, and unreliable for consistent growth. Here’s your diversification strategy: SEO-optimized website content that answers the questions your ideal clients are Googling Google Business Profile that positions you as the local expert (yes, even Big Law partners need these) Direct networking in the communities where your clients actually spend time Past client nurturing through regular check-ins and valuable content sharing 3. Own Your Narrative Before Someone Else Tells It When you rely solely on referrals, other people control your story. They decide how you’re positioned, what you’re known for, and whether you get the opportunity at all. Take back control: Define your niche clearly and communicate it consistently Share client success stories (with permission) that demonstrate your unique approach Position yourself proactively instead of waiting for others to recommend you Build relationships directly with your ideal client base But What If “Marketing Feels Too Salesy for Lawyers”? Let’s get something straight: This isn’t about becoming a marketing machine. It’s about professional sustainability. You’re not selling. You’re solving problems for people who need your help. You’re making it easier for the right clients to find the right expert. You. When you hide your expertise, you’re actually doing a disservice to potential clients who could benefit from your knowledge. The Strategic Advantage of Brand Independence Lawyers who control their own brand and client pipeline have something their referral-dependent colleagues don’t: options. Options to be selective about cases. Options to raise rates. Options to pivot practice areas. Options to weather economic downturns or industry changes. Most importantly, options to build the practice they actually want instead of accepting whatever referrals happen to come their way. Stop Building Someone Else’s Empire The lawyers who thrive in the next decade won’t just be the most competent ones in the room. They’ll be the most known ones. Not because they’re attention-seekers, but because they understood that expertise without visibility is just expensive hobby knowledge. So yes, keep nurturing those referral relationships. But also start building something that belongs entirely to you. Because when you control your own narrative, set your own standards, and build your own platform, everything changes. Your law firm’s independence era is waiting. Time to write your own success story. The Bottom Line People can’t hire experts they can’t find. And they can’t find you if you’re invisible behind someone else’s recommendation. Stop playing small. Start building your own empire. Because in 2025, owning your professional destiny isn’t just smart business. It’s survival.

For many attorneys, marketing carries an unshakable association with desperation. “Good lawyers don’t need to advertise,” goes the thinking. “The work speaks for itself.” This isn’t mere snobbery. It reflects a deeply ingrained professional value system where excellence and dignity reign supreme. Consider that for centuries, lawyers built practices entirely through reputation and referral. The attorney who actively sought clients was viewed with suspicion—if they were truly skilled, wouldn’t clients naturally seek them out? The solution for legal marketers isn’t to dismiss these concerns but to reframe marketing in terms of professional dignity as an extension of professional skill rather than a substitute for it. The issue isn’t marketing itself—it’s what attorneys think marketing means. In many legal minds, “marketing” conjures images of TV commercials asking “Have you been injured?” or aggressive sales tactics. They don’t instinctively connect it with the relationship-building and reputation-management activities they already value. The Weight of History Until 1977, legal advertising was actually prohibited. When the Supreme Court’s Bates v. State Bar of Arizona decision finally permitted attorney advertising, cultural attitudes didn’t magically transform overnight. This historical context explains why many senior partners—particularly those who began practicing before the mid-1980s—view marketing with instinctive suspicion. They were trained in an era when promotional activities could result in disbarment! The Economics of Resistance Let’s also acknowledge the elephant in the room: time spent on marketing is time not spent billing clients. In a profession where success is literally measured in six-minute increments, this creates an immediate economic disincentive. “Every hour I spend on a blog post is an hour I’m not billing at $750,” explained one candid partner. “Unless you can show me how that post generates more than $750 in value, the math doesn’t work.” This isn’t shortsighted—it’s rational economic calculation. The challenge for marketers is demonstrating ROI in terms attorneys value. Make marketing worth attorneys’ time by addressing the “what’s in it for me?” factor directly. Cognitive Style Mismatch Legal training ruthlessly develops analytical precision, risk awareness, and evidence-based thinking. Lawyers are professionally rewarded for identifying problems, mitigating risks, and focusing on details—the exact opposite of marketing’s bias toward positive messaging, emotional appeals, and big-picture vision. This difference in cognitive style creates friction when reviewing marketing materials. What marketers see as compelling storytelling, attorneys often view as factually imprecise. What lawyers consider appropriately cautious language; marketers see as watered-down messaging. Successful firms address this by creating hybrid processes that satisfy both mindsets. One way to do this is by pairing marketing creatives with dedicated attorney editors who ensure accuracy without killing the engaging tone. Ethics and Advertising Marketing in legal services exists within a complex regulatory framework that goes beyond typical truth-in-advertising standards. Bar association rules vary by jurisdiction and can restrict everything from client testimonials to specific language about specialization. But the unwritten ethical concerns often exert even more influence than formal regulations. Many attorneys have a negative visceral reaction to anything that feels “ambulance-chaser adjacent”—even when it’s perfectly compliant with bar rules. Savvy marketers turn this challenge into an advantage by building ethics into their messaging strategy from the ground up. Rather than seeing ethical guidelines as constraints, they position them as differentiators that showcase the firm’s commitment to professionalism. Evidence-Based Decision Making When proposing a new marketing initiative, be prepared for attorneys to approach it like a legal argument: “Show me the precedent.” Lawyers are trained to make decisions based on evidence, precedent, and proven methodologies. The often-intuitive nature of marketing decisions can trigger skepticism. When you suggest a website redesign because “it feels outdated,” expect to be met with raised eyebrows. Successful legal marketers adapt by building evidence-based decision processes. Before proposing changes, they arm themselves with competitive analyses, client feedback data, and industry benchmarks. Status Quo Bias The legal profession has a particular reverence for precedent and established practice. “We’ve always done it this way” isn’t just a reflexive response—it’s a core professional value in a field where stability and predictability are prized. This creates a powerful status quo bias that can hamstring marketing innovation. The key to overcoming this isn’t to fight against precedent but to use it strategically. Smart marketers also recognize the difference between revolutionary and evolutionary change. Small, incremental shifts that build on existing programs typically face less resistance than dramatic pivots, even when the end goal is the same. Practical Strategies for Marketers If, by this point, you feel like you’re fighting an uphill battle, you’re not alone. But that doesn’t mean you should throw in the towel. Here are a few strategies we’ve leveraged to gain traction with our lawyers and clients: Speak Their Language Want to get lawyers on board with your marketing plan? Present it like a legal brief. Structure your proposals with clear “arguments” supported by specific evidence. Begin with a concise executive summary that outlines your recommendation and supporting rationale. Follow with detailed evidence organized by key points. Anticipate objections and address them proactively. Analogies that connect marketing concepts to legal practice are particularly effective. “This content strategy is like building a compelling case—we’re systematically developing the evidence that positions us as the authority in this practice area.” Build Marketing Advocates Every firm has them: lawyers who secretly find marketing interesting but don’t want to be the first to admit it. Identifying these potential advocates is crucial to building internal support. Look for attorneys who: Regularly share industry articles Have previous business experience Show interest in client development Ask questions about marketing metrics Once identified, involve these attorneys in pilot programs where they can experience marketing success firsthand. Their positive experiences create powerful social proof for skeptical colleagues. At one litigation boutique, the marketing director identified a senior associate with untapped business development potential. After coaching him through a successful thought leadership campaign that generated three new client inquiries, she gained not just an advocate but a missionary who actively recruited other attorneys to the marketing program. Redefine Success Metrics Generic marketing metrics rarely resonate with attorneys. Website traffic, social media engagement, and email open rates feel disconnected from business results that matter to lawyers. Develop practice-specific metrics that directly connect marketing activities to business outcomes attorneys value. Instead of reporting blog visits, report how many qualified prospects contacted the firm after reading thought leadership. Instead of social media followers, track relationship development with specific target clients. Visualization is crucial here. Dashboard approaches that clearly show the connection between marketing activities and business results transform abstract concepts into tangible value. When Jenner & Block implemented a dashboard tracking system that connected marketing touchpoints to new matter openings, attorney participation in marketing initiatives increased by 40% within six months. Streamline Approval Processes Nothing kills marketing momentum faster than cumbersome approval processes. When attorneys must review every tweet, blog post, and press release, bottlenecks are inevitable. Smart marketers create governance frameworks that balance control with efficiency. Consider: Template approach: Develop pre-approved templates for common content types Tiered review: Implement different review levels based on content sensitivity Designated reviewers: Train specific attorneys to serve as efficient marketing reviewers Technology solutions: Utilize workflow platforms that streamline review processes Thought Leadership vs. “Selling” The fastest way to secure attorney buy-in is to focus on thought leadership rather than overt promotion. Lawyers who recoil at traditional marketing often eagerly contribute to educational content that showcases their expertise. The key distinction is positioning. “Writing promotional content about our services” triggers resistance. “Educating the market about a complex legal development” aligns perfectly with how attorneys view their professional role. This approach doesn’t just secure attorney participation—it often produces more effective marketing. Educational content that genuinely serves clients’ informational needs typically outperforms promotional material in engagement, sharing, and lead generation. Leverage Partner Strengths Attorneys are trained to analyze complex issues, identify key insights, and present persuasive arguments—skills that align perfectly with effective content creation. The marketer’s role is to harness these strengths while managing the limitations. Successful programs typically involve: Structured interview approaches that efficiently extract attorney insights Professional writing resources that transform rough thoughts into polished content Clear timelines that respect attorneys’ scheduling constraints Attribution systems that appropriately credit contributing attorneys Show, Don’t Tell Nothing convinces attorneys like results. Build credibility by documenting marketing successes and sharing them internally. Effective approaches include: Case studies connecting specific marketing activities to new business Client testimonials that mention marketing touchpoints Competitor examples demonstrating the impact of similar initiatives Before-and-after metrics that clearly illustrate improvement Education-First Approach Many attorneys resist marketing simply because they don’t understand it. Strategic education can transform skeptics into supporters. Consider developing: Marketing workshops customized for legal professionals Lunch-and-learn sessions on specific marketing tactics New associate training that includes business development fundamentals Internal resource libraries that explain marketing concepts in legal terms Building Bridges, Not Barriers The lawyer-marketer divide isn’t inevitable. By understanding the legitimate concerns behind attorneys’ resistance to marketing, savvy professionals can develop approaches that align with legal values while advancing business goals. This isn’t about tricking lawyers into marketing or watering down effective strategies to appease skeptics. It’s about finding the sweet spot where professional dignity, ethical standards, and business development converge. The firms that master this balance gain a powerful competitive advantage: the ability to market effectively in a profession where most still struggle with the very concept. As one managing partner told me after his firm’s marketing transformation: “We didn’t start marketing more—we just started marketing right.”