Our weekly roundup of legal news links, legal PR client news and story ideas

By Geri L. Dreiling, Esq.

Awareness. Engagement. Conversion. When you’re adopting a social media strategy for your legal practice, measure your effort with these three goals in mind, advises writer Brian R. Hook in the article “Climbing the B2B Business Ladder.”

I use the same yardstick to evaluate my own online marketing and social media outreach.

In January, the new Legal Media Matters site was launched. Over the course of five months the number of unique monthly visitors has more than doubled. We’ve received feedback and comments on a variety of articles. Our article providing photo shoot tips generated the greatest number of comments.

Our network on LinkedIn has expanded as well. Not only has our social media outreach on the business sight brought in new legal PR and law firm website writing clients, but it has also resulted in great conversations with people such as Nils Montan, an IP lawyer who owns IPAlly.com and lawandsocialnetworking.com.

Initially a skeptic, I have a newfound respect for Twitter. I joined, tweeted for a few weeks and then ignored the site. Eventually I gave it a second chance and put more effort into it. I’m glad I did. I have thoroughly enjoyed my interactions and learned a lot from a variety of people, from @richardrusseth, a lawyer in Colorado and general counsel for a private company, to @MaxDolotov, a law practitioner in Ukraine, and @dfscot, a lawyer in Scotland.

Through the Legal Media Matters Facebook page I’ve been able to share interesting legal news items and tips with people I know and individuals I hope to get to know better in the future.

So, to our friends, followers, subscribers, readers and commenters:  Thank you!

I would also like to thank Kerry Bailey, a tireless copy editor who helps me dot my i’s and cross my t’s in my posts and in the writing work we perform for our clients. Enrique Serrano, a programmer and designer, helps me keep my site running with style, provides technical insights and conducts important keyword research on behalf of our clients.

We’re heading into a three-day holiday weekend in the United States. With Memorial Day just around the corner, I’d like to issue a final thank-you, this one to our service men and women.

I will not be posting an entry on Monday but will resume Wednesday. In the meantime, you can still find me on Twitter. (@legalmediamtrs)

LMM Client News

Consumer attorney John Campbell, of St. Louis-based The Simon Law Firm, was recently highlighted in Missouri Lawyers Media. Campbell appeared before the Missouri Supreme Court and argued that class action waivers contained in arbitration agreements are unenforceable. The case is Beverly Brewer v. Missouri Title Loans Inc.

St. Louis divorce lawyer and mediator Marta J. Papa is offering her 40-hour divorce mediation training course June 23-27. The training includes demonstrations, lectures, role-playing and coaching. I’m delighted to be a guest speaker during the training session in which I’ll discuss ways to market your mediation practice.

Notable Links for Lawyers

Victims Allege Man Posing as Attorney

A fugitive felon who is supposed to be serving a 10-year sentence for stealing sets up shop in downtown St. Louis as a bankruptcy legal representative. Fox 2 investigative reporter Chris Hayes confronts Richard O’Donnell, the man posing as attorney who opened up Bankruptcy n’ More, whose clients allege he took their money and provided less than nothing.

Do You Comply with the FTC’s Red Flag Rule?

On June 1, the federal government’s so-called Red Flag Rule that requires businesses to spot red flags to prevent identity theft, goes into effect. In this Inc. article, Courtney Rubin notes that small businesses, including law firms, may be subject to the law.

Majority of Adults Now Google Themselves

More online users are taking online reputation management seriously, according to a study from the Pew Internet & American Life Project. Mashable’s Jennifer Van Grove notes that young adults are becoming more aware of the information they post online and how it can affect their careers. As the article, “Do You Google Yourself,” explains, lawyers also need to monitor their virtual images.

Make Marketing a Habit

On Slaw.ca, Allison C. Shields reminds lawyers that marketing is a marathon, not a sprint, and offers five excellent marketing habits lawyers should consider establishing.  For more PR and marketing ideas, read “Is Your Marketing Resolve Slipping?”

Climbing the B2B Business Ladder

To survive and thrive, all businesses will eventually need to adopt a social media strategy, Brian R. Hook writes for E-Commerce Times. Hook explains the options available to businesses and discusses the three ways to measure efforts:  awareness, engagement and conversion.

Twitter Guide for Writers

Want to get the most from Twitter? Don’t be obsessed with the number of followers you accumulate, advises writer and cartoonist Debbie Ridpath Ohi, also known as Inkygirl. Instead, use it as a place to network and a source of support and encouragement. Although the tips are aimed at writers, the advice holds true for lawyers as well.

The Most Ridiculous News Typos Ever

If you’ve been reading my blog posts regularly, you know that I preach the gospel of a good copy edit. The reason? To avoid embarrassing mistakes like the ones the ones highlighted on the Huffington Post. (The menu item “honey mustard chicken diapers” is thoroughly unappetizing, and that’s just one of the tamer typos.) Want to ensure that your website doesn’t contain similar gaffes? Read “Editing Web Content for Law Firms.”

Story Ideas for Business, Consumer and Law

Reporters, Writers and Bloggers

Moral Turpitude Clauses

The latest issue of The Civil Litigator highlights a jury verdict for a football coach and social studies teacher at a Catholic high school in Iowa. When the teacher remarried without getting his first marriage annulled, he was fired for violating the moral turpitude clause in his contract. The teacher sued for breach of contract, and a jury awarded him more than $600,000.

How common are moral turpitude clauses? Can schools and businesses enforce them? If so, how can they do it without exposing themselves to liability?

Fireworks and the Fourth of July

We’re heading into the first U.S. holiday of the summer, and the second major American holiday, the Fourth of July, is just around the corner. That means we’ll soon be hearing the whistle of fireworks and the pop of firecrackers in our neighborhoods — even when they’re technically illegal.

A few possible story ideas:  If you set off fireworks and they end up damaging your neighbor’s property, are you liable? Does it make a difference from a liability standpoint if you shot them off legally or illegally? Are laws banning fireworks enforced? If you need legal experts to talk about these issues, don’t hesitate to contact me.

Have any links to suggest? Give them a mention in our comments section. And if you have any recommendations for next week, feel free to e-mail them to me. geri@legalmediamatters.com

Have a safe Memorial Day weekend!

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At Legal Media Matters, we provide legal public relations, law firm marketing and attorney website content writing services.

The Office

By Geri L. Dreiling, Esq.

The notion of helping others is what attracts many to law school, and that desire to give back to the community continues even after graduation.

For lawyers, making a difference can mean many different things: representing clients on a pro bono basis, raising money for a local nonprofit group, establishing a grant award for community programs or recognizing a group that provides a valuable service.

Although the primary purpose of these gestures is to help others, community outreach is one of the most positive ways to raise the profile of your law firm in the community and educate the public about your practice.

The importance of community outreach is something that many corporations have long recognized. Most business have an individual — sometimes even a whole department — whose sole focus is to review grant applications and provide funds that help support charities and nonprofits.

Even smaller companies view community support as a component of good corporate citizenship. Anyone who has ever been to a Little League game has seen the names of local insurance agencies and sporting goods stores who have sponsored teams. Many school programs include the names of local business sponsors who helped contribute to the events’ success.

Of course, there’s a right way and wrong way to go about community outreach. The Office’s Michael Scott didn’t get it quite right when he pushed to have Boy Scouts attend a gambling fundraiser, on a school night, catered by Hooters.

Most law firms, unlike Michael, are able to successfully incorporate community outreach into their practices. Here are three examples of Legal Media Matters clients that get it right.

1.  Russell I. Alexander Charitable Giving Fund

Canadian family lawyer Russell Alexander, based in Brooklin, Ontario, established a $5,000 annual grant for nonprofits that serve greater Durham and Kawartha Lakes.

The fund helps not-for-profit agencies that promote community development, arts and culture, sports, education or health and human services. In 2009, Covenant House of Toronto received the grant. The law firm is accepting applications for its 2010 grant.

As Alexander explained in a recent press release, the giving fund allows the firm to help the community in a meaningful way.

2. Project XOXO

Responding to the sluggish economy and increased strain on public services, several St. Louis law firms joined forces in 2010 to raise money for various local charities by launching Project XOXO.

Established to coincide with Valentine’s Day, Project XOXO managed to raise more than $60,000 for St. Louis-area nonprofits.

3.  Conflict Resolution Month

For St. Louis family law attorney and mediator Marta J. Papa, resolving conflict in a peaceful manner is a key part of her practice. Therefore, for October’s Conflict Resolution Month, Papa’s law firm took a three-pronged approach.

With the help of Beth Lewandowski, another of the firm’s lawyers, Papa was able to get a proclamation from St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay noting the significance of Conflict Resolution Month. Papa also presented a plaque to Forsyth School in recognition of its program that teaches children how to resolve their conflicts in a peaceful manner. Finally, Papa shared with KSDK (Channel 5) anchor Jennifer Blome tips on how viewers can resolve conflict at home and at work in a positive fashion.

At Legal Media Matters, we believe in supporting the community, too.

After chronicling the struggle of one family from Sierra Leone for St. Louis Magazine, I became interested in the plight of immigrants and war refugees who have resettled in St. Louis. That’s one reason that I am involved with the St. Louis Center for Survivors of Torture and War Trauma.

Has your firm reached out to the community? If so, what organizations do you support, and how does your firm make a meaningful difference?

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The path from obscurity to media spotlight requires an investment of time and effort

By Geri L. Dreiling, Esq.

Perhaps one of the most envied gigs among lawyers is that of legal commentator. It allows an attorney to get his or her name in the press as an independent observer while avoiding messy client confidentiality and pretrial publicity issues, and it also feels safe: The likelihood that the resulting press will be negative is generally low.

But moving from the wish to be viewed as a legal expert to actually getting quoted in the media is difficult. As in most situations in business and in life, you need to build a relationship first.

Drawing on my experience as a legal and investigative reporter for a variety of local and national trade and general circulation publications, I have assembled five tips for building and maintaining a relationship with members of the media.

1. Focus on local reporters.

All news is local, so the saying goes. Before trying to land an appearance on CNN or in The Wall Street Journal, start with your local newspaper and the legal trade publications that cover your geographic area.  Not only is it easier to build a relationship with local reporters, but the audience will also be more closely aligned with your prospective client base.

And remember, reporters move — a lot. Today’s local journalist could be tomorrow’s national correspondent. Even if a reporter remains with a local media outlet, he or she may still freelance for national publications. No matter where the story is appearing, a journalist, especially one working on deadline, is likely to turn to tried-and-true experts.

2. Get the reporter’s attention in a professional, respectful way.

Have you read an article lately that you liked, that was informative or that touched on your practice area? Most media outlets now include the reporter’s e-mail contact information, so send a quick note introducing yourself and letting the reporter know that you liked the piece and why.

Of course, you can also pick up the phone and call the journalist. It is a good way to quickly establish a rapport, but remember to spend at least 70 percent of the conversation focusing on the piece and the reporter rather than on you and your credentials. If you do choose to make a phone call, follow up with a short e-mail to ensure that the reporter has your contact information.

3.  Submit guest articles for publications.

Instead of waiting for a reporter to put you in print, be proactive and submit your own work for publication. Most trade newspapers and magazines are searching for guest articles, generally consisting of around 1,000 words written in approachable newspaper format rather than a footnote-laden law review opus.

Legal reporters, whether they work for mainstream media outlets or trade publications, spend a lot of time looking for story ideas. Guest articles often inspire an idea that a reporter will then pitch at his or her editorial meeting. If the story gets the green light, the reporter already has one quotable source identified: the author of the guest article.

For more information on how to get guest articles published, read our three-part series “Use Guest Articles to Promote Your Practice.”

3. Leverage the Internet to highlight your legal expertise.

Show me a reporter trying to find a qualified legal expert and I’ll show you reporter using Google or another search engine.

As a journalist, when I needed an expert — especially one in a highly specialized field — I researched the Internet. I was looking for guest articles, websites and blogs devoted to the niche topic in question. The lawyers who wrote those articles, hosted those websites and wrote for those blogs were the ones who were likely to receive calls from me looking for quotes.

4. Return a reporter’s phone call or e-mail immediately.

I cannot stress this enough. As someone who made the shift from courtroom to newsroom, I can assure you that time moves differently in the two professions.

Among lawyers, a policy of returning phone calls within 24 hours is considered highly responsive, with good reason. The practice of law is demanding indeed. A trial lawyer spends a lot of time away from his or her office and in courtrooms and conference rooms.

In the space of 24 hours, though, a daily reporter has likely researched, interviewed and written one story and is well on the way to finishing a second or even a third piece. By the time you get around to calling back, the piece the reporter called you for has already been published.

A lawyer who comes through in a pinch by calling back or returning an e-mail right away — and who employs staffers who go the extra mile to help reporter and lawyer connect — is a prized source. Even a response indicating that you aren’t available for an interview at that moment is appreciated.

5. Keep in touch.

Just as the legal practice involves constant movement to the next case, so, too, do reporters move on to the next story. But that doesn’t mean you should let your name be forgotten, especially if you’ve only worked with a reporter on one piece.

Once again, when you read an article the reporter has written that you like, send a note. If the reporter wins a journalism award, extend your congratulations. When you hear or read of something that might make for an interesting story — even if it doesn’t involve you — pass the nugget along.

If you’re a reporter, do you have any other suggestions to add? Perhaps you’re a lawyer who’s found success in becoming a notable quotable — how did you make the transition?

A quick side note for all those who use the AP Stylebook as the style guide for their press releases, websites and blogs: Henceforth, “Web site” will be “website.” For more updates and information, check out the AP Stylebook’s website.

If you're looking for more law firm marketing, legal public relations or content writing tips, subscribe to the Legal Media Matters email alerts: Get articles via e-mail

Strong legal marketing and branding begins with the logo

By Geri L. Dreiling, Esq.

In legal marketing and efforts to brand your law firm, the logo is the linchpin. The law firm logo – its color, shape and style -- is the base on which every other piece of legal marketing should be built. It influences the design, look and feel of the firm’s stationery, business cards, website, blog, newsletters and brochures.

Consider some of the law firms you deal with on a regular basis. When you receive an envelope or fax, do you instantly recognize the sender with just a glance at the logo before ever reading a word on the page?

For this week’s article I’ve asked Enrique Serrano, Legal Media Matters’ logo designer and programmer, to share his insights on why a strong logo design is important and how to go about obtaining one that fits your firm. Serrano has helped businesses and firms worldwide develop unique logos as part of their overall branding strategies.

Here are Serrano’s four reasons for beginning your legal marketing efforts with a law firm logo design and four ways to come up a great design.

Why should your legal marketing efforts start with a logo?

1. It distinguishes you at a glance.

The legal marketplace is highly competitive. A logo is one visual shortcut on which people rely when trying to decide who is trustworthy. A good law firm logo conveys trust, expertise and excellence and reinforces the notion that your firm is the one needed to handle a legal matter.

2. It helps you be remembered.

Lawyers strive to communicate useful ideas and provide the best counsel and representation to their clients. You want the client to remember the law firm that the attorney is working for. A memorable law firm logo is a reminder of the lawyer’s connection to the firm.

3. It sends a message about your company.

A good law firm logo combines symbolism and psychology in a way that quickly telegraphs a message about your firm’s services. When a potential client sees it, you hope that it conveys your values and the reasons that your firm is the best choice for representation.

4. It defines your communication strategy.

The power of a cohesive and coherent communication strategy cannot be overlooked. It brands your firm as reliable.  Once you have a law firm logo that summarizes important information about your firm, incorporate it in all of your other marketing pieces. In so doing, you’ll build a memorable corporate identity and reassure your clients that the same consistent quality and effort goes into everything you do.

How do you achieve those legal marketing objectives?

1. Distinguish yourself with a unique law firm logo.

Your company is unique, and your logo should be unique, too. Avoid confusing images, recycled graphics and obvious approaches. A brand-new law firm logo, tailored to your specific needs, will set you apart from your competition.

2. Get a memorable law firm logo, one that’s clean and simple.

Your logo is more than an illustration; it‘s an easy-to-remember design that embodies a specific concept. It should be simple and clean, reduced to just the most necessary elements. Include your company name in an easy-to-read way as part of the design.

3. Use colors and shapes in your law firm logo to convey something meaningful.

A logo is more than just an appealing image. Through the use of carefully selected colors and shapes, a law firm logo conveys your values in subtle ways.

4. Follow a branding strategy inspired by your logo.

Your law firm logo should be a powerful source of inspiration for your legal marketing efforts. You need to use that image in your different communication elements, such as your business cards, stationery and website. Include the ideas, colors and symbols of your logo as part of your communication.

Does your law firm have a logo? If so, do you incorporate it into all of your legal marketing efforts?

And if you need a law firm logo, contact Legal Media Matters to learn how we can help you craft the perfect image for your firm.

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Three No-Cost Ways to Promote Your Law Firm’s Website and Legal Blog

By Geri L. Dreiling, Esq.

“If you build it, he will come.” That memorable line spurs Ray Kinsella to build a baseball field in the middle of a cornfield in the now-classic film Field of Dreams.

But building the field is only the beginning. Kinsella, played by Kevin Costner, then must drive halfway across the country to retrieve one of the film’s main characters, writer Terence Mann, and another ballplayer, Archibald “Moonlight” Graham, and bring them back to the field of dreams.

“If you build it, clients will come,” is often the marketing philosophy lawyers adopt when they discuss law firm websites or legal blogs. Attorney websites and blawgs are indeed important first steps in any legal marketing effort. Like the baseball field in the film, websites and blogs are ultimate destinations to which you hope to attract traffic.

But once you build an online presence, you still need to reach out to prospective clients to get them to come.

Here are three free ways in which you can extend a virtual hand and invite people into your space.

1. Find a legal blog or LinkedIn Group that covers your practice area outside your geographic location.

Whether you’re a traffic lawyer, an attorney who handles DUIs or a divorce lawyer, you have colleagues in other states who are writing about their practices. Find a blawg that you think is well done and that has a writing style or approach that resonates with you. Subscribe to it and, when you read a post that you find compelling, leave a comment. You could discuss why you liked the post, explain how the law in your jurisdiction differs or add to the discussion.

By reaching out to attorneys in other jurisdiction, you can start setting building blocks for a referral relationship.

And because people with legal problems use the Internet to find the answers to their questions, they’re not always going to limit their searches by location. In leaving a comment and noting your geographic location in the text, you might attract a new client who has also found his or her way to that blog during the information-gathering process. If the blog allows you to provide a link back to your own blog or website, it will be easy for the prospective client to get to you with just a click.

2. Find a blog or LinkedIn group that complements your practice and leave a comment.

Who are the outside experts you routinely turn to when working on a case? If you’re a criminal defense lawyer, it might be DNA experts. Personal injury attorneys often work with forensic economists. Whatever your practice area, there are typically groups of professionals outside the legal profession to whom you turn for information, advice and even testimony.

Find out where they gather on the Internet. It might be a blog. It could be a LinkedIn Group. Follow the discussions and, when you read a post to which you have something relevant to add, write a comment.

As in the first suggestion, consistent efforts to reach out and share your expertise can go a long way toward building profitable relationships, strengthening your referral network and leading people back to your own website or blog.

3. Interact with a blog or LinkedIn Group that is not related to your practice but is centered on your geographic area.

Clients want a lawyer who is not only an expert but also someone they like. Why not try connecting with people in a different way — as a business owner, a parent balancing work and family, a community volunteer or a school alumnus?

Any lawyer who has attended a nonlegal function knows that it doesn’t take long for people to find out that you’re a lawyer, and soon the legal questions are coming fast and furious. The same holds true for the Internet. Visit places where there aren’t many lawyers and you’ll soon be labeled as “the lawyer” of the group.

Consistent, Steady Legal Marketing Outreach

Make it your goal of completing one step a week, and within a few months you’ll see results. It will not only drive traffic to your website or blog but also help you forge new relationships and, ultimately, expand both your client base and the paths leading to your virtual door.

As Mann tells Kinsella in Field of Dreams: “Ray, people will come, Ray. They'll come to Iowa for reasons they can't even fathom. They'll turn up your driveway not knowing for sure why they're doing it.”

If you're looking for more law firm marketing, legal public relations or content writing tips, subscribe to the Legal Media Matters email alerts: Get articles via e-mail

Finally, I can’t conclude a post that touches on baseball without mentioning that Opening Day is almost here. Go Cards!

Geri L. Dreiling, Esq.

I hate having my picture taken, and the thought of sitting for a headshot fills me with dread. I know I’m not alone – many of my clients feel the same way

But cutting corners when it comes to your photo is a mistake. Your image is an integral part of your brand, and a picture is indeed worth a thousand words. The images on a page capture a reader’s attention first, whether the page is on the Internet, in a print medium or part of a law firm newsletter.

For this reason the “Let’s just get a camera — we can line everyone up against the wall and click” method is not the best option for your legal marketing needs. The result of the amateur approach often lies somewhere between a mug shot and the annual school photo.

This week I’ve asked Jennifer Silverberg, an award-winning photographer whose work has appeared in the Wall Street Journal, Elle magazine, the Riverfront Times and numerous other publications during her 15-year professional career, to share her tips on how to make your shoot a successful one.

Here are four of Silverberg’s recommendations:

1. Identify your preferred photography style.
2. Research photographers to find the right fit for you.
3. Review the photographer’s portfolio.
4. Have a pre-shoot meeting to finalize the details.

1. Identify your preferred photography style.

Should your photo be formal or casual? Do you prefer a newsy/editorial feel or the portrait style? Perhaps you want several types of photos that can be used in different contexts as part of your overall legal marketing strategy. These are questions that should be explored before, not after, a shoot.

“The type of photo a lawyer chooses will depend on a variety of factors,” says Silverberg. “It will depend on how they see themselves and how they want their clients to see them. It is important to think about your audience.”

A lawyer who represents corporations may prefer photos that are more formal. A lawyer who represents labor interests may be drawn to a rolled-up-sleeves photo that conveys a sense of accessibility. An attorney who represents tech startups may want an image that is more cutting-edge.

For this post, the St. Louis law firm Carey, Danis & Lowe has graciously agreed to allow us to demonstrate the different photography styles by using some of the photos taken of the firm’s lawyers. The copyrighted images were taken by Silverberg as part of a Legal Media Matters project and may not be reproduced without permission.

This photo is an example of a formal portrait:

This image depicts a more relaxed portrait style:

This image and the photo featured at the beginning of this blog post are editorial-style photos:

2. Research photographers to find the right fit for you.

Taking the time at the beginning to find a photographer whose style appeals to you will go a long way toward ensuring that you’re happy with the final product.

“You’re investing in your image,” says Silverberg. “Photographers have different styles, so it’s important to select one who matches your tastes. When styles and tastes don’t match, it can create a frustrating situation for both the photographer and the client.”

For someone looking for a photographer, Silverberg says, several options are available:

• American Society of Media Photographers – The trade association’s website has a search function that helps you track down respected industry professionals.
• Google search – Try searching for photographers by pairing your geographic location with such search criteria as “portrait photographer,” “editorial photographer” or “corporate photographer.”

3. Review the photographer’s portfolio and Photoshop work.

When reviewing a portfolio, Silverberg recommends asking, “Am I drawn to these images?”

If so, you may have found your fit. If not, ask to see more work or continue your search.

It is also important to ask about processing. For every hour a photographer spends on a shoot, he or she often spends at least that much time, if not much more, polishing the image in Photoshop. Photoshop can erase the dark circles left from late nights preparing for trial, exchange a cloudy day for a sunny one, and get rid of unsightly computer cords and exit signs.

“You want a polished image, but it shouldn’t be overprocessed,” Silverberg advises. “You want it to be an authentic image and not a glamour shot.”

4. Set up a preshoot meeting.

A meeting before the sessions helps in two ways, notes Silverberg: “It gives me an opportunity to have a conversation with the creative team to go over the images and the feel the team aims to convey,” she says.

If the shoot will be done in the firm, a preshoot meeting also gives the photographer a sense of the layout and lighting, which in turn will dictate the type of equipment he or she brings.

Your Image as a Legal Marketing Investment

A photo shoot with a professional is an investment of time and money that adds value to your legal marketing effort. No matter how polished your content is, if your images are amateurish the overall impact of your legal marketing efforts will be diminished.

To see more of Silverberg’s food, portrait and editorial photography, visit her website and blog.

Now it’s your turn. Whether you’re a lawyer, photographer or legal marketing consultant, do you have any tips to help make a photo shoot a success?

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In the win-some, lose-some world of trial work, claim your successes more often than others point out your defeats

By Geri L. Dreiling

There’s a saying among trial lawyers:  Show me a lawyer who has never lost a case and I’ll show you a lawyer who has never tried one.

Let’s put it another way: In 2009, even superb St. Louis Cardinals slugger Albert Pujols, with a batting average of .327, didn’t get a hit about 67 percent of the time.

The message is clear. Whether you try cases or play major league baseball, there are going to be days when you strike out. The more prominent the lawyer, the higher the stakes are and the more visible the success -- and the more stinging the stumble.

You only have to look at the annual roundups of top verdicts and settlements that are published this time of year to pick up a pattern: a core group of attorneys on both sides of the aisle who have soared to great heights and suffered setbacks.

The trick is to come out ahead more often than you wind up behind, not only on the personal win/loss chart in your head but also in the legal media spotlight.

Don’t Neglect Your Wins

Hearing a jury return a verdict on your client’s behalf is an exhilarating moment when time is suspended and you bask in the glow of victory.

Unfortunately, the time in which you can relish the win is fleeting. That’s because all of the other client matters, cases and problems that you’ve pushed to the side now flood to the forefront. Now it’s your good intention of writing a verdict or settlement report that’s been pushed aside. Days turn into weeks, then months. Eventually your plan to report the results is abandoned.

But another case may come along in which the results are not favorable. Your winning opponent may not neglect to report that win—and so, even if you’ve won or settled several good cases in a row, your loss could be the only matter that ends up getting publicized.

It would be like a highlight reel after a Cardinals game that only showed Pujols’ strikeouts and omitted his home runs.

Publicize Your Successes

To avoid that outcome, make preparing and submitting verdict and settlement reports a priority. Here are some tips to help you enforce your resolve:

• The day after a win or big settlement, make a one-hour appointment with yourself to write up a rough draft of the trial report while it’s still fresh in your head. Choose a coffeehouse, the law library, your study at home. Treat the exercise as a celebration rather than a chore.

• Ask an associate or paralegal to prepare a rough draft of the trial report, using the standard form provided by many verdict reporting services. Missouri Lawyers Weekly, The Civil Litigator, VerdictSearch and Verdict Reporter all supply forms that identify the key information needed. Getting a rough draft prepared will you take you 80 percent of the way to completing the project.

• Outsource the reporting to a legal publicist. Most experienced legal PR writers can quickly prepare a trial report from the petition and answer, the expert witness disclosure and trial briefs, if any.

Ultimately it is crucial to recognize that reporting a favorable verdict or settlement is not about ego—it is about presenting an accurate track record. By not reporting your successes, you are editing out of your highlight reel the wins you’d like referring lawyers and prospective clients to see.

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Seven easy ways to promote your legal practice in February

By Geri L. Dreiling

For many attorneys, each new year brings with it a fresh resolve to do more to promote their legal practice, whether through marketing, legal public relations, networking or some combination of the three.

The year may start off strong, but, as with most resolutions, reality throws up roadblocks. The client who took a holiday from legal problems now urgently wants a solution. That trial date that once seemed so far off is much closer, and the need to schedule depositions and finish up discovery has become more pressing.

In the face of tight deadlines and worried clients, legal promotional efforts often get pushed to the side.

But you can still get back on course—and you may find that instead of wearing you down, your legal PR, marketing and networking efforts reinvigorate your enthusiasm for the practice of law.

To help you get back on track with your law firm’s marketing good intentions, here are seven things that you can do  in February to boost your visibility, strengthen your networks and promote your legal practice.

1. Send a handwritten thank-you note. If you’ve recently picked up a good client through a referral source, send a note of thanks. A token of sincere gratitude is always well received—and we like to help those who appreciate our gestures.
2. Take an old classmate to lunch. Is there someone from college or law school whom you haven’t seen in a long time, or with whom your interaction is limited to Facebook? Reconnect in person by getting together for lunch.
3. Seize a volunteer opportunity. Does your children’s school need volunteers to work the concession stand during basketball games? Is your neighborhood organization hosting a Valentine’s Day party? Volunteer a few hours of your time to help set up. Volunteering is a great way to meet people who share interests with you.
4. Catch up over coffee. Meet a client, former client, expert or other professional— psychiatrist, social worker, accountant or engineer—for coffee. Find out how your acquaintance is doing and use the time to learn about new developments in that person’s field or business. An expert may also be able to offer insight into what is and isn’t working when it comes to pretrial and trial strategy.
5. Send a note of congratulations to a colleague you know and admire who has recently been showcased in the media. Whether it’s a good settlement, a hard-won verdict, a guest article or a quote in the media as a legal expert, everyone likes to be acknowledged. Even if the lawyer practices the same type of law, there are always cases involving conflicts, and your genuine gesture could pay dividends later. For an extra boost, send a copy of the clip.
6. Report a verdict or settlement. Perhaps you’ve tried or settled a case in the past several months but haven’t gotten around to submitting it for publication. Make February the month when you finally write the case up and getting it published. For a lawyer, real results are the best form of promotion.
7. Inform the public about new hires, honors, awards and speeches. Send a press release to the legal, business and general media announcing your news. Include alumni magazines in your release. Growth, whether in the personnel department or professional development, is positive news indeed.

You know the old adage: Every journey, even the longest, begins with a single step. These are seven small steps for you to use as you begin your journey to boost your visibility and promote your legal practice.

As extra incentive for you to stay on track with your promotional efforts, Legal Media Matters is offering a 10 percent discount on the flat fee price of legal press releases and trial reports to new clients.

The new-client discount is good for one press release or trial report booked on or before Feb. 14. Simply fill out the online contact form and include “Promote Your Practice Offer” in the body of the comment section.

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By Geri L. Dreiling

Regularly searching your name on the Internet might seem almost as vain as spending hours admiring yourself in the mirror—but lawyers who don’t tend to their virtual images do so at their peril.

Monitoring your online reputation isn’t just for lawyers, as the readers of O, The Oprah Magazine know. In her article “New Year, New Virtual You” in the January 2010 issue, Farah Miller dispels the myth that typing your name into Google is merely an act of vanity and urges readers to take control of their online profiles.

Searching your name on the Internet might unearth that long-forgotten op-ed piece you had published in the student newspaper, Miller writes— something you might rather have appear way down in the search results. She also recommends visiting peekyou.com or snitch.name to discover what online information about you exists. If it involves sensitive data, you can contact the Web site that contains the information or visit google.com/webmasters/tools/removals.

Social Media for Lawyers

In addition to revealing less-than-flattering much-too-revealing information, however, the Internet can be a great tool for promoting a positive virtual image.

Create a personal business profile on LinkedIn. The free business social networking site allows you to post information on your current and previous jobs and your education background. There’s plenty of room to summarize your experience and accomplishments. As I suggested in my recent article “Making the Most of Word-of-Mouth Referrals,” it is also a great place to highlight the recommendations of others, such as attorneys, experts or clients you’ve worked with previously.

Keep your profile on your law firm’s Web site up to date. A lawyer can accomplish a lot in three or four years. Have you updated your profile lately to include the lectures you’ve delivered at continuing legal education seminars, your published articles or your noteworthy cases? Has your practice area changed, and does your profile reflect this?

Submit your firm announcements—honors, awards, hirings, promotions and speaking engagements—to media outlets for publication. Many bar association newsletters, alumni magazines, business-oriented newspapers and legal trade publications are carried online and in print. In my efforts to monitor the online reputation of each Legal Media Matters attorney marketing client, I often pull up the positive information that we have submitted to a variety of publications in the form of firm announcement news releases.

Purchase a personal URL. The cost is nominal, but the peace of mind you’ll gain from knowing that no one else can create a site using your name is priceless. You don’t have to create a Web site for the URL; you’re simply keeping that URL out of circulation. In addition to protecting your online reputation, it can keep your future options open. Many attorneys have ambitions of starting their own firms, and reserving a URL is wise planning.

Ultimately attorney marketing isn’t just about crafting telephone books ads, radio spots or TV commercials. It’s about monitoring your image and ensuring that it is a fair, accurate representation of you. Even lawyers who don’t use traditional advertising methods have an interest in protecting their reputations.

Google yourself … and see what you find!

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