IPad Will Increase Readership of Online Newspapers, Social Media & Looks Like Good Tool For Lawyers

After watching Steve Jobs unveil the IPad, and with the The New York Times given free air time to promote their website on the new device, I’m convinced that this will ultimately spell the end of many more print publications.

The real question, then, will be: How much can media companies charge for online subscriptions? The Wall Street Journal has been successful for years with the paid model but Newsday.com and many others have not. The New York Times, which recently announced that it will start charging for content, will likely succeed because its website has always done a great job of integrating graphics and digital video stories to compliment a neat layout. The key to the IPad’s success will be affordable and dependable Internet access everywhere, not just in certain spots.

The IPad also seems like a perfect device for litigators in particular, but I haven’t heard yet about its security features — which has prevented many law firms from making the switch from Blackberrys and PC-based systems to IPhones and Macs.

Your thoughts?

Lawyers Seeking More Business Can Learn From Gitomer, Brogan & Port in 2010

As law firms start 2010, here are some business development leaders outside the legal world whose knowledge can help partners to increase business in the new year:

Jeffrey Gitomer – a syndicated columnist and author of numerous sales books who truly stands above all the so-called sales experts. His Little Red Book of Selling is the best book on new business that I’ve ever read. And yes, lawyers DO have to “sell” themselves in this new economy, even if they despise the word and the activity itself.

Here’s a sample of Gitomer’s tips on YouTube that can easily be applied to law firm marketing/new business ideas:

Chris Brogan – Part of the dynamic “Trust Agents” duo and co-author of the best selling book by the same title. If you want to understand social media and business and technology, read his book and blog. You might also check out his new business, New Marketing Labs.

Here’s a link to a Brogan speaking engagement at the Web 2.0 Expo from November 2009:

Michael Port – author of the best sellers, Book Yourself Solid and The Think Big Manifesto, and founder of the online network, The Think Big Revolution, as well as Booked Solid University. Michael is the ultimate example of giving value first, building trust, THEN reaping the financial rewards. In his own words, he is the “guy to call when you are tired of thinking small.”

Here’s a video clip from one of Michael’s speaking engagements that summarizes the Book Yourself Solid philosophy.

Law Professor Discusses General Counsels and the Court of Public Opinion

Professor Michele D. Beardslee

Michele D. Beardslee, associate professor at the University of Miami School of Law, will be our guest on Blog Talk Radio this Tuesday, December 8 to discuss her new study on corporate lawyers and the court of public opinion.

The LawFirmsPR show will begin at 2 p.m. Eastern Time and finish at 2:45 p.m and there will be time for call-in questions.

Professor Beardslee’s current research investigates the role general counsels play in managing public relations for high profile corporate legal controversies. Part one of her “Advocacy in the Court of Public Opinion: Broadening the Role of Corporate Attorneys,” appears in the Georgetown Journal of Legal Ethics. The second installment, “Advocacy in the Court of Public Opinion, How Far Should Corporate Lawyers Go?” will appear in the same journal in 2010.

Professor Beardslee teaches courses in professional responsibility, civil procedure, and business associations.

To listen to the live interview on Tuesday, December 8 at 2 p.m., please click here at that time.

Law Firm Communications: Three Suggestions for 2010

Law firms planning for success in 2010 would do well to consider how their external communications are impacting their reputation and bottom line.

That’s why I recommend that law firms address these three areas:

1) Layoff Announcements — Many firms tried to hide the bad news of mass layoffs during 2009 only to get burned later by the media and influential bloggers through leaked memos and the firm’s inability to develop key media messages that protected the firm’s reputation. Firms should have a media strategy in place before announcing layoffs internally or to the world. Without a media strategy, firms are left with ill-advised statements like “no comment” or “we don’t discuss personnel decisions” — and other media statements that do a poor job of hiding the truth. A simple statement acknowledging that there were layoffs (without confirming exact numbers), that they were due to the downturn in the global economy (or real estate, etc.) , and that the firm’s OTHER practice areas (e.g., bankruptcy and employment law) remain strong (or are even doing better), is a good place to start.

2) Crisis Communications — Aside from the more obvious crisis situations, law firms are increasingly targets of malpractice suits filed by former clients and discrimination suits filed by employees. These kinds of stories often receive more media attention than they deserve but they can still do harm. There’s plenty that law firms can do to prepare for a crisis, respond to the crisis and to rebuild the firm’s reputation once the crisis subsides. Check out my two articles on this subject from Law.com (October 2009) and The National Law Journal (September 2006) or at www.LawFirmsPR.com.

3) Social Media – Lawyers need to get over the myth that social media is limited to boring status updates about people’s lives. Those law firms still sitting on the social media sidelines will have a harder time catching up. What I don’t understand is how many law firms spend so much money and time updating their websites but do not see the value of linking those same articles, white papers, speaking engagements, and new releases to LinkedIn, blogs, Twitter and Facebook, to name a few. These are often the same law firms that complain that they are not getting top search engine results. Social media for law firms is about sharing good professional content to build business relationships. But think of it another way. Let’s say there’s someone at a networking event you’d like to meet face-to face. Wouldn’t it be advantageous to research them FIRST on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook before meeting in person? Instead of thinking of social media as something that other people do to waste your time, think of it as a way to do more efficient research on a person or company that could increase your likeability factor — and your ability to get their business.

New Study: Corporate Lawyers Can No Longer Separate Legal Strategy from PR Activities

Here’s Part 1 of a new study on corporate counsel and litigation public relations, courtesy of Michele DeStefano Beardslee, Associate Professor of Law at the University of Miami School of Law.

Her project “investigates the emerging trend of general counsels acting as legal PR managers for legal issues facing large publicly traded corporations and the potential impact that the eroding distinction between legal advice and PR management could have on the legal profession.”

In the opening, Professor Beardslee writes:

“Today legal controversies are tried in the “court” of public opinion as much as in any court of law. Corporate lawyers’ traditional tendency, however, has been to attempt to compartmentalize legal activities from public relations activities. Accordingly, they have viewed media considerations as separate from those involved in providing legal advice, and corporate lawyers’ typical media strategy often has consisted of no more than “no comment.” Given today’s saturated media culture, this is no longer a viable strategy. Indeed, there are indications that some corporate lawyers are adapting to the new media environment and attempting to help their clients manage the public relations impact of legal
controversies. “

I could not agree more with Professor Beardslee’s summary and hope this study stimulates wider discussion among corporate attorneys, outside law firms and those in marketing and public relations who advise corporate clients and the law firms.

The full study will appear in the Georgetown Journal of Legal Ethics.

15 Minutes of Fame Podcast: Media Relations 101 for Lawyers

I’m hosting a 15-minute podcast, Media Relations 101 for Lawyers, at 8 p.m. E.S.T. on Thursday, November 12.

Social Media Basics For Lawyers – Podcast Recording

Listen to today’s podcast, Social Media Basics for Lawyers, via BlogTalkRadio (about 18 minutes)

Social Media Basics For Lawyers – Nov. 3 Podcast

Lawyers are getting more interested in social media but many don’t know where to start, what sites to use and how to leverage these tools for new business.

Tune in for my free 30-minute podcast, Social Media Basics For Lawyers, at 1 p.m. ET on Tuesday, November 3. More information about how to listen in can be found here.

Litigation Lawyers Need to Improve Communications With Media

There was a report on a survey today that said news reporters who cover litigation are not getting adequate help from lawyers when it comes to helping them understand the core issues in their cases. I’m not surprised. For many years I’ve tried to encourage lawyers and law firms to engage the media and to get out of the mindset that the media is the enemy. I’ve tried equally hard to encourage journalists not to see lawyers and PR professionals as the enemy.

Unfortunately, many lawyers still don’t trust the media to get the story right or allow their PR professionals to intervene effectively. And too many journalists still view lawyers and PR professionals as obstacles instead of resources.

These stereotypes all need to change if media coverage of litigation is to improve — so the public can better understand the justice system. (We all have a stake in that).

The good news is that more lawyers and law firms today understand the importance of communicating effectively with the media. They know that it has an impact on their reputation, their client’s reputation, and the law firm’s bottom line.

But everyone can do better.

–Lawyers can make a little time for the media that will help their clients in the court of public opinion at all stages of litigation. “No comments” and not returning reporters’ phone calls do not serve the client (or the law firm) well. Those firms with experienced PR help in-house or through an outside agency should take advantage of it, particularly during high-stakes/high profile litigation.

–PR people can help their lawyers to build relationships with key reporters long before the litigation. That makes it easier to get the right reporter’s attention when litigation hits. Good PR people assist the attorneys by distributing court documents and other background materials to the media, briefing the attorneys on the media outlet and reporters who might be covering the litigation, helping to draft key media messages, provide media training, arranging interviews and monitoring/measuring the impact of subsequent media coverage.

–Journalism schools and media outlets can do a better job training reporters and producers to cover complex litigation and legal issues. Due to mass layoffs in the media and so many newspapers/magazines out of business, there are less experienced legal reporters and beat reporters who cover the courthouses. That makes this training more important than ever.

–Bar associations can do more seminars/CLE’s with journalists that educate lawyers about how to work with the media.

Organizations like the Legal Marketing Association have done a good job at bringing journalists and legal marketing/legal PR professionals together to have frank discussions about how to improve their working relationships.

Over the years, I’ve been part of many situations in which journalists, PR professionals and attorneys all worked well together and the end result was a more informed public about a litigation matter. I know many of my colleagues in the legal marketing/legal PR world would agree.

What do you think? I’d be interested in hearing from attorneys, journalists and those in legal PR/marketing.