Is your legal case or law firm news sitting on the sidelines? In today's competitive landscape, securing media coverage can be a game-changer, helping you reach new audiences, build trust, and establish your firm as a leader in the legal community.
What is Newsworthy?
When pitching a story or news to a reporter or media outlet, you need to think like them. You must determine if this news addresses the reporter’s audience and if it is worth their investment and time to move forward. Journalist may use the some of the following common sets of values to determine what is newsworthy for their audience:
- Impact: Does the news impact the news outlet’s audience? The more people affected, the greater the news interest.
- Timeliness & Currency: We live in a 24-hour news cycle. The news should be timely. Recent news and events or news in the making are more likely to lead the news cycle. If news is not recent, be able to say what is new about the story today that will advance and continue the ongoing news coverage.
- Proximity: Where is the story located? The closer it is to the news coverage area, the more interesting it becomes to the journalist and their audience.
- Prominence: How prominent are the players in the news story? High-profile figures (politicians, athletes, community leaders) are more likely to generate media coverage.
- Rarity: Is this something common or is this a unique story? Unusual stories often make their way into the news.
- Conflict: News stories that contain conflict, opposing views or controversy make for more compelling news and therefore get more coverage.
- Human Interest: Does the story have any special human interest? Can you put a face to the story and does the story connect with the audience on an emotional level?
Get Your News Published
To ensure that a lawyer's firm news, cases, and other developments are considered newsworthy and attract media coverage, they can:
- Build and maintain a solid media list. Sometimes you might get lucky, but you are only as good as your media list.
- Build Relationships: You need to cultivate relationships with journalists by offering valuable insights, timely responses, and reliable information. Become their trusted source.
- Identify Unique Angles: Help your reporters by highlighting the compelling aspects of your news, such as unusual legal strategies, significant outcomes, or the human-interest elements that resonate with the public.
- Tie into Timely Events: When possible, connect your news to current events, trends, or legal issues that are currently in the spotlight to make it relevant and timely.
- Demonstrate Impact: Try to emphasize the broader implications of your news by showcasing how it affects the community, sets legal precedents, or addresses pressing societal concerns.
- Provide Exclusive Content: Are you able to offer journalists exclusive access to information, interviews, or insights that cannot be found elsewhere, making your story more valuable to media outlets.
- Craft Compelling Stories: Present your news in a narrative format that engages readers or viewers, evoking emotion, intrigue, or controversy to capture media attention.
- Utilize Visual Elements: You should incorporate visuals such as photos, videos, or infographics to enhance the storytelling and make your news more visually appealing to media outlets.
- Leverage Expertise: Position yourself or your firm as thought leaders in your field by providing expert commentary, analysis, or opinions on relevant legal topics or industry trends.
Types of Newsworthy Items Could Include:
- Firm News and Announcements:
o New attorneys and staff members
o New office or office expansion
o New service offerings
o Awards and recognitions
o Community involvement and sponsorships
o Events, Conferences or Seminars
o Cases, verdicts, and settlements - Industry News:
o New legislation or changes in the law
o News and information impacting your area of practice - Featured Articles
- OPED Piece (opinion editorials)
- Bylined Article
Ethical and Advertising Rules
It is your responsibility to make sure your public relation activities are compliant with your state’s Bar Association Advertising Rules and Regulations or the American Bar Association (ABA) Model Rules of Professional Conduct. This includes any vendors you hire to assist or manage your PR efforts.
By following these tips and focusing on newsworthy content, law firms can not only secure valuable media coverage, but also attract new clients, build brand awareness, and establish themselves as trusted legal authorities.
Additional Resources
Watch for upcoming How Tos on Track Results of a Press Release, Set Up a Press Conference, Prepare for a Media Interview, Prepare for / Handle a PR Crisis, and How To Hire and Work with a Public Relations Agency. In case you missed it, you can catch up on Building a Legal Marketing Press / Media Database and How to Pitch the Media, How to Write a Press Release and How to Distribute a Press Release.
