Experts are virtually unanimous in their advice to lawyers to tell about successful cases at conferences, in social networks and on a personal site, but with the necessary preservation of professional secrecy. This must be done in such a way that the participants of the judicial process cannot be identified unequivocally. For example, one should not mention the case number, the date of the decision, the names of the parties or the amounts awarded. Careful approach and to mention the name of the court and the name of the judge, because if there is any other information will identify the specific trial, and it is a violation of attorney-client privilege. There is nothing bad in wisely removing the personal data (for example, one can put a lintel or cover them with paper) in order to publish the judicial acts even in full, and not just the introductory and substantive parts. In addition, the listed information by and large just isn’t necessary for potential clients.
However, lawyers advise to negotiate the text of the publication and the very possibility of its publication with the client. If the client is against communicating with the media, the lawyer has no right to comment on the case, but he or she can explain to the client the benefits and risks of both silence and active operations in the media field. Journalists cover trials most actively at the outset, and if it is a “high-profile” criminal case, it is better to have both prosecution and defense positions in the news.
An important issue in building a personal brand is not only the content itself, but how often you post it.
In the public space, it is better for an attorney to post:
- 40% expert content (recommendations, cases, professional opinion);
- 20% engaging content (constant triggering of activity, so as not to lose coverage on social networks);
- 20% of lifestyle content (stories about personal views and values in order to build trust at the “human” level)
- 10% entertainment and inspirational content;
- 10% trust triggers (confirmation of personal status: photos with famous people in the field, professional awards, publications in the media and customer reviews).
I might add that the question of how often content should be posted should be answered by the lawyer himself, depending on his capabilities.
It is not unreasonable to keep modesty in mind as well. Don’t embellish accomplishments, as the world of the professional community is quite narrow, and everyone is mostly aware of their colleagues’ successes. One mistake and clients will soon find out about the discrepancy between wishful thinking and reality, which could very well ruin the reputation and career of a lawyer.