Public Relations for Law Firms

Why Law Firms Need PR

Advertising says you’re good. Press coverage proves it.

When a local news outlet quotes you as an expert on a legal issue, that carries weight no ad can match. When a publication profiles your firm’s community involvement, potential clients notice. When your name appears in industry journals, referral sources take you seriously.

Public relations builds credibility that money can’t buy. The attorney who shows up in news coverage becomes the attorney people think of when they need help.

But here’s the problem. Most PR agencies have no idea how newsrooms actually work. They blast generic press releases into the void and hope something sticks. They pitch stories editors don’t want. They waste your money on efforts that produce nothing.

We work differently. And it starts with who runs our PR operation.

A Content Director Who’s Been on Both Sides

Joe Toppe – Founder & Content Director
Joe doesn’t guess what editors want. He knows. Because he was one.

Managing Editor at PropertyCasualty360, where he runs content for insurance industry professionals right now. Former Associate Producer and Writer at Fox Business Network in New York, pitching and producing segments for national television. Senior Business Journalist at Capital.com covering markets and finance for a global audience. Managing Editor at Innovation & Tech Today, overseeing content operations for a national publication.

Master’s Degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from Kent State University.

That’s not a marketing bio. That’s a career built in real newsrooms making real editorial decisions. Joe has reviewed thousands of pitches. He’s killed stories that didn’t work and green-lit stories that did. He knows the difference between a pitch that gets deleted and one that gets assigned.

When we handle PR for your law firm, you get someone who spent over a decade on the inside. Someone with thousands of published articles to his name. Someone who still works in journalism today and understands what editors need right now, not what worked five years ago.

Most PR agencies employ people who’ve never published anything. We’re led by someone who’s published thousands of times.

What We Offer

Press Releases
Press releases only work when they contain actual news. A new hire isn’t news. A rebranded logo isn’t news. A verdict that changes how people understand their rights? That’s news.

We write press releases that newsrooms actually want to run. Real angles. Real hooks. Proper AP style formatting that tells editors we know what we’re doing. Distribution to outlets that matter for your market and practice areas.

No spray-and-pray blasts to irrelevant contacts. Targeted pitches to journalists who cover your topics.

Media Interviews
Getting quoted as an expert positions you as the go-to attorney in your field. We identify opportunities, pitch you to journalists working on relevant stories, and prepare you to deliver quotes that actually get used.

Joe knows what makes a good source. Availability, quotability, genuine expertise. We coach you on giving journalists what they need so they call you again next time.

Crisis Management
Bad news travels fast. A negative review goes viral. A case outcome gets misrepresented in the press. A former client makes accusations on social media.

How you respond in the first hours shapes the narrative. We help you respond strategically. When to comment. When to stay quiet. How to get your side of the story out without making things worse.

Joe has managed breaking news in real newsrooms. He understands how stories develop and how to influence coverage when the stakes are high.

Internal Communications
Your team needs to hear from leadership. Firm announcements, policy changes, strategic direction. Internal communications done poorly create confusion and resentment. Done well, they build culture and alignment.

We write internal memos, announcements, and updates that sound like you and land the way you intend.

Community Relations
Pro bono work. Sponsorships. Board memberships. Community involvement builds goodwill and generates positive coverage. But only if people know about it.

We help you identify community relations opportunities and turn that involvement into visibility. Not self-congratulatory press releases. Genuine stories about genuine contributions that journalists want to tell.

Digital PR
Online mentions, backlinks from news sites, and social proof that shows up when people Google your name. Digital PR bridges traditional media relations and SEO.

Coverage on authoritative websites builds backlinks that improve search rankings. Mentions across the web create a reputation footprint that reinforces your credibility. We pursue digital PR opportunities that serve both your reputation and your visibility.

Event Management
CLE presentations. Client appreciation events. Open houses. Community seminars. Speaking engagements that position you as an authority.

We help plan and promote events that generate attendance, coverage, and follow-up opportunities. From initial concept through post-event publicity.

PR That Integrates With Everything Else

Public relations doesn’t exist in isolation. It connects to every other way your firm presents itself to the world.

Content Writing
The same journalism standards we apply to PR work inform all your content. Website copy, blog posts, practice area descriptions. Consistent voice, consistent quality, consistent credibility.

Social Media
Press coverage gets amplified through social channels. Media appearances get shared. Expert commentary finds wider audiences. PR and social media reinforce each other.

Graphic Design
Visual materials support PR efforts. Professional headshots for media kits. Branded templates for press releases. Event materials that look as professional as your legal work.

When one team handles all of this, everything aligns. No mixed messages. No inconsistent branding. No gaps between what you say in the press and what your website says.

What Makes Legal PR Different

Attorney advertising rules apply to public relations just like everything else. The ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct and state bar requirements govern what you can say publicly.

Press releases can’t make claims your ads couldn’t make. Media quotes need the same care as any client-facing communication. Even community relations efforts require attention to ethics rules.

We know these boundaries. We’ve worked exclusively with law firms long enough to understand what’s allowed and what gets flagged. Your PR builds credibility without risking your license.

Building Relationships That Last

Good PR isn’t one press release. It’s ongoing relationship building with journalists, editors, and producers who cover your practice areas.

Joe maintains active relationships across the media landscape. Former colleagues at major outlets. Working journalists who trust his pitches because he’s proven he won’t waste their time. Editors who know that when he reaches out, there’s a real story worth covering.

Those relationships took years to build. You get access to them immediately.

Measuring PR Results

PR results aren’t always as clean as ad metrics. But that doesn’t mean we operate without accountability.

We track media placements, estimated reach, domain authority of covering outlets, and resulting backlinks. We document interview opportunities generated and quotes that made publication. We show you tangible evidence that your investment produces results.

Monthly reports keep you informed without drowning you in vanity metrics. Real outcomes, honest assessment, clear next steps.

Who Needs Law Firm PR?

Growing firms that want to accelerate their reputation building

Established practices launching new service areas or entering new markets

Attorneys positioning themselves as thought leaders in their field

Firms facing reputation challenges that need strategic communication support

Any firm tired of watching competitors get quoted while they stay invisible

Most PR Agencies Waste Your Money

They hire junior staff who’ve never worked in a newsroom. They send mass emails to purchased media lists. They measure success by how many releases they sent, not how many got published.

Then they blame “tough media environment” when nothing lands.

We measure success by coverage generated. Stories published. Interviews booked. Reputation built. If our PR doesn’t produce results, you shouldn’t keep paying for it.