Dear GiGi: I work on business development for a law firm, and I’d like to figure out how to utilize PR more effectively for sourcing new clients. One issue is that our current clients rely on us for discretion, so we can’t publish the details of our work much. What can PR do for us without compromising our clients?

Dear Joe,

As you suggest, many law firms can’t talk about client work in detail. While that’s a challenge, it doesn’t mean you should neglect external communications as an integral tool. There many ways that public relations can help your firm, and I’ll outline just a couple here. The key is to always think about press outreach through a strategic lens. It’s not always about how much coverage your firm gets; it’s the quality of coverage that usually determines the benefit.

Raising your media profile is a good way to assist business development. Make a concerted effort to pitch attorneys as expert sources to comment on news that’s relevant to their practices. Quotes by your attorneys in news stories will help advance the reputation of the firm – in addition to individual practice areas. Also, work on placing bylined pieces by attorneys, such as op-eds and journal submissions, in relevant publications. That’s one of the best ways to demonstrate your leadership and put yourself in front of target client groups.

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Stay on message,