The Laurels of Others
If a lawyer takes shortcuts with their own brand, how can you trust them with yours?
Be honest. Why do you care if I’ve worked with famous people or Fortune X00 companies? Why do you care if I’ve been on TV or quoted in a magazine?
It’s got nothing to do with me.
If I’ve done any of those things (and I have) I’m not going to use it to promote my practice. Two reasons.
The most important reason is confidentiality. Yes, I know it’s permissible if we get consent. But I’m not going there, because it would be an appropriation for my own good, not that of the client. A positive comment from a non-famous client should carry just as much weight (no, more weight) than me dropping famous names or plastering famous logos on my site. The accomplishments of others have zero bearing on whether I’m a good lawyer, or a good match.
The second reason is: I’m getting grumpy with ubiquitous clamoring for association and thirst for celebrity. For example, take movies. It used to be a movie would start with its title and maybe the credits of those who actually did something to create it. Today our movie experience begins with frame after frame after downright trailer trumpeting those who paid for it. It’s embarrassing, these companies so desperate for recognition they insist on being the first thing anyone sees.
In the legal world (especially entertainment), attorney bios devote far more space to name-dropping than to attributes of the actual attorney. If I’m looking for a referral, I eliminate the name-droppers first. It tells me nothing that a famous drummer known for questionable judgment picked Attorney X as their lawyer. (Well, actually it does tell me something and it’s not necessarily good.)
There are ways to communicate our strengths, our backgrounds, and our suitability for particular engagements. Problem is, they take work. They require thought. They aren’t easy to craft. Name-dropping is so much quicker and easier!
If a lawyer takes shortcuts with their own brand, how can you trust them with yours?
