consideration is what it may say about you and what has happened to your practice of law. Has the business of law begun to strangle the reason why you chose it? Has success become defined by the size of money verdicts rather than what a verdict means to the client or their cause? At its core, does the advertising you choose reflect your mission as one of healing and justice or one of profits( and profits for who)?
The Pugilist … Probably the second most frequent theme of legal advertising is the pugilist. I was once having a bit of fun with my grandsons by critiquing billboards on a long road trip recently. One telling comment from my grandson Liam was“ Papa, why is that lawyer so angry? He scares me.” Some lawyers see themselves as John Wick or Mohammed Ali and intend to project that image. If I were a person who wanted revenge then I might choose them, but in my experience most people who file lawsuits just want to get some relief and move on with their lives as well as they can. A lawyer who seeks revenge might kick some butt and get a good money verdict but does not leave the client more healed. The client out for revenge may need more healing than they realize, but they will never get a verdict large enough to satisfy their urge to revenge or their need to heal. The pugilist lawyer advertising is stroking their own ego at the cost of healing and may be better satiated with buying an expensive sports car instead.
We could go onto other advertising themes used by attorneys, but hopefully you are prompted to consider what the advertising you choose says about you and your practice, and what we are teaching the public about what trial lawyers do. Legal advertising in itself is not contrary to the mission or values of a trial lawyer, but how you choose to advertise can be a good gauge of your values and sense of mission.
20 x The Trial Lawyer