Lawyer Media Coaching & Training

What can a Media Coach do for a Law Practice? Plenty.

Polished Media-Savvy Attorneys Attract Great Clients

Public relations (PR) can attract clients and grow your law firm but too often lawyers launching a PR campaign miss the key element: Themselves. All the on-air, online, and in-print publicity in the world is of nominal value if the spokesperson, i.e. you, the attorney, is ineffective. We have all seen (and maybe envied a bit) the lawyers who connect exceptionally well with journalists and their audiences, seemingly without effort. The good news is this ability is a trained skill.

A media coach with a strong foundation in legal issues as well as law practice development, attorney and firm branding, and how various audiences perceive legal issues and lawyers in the news, can do wonders with any lawyer in any situation. All mega firms use media trainers, at least for their top lawyers but only a handful off small to medium sized firms make this a part of their PR program. They’re easy to identify because their lawyers are constantly in the news and they sound terrific.

Media coaching and training are a key element of the Elite Lawyer Management practice development process. It’s essential to building a thought leader platform.

6 Media Tips for Lawyers – Just the Start of Legal Media Training

Never Roll Your Eyes on Camera: Many of us roll our eyes upward for a moment as we formulate an answer to a complex question. On camera that subconscious gesture makes you look insane;
Wearing Your Best White Shirt? Most lawyers default to a high-end white shirt when they’re doing something important like a media interview. On camera you’ll look washed out. Stripes or small patterns? They look wavy on-air and distract from your message. Go with a jewel tone;
Like SKYPE Interviews to Save Time? Mistake. If you’re given the choice always go for an in-studio interview or a satellite facility near you. Gwyneth Paltrow looks horrid on SKYPE and you can’t expect to look better. Avoid it, or worst case do subdued lighting, good background and keep the camera level;
“No Comment”? That’s what lawyers are usually expected to do but you should never utter this phrase as it makes your client look guilty and their counsel look amateur. A better response is, “While I can’t comment on the specifics of a legal case that’s underway, I WILL tell you my client is eager to tell the REAL story in public courtroom with REAL facts and truthful witnesses”;
Avoid Legalese: While this seems simple, experienced lawyers often are so immersed in their specialty they don’t even know how little an audience might know. Did you win a big Summary Judgement motion, score millions at a FINRA arbitration, get your class certified? Those aren’t everyday terms to non-lawyers – a law experienced media coach will help you craft your message in layman friendly style;
You’re Never off the Record: A common reporter’s tactic is to put down their pen and close their notebook, or tell the cameraman to take a break, then ask a seemingly friendly question, “That was great, now how to you REALLY feel about the new Department of Justice policy?” It’s a trap, it’s a tactic, and this technique has been the high-visibility undoing of many a lawyer.

These few tips for attorneys dealing with the media are simple foundation elements to the media coaching process. You need to know them but there is much more to training for the elite 1% of the legal profession. Our coaches give you thought leader level skills.

Elite Media Coaches & How we Work with Lawyers

Just as ELM publicists are all former award winning journalists, we know that the best media coach will be a professional with years of on-camera experience – in front of the camera. So, rather than pursue a corporate training strategy our two media coaches are current high visibility television journalists, each with hundreds (likely 1000+) of on air interviews. They know the questions you’ll face as well as the opportunities you have to get your message out.

Our media coaches have a behind the scenes knowledge of newsrooms (print, online, on-camera) and they know how reporters think. They help you understand that reporters do not care about YOU, they do not care about your law firm… A reporter, producer, editor or anyone else in the news compilation and delivery structure cares solely about their audience. Their job is to get news and find voices for their stories that will engage and inform and entertain their readers or viewers. If you understand this, you are light years ahead of your self-focused competitors who can’t understand why they can’t get media attention.

The initial media training element of the Elite Lawyer Management process will be conducted by SKYPE in one-hour modules, with homework and practice exercises between those sessions. By the end of your fourth session, you’re media ready. Thereafter our media trainers fine tune when and as appropriate depending on your cases, clients and the overall strategy of getting your opinions in the national news of the moment. We also do on-site full day and half day programs for groups.

Our lawyers are ready and polished and always excited at the prospect of connecting with a journalist. They know that a great media interview can help their clients, attract new ones, and enhance their reputation as a thought leader in their legal focus areas.

Great Media Skills are Learnable & Support other Law Practice Development Efforts

The media loves an engaging lawyer who gets past the stereotypical bluster and self-focus. Our media trainers will bring out your best authentic self and make sure you communicate your message flawlessly and strategically. Our coaches know that media training is just one element of the Elite Lawyer Management process and train to support the larger strategy for your brand, PR, speaking, publishing, and online law practice marketing efforts.

ELM media trained lawyers:

Know how reporters think;
Are never caught off guard;
Are always comfortable with journalists;
Deliver winning messages;
Become the go-to lawyer and thought leader in their field.

Elite Media Training Enhances Your Law Firm and Personal Brand

Lawyers who deliver insightful commentary and are relaxed and comfortable with the media become media magnets – journalists seek you out time and again. Why do you see the same lawyers doing commentary on CNN, ABC, and in the New York Times? Because they have trained and practice to become the go-to lawyer for their field.

The attorneys ELM represents are constantly in the news. You see them on Bloomberg, Access Hollywood, 60 Minutes and the rest. They elevate themselves above all competitors by having the appropriate style of media response for the outlet and situation, e.g. a quick comment on a CNN or E-Entertainment clip will be very different from a response to a Pharmaceutical Compliance Monitor in-depth interview on what compliance officers can expect for next year.

We teach lawyers how to communicate effectively for every media and news audience. If you’re ready to sharpen your professional presence and learn to deliver great messages, every time – let’s talk to see how an Elite Lawyer Management media coach can help you master this powerful law practice enhancer. 888.787.2246 or [hidden email]